thumb|300px|right|The main stage, September 22, 1998, [[Great Woods Center, Mansfield, Massachusetts]]

Lilith Fair was a concert tour and travelling music festival, founded by Canadian musician Sarah McLachlan, Nettwerk Music Group's Dan Fraser and Terry McBride, and New York talent agent Marty Diamond. It took place during the summers of 1997 to 1999, and was revived in the summer of 2010. It consisted solely of female solo artists and female-led bands. In its initial three years, Lilith Fair raised over $10 million for charity.

History

In 1996, Canadian musical artist Sarah McLachlan became frustrated with concert promoters and radio stations that refused to feature two female musicians in a row. Bucking conventional industry "wisdom", she booked a successful tour for herself and Paula Cole. At least one of their appearances together—in Vancouver, British Columbia on September 14, 1996—went by the name "Lilith Fair" and included performances by McLachlan, Cole, Lisa Loeb, and Michelle McAdorey, formerly of Crash Vegas.

The next year, McLachlan founded the Lilith Fair tour, taking the name "Lilith" from the medieval Jewish legend that Lilith was Adam's first wife who refused to be subservient to him.

In 1997, Lilith Fair garnered a $16 million gross, making it the top-grossing of any touring festival.

Three volumes of Lilith Fair: A Celebration of Women in Music documented the performances and a retrospective documentary, Lilith Fair: Building A Mystery - The Untold Story, premiered in 2025.

Performers

1997

The artists appearing at Lilith Fair varied by date (with McLachlan and Suzanne Vega the only artists to play all dates). Appearances were organized into three stages. Almost all Village Stage artists performed only one or two dates. Many of them won slots on the bill in a series of local talent searches in their home cities.

;Main stage artists

  • Fiona Apple
  • Tracy Bonham
  • Meredith Brooks
  • The Cardigans
  • Mary Chapin Carpenter
  • Tracy Chapman
  • Paula Cole
  • Shawn Colvin
  • Sheryl Crow
  • Indigo Girls
  • Emmylou Harris
  • Jewel
  • Lisa Loeb
  • Sarah McLachlan
  • Joan Osborne
  • Suzanne Vega

;Second stage artists

  • Leah Andreone
  • Autour de Lucie
  • Mary Black
  • Holly Cole
  • Patty Griffin
  • Juliana Hatfield
  • Susanna Hoffs
  • Katell Keineg
  • Mary Jane Lamond
  • Yungchen Lhamo
  • Lhasa de Sela
  • Tara MacLean
  • Dayna Manning
  • Abra Moore
  • Mudgirl
  • Once Blue
  • Madeleine Peyroux
  • September '67
  • Wild Colonials
  • Wild Strawberries
  • Dar Williams
  • Victoria Williams
  • Kelly Willis
  • Cassandra Wilson

;Village Stage artists

  • Fleming and John
  • Dido
  • Pat Benatar
  • Kinnie Starr
  • Lauren Hoffman
  • Kim Fox
  • Garrison Starr
  • Lori Carson
  • Joy Askew
  • Jill Sobule
  • Alana Davis
  • Beth Orton
  • Michelle Malone
  • Holly McNarland
  • Elise Knoll
  • Lovechild
  • Dayna Manning
  • Catherine Kidd
  • Oh Suzanna
  • Camille
  • Alisha's Attic
  • Gena and Sum Girl
  • Marley & Lizann
  • Sensual World
  • Jenny Labow
  • Suz Andreasen
  • Davina
  • Morcheeba
  • K's Choice

;Dates and venues

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

|-

! style="width:100px;"| Date

! style="width:150px;"| City

! style="width:90px;"| Country

! style="width:200px;"| Venue

|-

| July 5

| George

| rowspan="19"|United States

| The Gorge

|-

| July 6

| Salem

| L. B. Day Amphitheatre

|-

| July 8

| Mountain View

| Shoreline Amphitheatre

|-

| July 9

| Irvine

| Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre

|-

| July 10

| Phoenix

| Desert Sky Pavilion

|-

| July 12

| Winter Park

| Winter Park Music Festival

|-

| July 14

| Bonner Springs

| Sandstone Amphitheatre

|-

| July 15

| Maryland Heights

| Riverport Amphitheatre

|-

| July 17

| Cuyahoga Falls

| Blossom Music Center

|-

| July 18

|rowspan="2"|Clarkston

|rowspan="2"|Pine Knob Music Theatre

|-

| July 19

|-

| July 20

| Canandaigua

| Constellation Brands-Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center

|-

| July 22

| Mansfield

| Great Woods Center

|-

| July 24

| Hartford

| Meadows Music Theatre

|-

| July 25

| Wantagh

| Jones Beach

|-

| July 26

| Holmdel

| PNC Bank Arts Center

|-

| July 27

| Camden

| Blockbuster-Sony E-Centre

|-

| July 29

| Columbia

| Merriweather Post Pavilion

|-

| July 30

| Raleigh

| Walnut Creek Pavilion

|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

|-

! style="width:100px;"| Date

! style="width:150px;"| City

! style="width:90px;"| Country

! style="width:200px;"| Venue

|-

| July 31

| Charlotte

|rowspan="11"|United States

| Blockbuster Pavilion

|-

| August 1

| Atlanta

| Coca-Cola Lakewood

|-

| August 3

| The Woodlands

| Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion

|-

| August 4

| Dallas

| Starplex

|-

| August 6

| Antioch

| Starwood Amphitheatre

|-

| August 7

| Cincinnati

| Riverbend Music Center

|-

| August 8

| Noblesville

| Deer Creek Music Center

|-

| August 9

| Tinley Park

| New World Music Theater

|-

| August 10

| Columbus

| Polaris Amphitheater

|-

| August 12

| Burgettstown

| Star Lake

|-

| August 13

| Scranton

| Montage Mountain

|-

|August 14

|Ottawa

|rowspan="4"|Canada

|Frank Clair Stadium

|-

| August 15

|rowspan="2"|Toronto

|rowspan="2"|Molson Amphitheatre

|-

| August 16

|-

| August 17

| Montreal

| Stade Du Maurier

|-

| August 19

| Milwaukee

|rowspan="2"|United States

| Marcus Amphitheater

|-

| August 20

| Shakopee

| Canterbury Park

|-

| August 22

| Calgary

|rowspan="2"|Canada

| McMahon Stadium

|-

| August 24

| Vancouver

| Thunderbird Stadium

|-

| December 16

| West Palm Beach

| United States

| Coral Sky Amphitheater

|}

1998

The artists appearing at Lilith Fair varied by date (with McLachlan the only artist to play all dates). Almost all Village Stage artists performed only one or two dates. Many of them won slots on the bill in a series of local talent searches in their home cities.

;Main stage artists

  • Sarah McLachlan
  • Bonnie Raitt
  • Chantal Kreviazuk
  • Cowboy Junkies
  • Des'ree
  • Diana Krall
  • Emmylou Harris
  • Erykah Badu
  • Indigo Girls
  • Joan Osborne
  • Lisa Loeb
  • Liz Phair
  • Luscious Jackson
  • Mary Chapin Carpenter
  • Meredith Brooks
  • Meshell Ndegeocello
  • Missy Elliott
  • Natalie Merchant
  • Paula Cole
  • Queen Latifah
  • Shawn Colvin
  • Sheryl Crow
  • Sinéad O'Connor
  • Suzanne Vega
  • Tracy Bonham

;Second stage artists

  • K's Choice
  • Mono
  • Sister 7
  • Heather Nova
  • Morcheeba
  • Rebekah
  • Lucinda Williams
  • Victoria Williams
  • Abra Moore
  • Neneh Cherry
  • Elise Knoll
  • Mary Lou Lord
  • The Tuesdays
  • Billie Myers
  • N'Dea Davenport
  • Martina McBride
  • Litany
  • Paris Hampton
  • Davina
  • Beth Orton
  • Holly Cole
  • Diana King
  • Chantal Kreviazuk
  • Eden aka
  • Wild Strawberries
  • Patty Griffin
  • Lhasa de Sela
  • Angélique Kidjo
  • Imani Coppola
  • Lucy Gamelon
  • Kacy Crowley
  • Holly McNarland
  • Ebba Forsberg
  • Catie Curtis
  • Letters to Cleo
  • Neko Case
  • Fisher

;Village Stage artists

  • Tara MacLean
  • Sinéad Lohan
  • Autour de Lucie
  • Ana Gasteyer
  • Garrison Starr
  • Emm Gryner
  • Anggun
  • Kacy Crowley
  • Bic Runga
  • Melanie Doane
  • Abra Moore
  • Mae Moore
  • Joaelle Ndine Romero
  • Tia Texada
  • Jenny Bird
  • Sherri Jackson
  • 1/2 Mad Poet
  • Mono
  • Thornetta Davis
  • Julie Kryk
  • Lori Amey
  • Fontaine
  • Donna Martin
  • Abba Rage
  • Deni Bonet
  • Jabber
  • Victoria Hogg
  • Eden White
  • Antigone Rising
  • Paris Hampton
  • Nancy Falkow
  • Dead Girls and Other
  • Love Riot
  • Trish Murphy
  • The Nields
  • Glassoline
  • Roadie Ray
  • INHOUSE
  • Audra Jost
  • Clandestine
  • Gordian Knot
  • Cling
  • Frankly Scarlet
  • Sixpence None the Richer
  • Robyn Ragland
  • Rose Polenzani
  • Alexis Antes
  • Amy Rigby
  • Erin Echo
  • Syd Straw
  • Laurie Geltman
  • Melissa Ferrick
  • Lenni Jabour
  • Ali Eisner
  • Swamperella
  • Alison Pipitone
  • Nina Storey
  • Julianne Blue
  • Idina Menzel
  • Noëlle Hampton
  • Arone Dyer
  • India Arie

;Dates

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

|-

! style="width:100px;"| Date

! style="width:150px;"| City

! style="width:90px;"| Country

! style="width:200px;"| Venue

|-

| June 19

| Portland

|rowspan="29"|United States

| Civic Stadium

|-

| June 20

|rowspan="2"|George

|rowspan="2"|The Gorge Amphitheatre

|-

| June 21

|-

| June 23

|rowspan="2"|Mountain View

|rowspan="2"|Shoreline Amphitheatre

|-

| June 24

|-

| June 26

| Del Mar

| Del Mar Fairgrounds

|-

| June 27

| Pasadena

| Rose Bowl

|-

| June 28

| Phoenix

| Desert Sky Pavilion

|-

| June 29

| Bernalillo

| New Mexico Wine Festival

|-

| July 1

| Oklahoma City

| All Sports Stadium

|-

| July 2

| Bonner Springs

| Sandstone Amphitheatre

|-

| July 4

| Noblesville

| Deer Creek

|-

| July 5

| Columbus

| Polaris Amphitheater

|-

| July 6

|rowspan="3"|Clarkston

|rowspan="3"|Pine Knob Music Theatre

|-

| July 7

|-

| July 8

|-

| July 10

| Canandaigua

| Constellation Brands-Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center

|-

| July 11

| Hartford

| Meadows Music Theatre

|-

| July 12

| Saratoga Springs

| Saratoga Performing Arts Center

|-

| July 13

| Holmdel

| PNC Bank Arts Center

|-

| July 15

|rowspan="2"|Wantagh

|rowspan="2"|Jones Beach Theatre

|-

| July 16

|-

| July 17

| Camden

| Blockbuster-Sony E-Centre

|-

| July 18

|rowspan="2"|Columbia

|rowspan="2"|Merriweather Post Pavilion

|-

| July 19

|-

| July 21

| Virginia Beach

| GTE Virginia Beach Amphitheatre

|-

| July 22

| Raleigh

| Hardee's Walnut Creek Amphitheatre

|-

| July 23

| Charlotte

| Blockbuster Pavilion

|-

| July 24

| Atlanta

| Coca-Cola Lakewood Amphitheatre

|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

|-

! style="width:100px;"| Date

! style="width:150px;"| City

! style="width:90px;"| Country

! style="width:200px;"| Venue

|-

| July 26

| West Palm Beach

|rowspan="15"|United States

| Coral Sky Amphitheatre

|-

| July 27

| Orlando

| Central Florida Fairgrounds

|-

| July 29

|rowspan="2"|The Woodlands

|rowspan="2"|Woodlands Pavilion

|-

| July 30

|-

| July 31

| Austin

| South Park Meadows

|-

| August 1

| Dallas

| Coca-Cola Starplex Amphitheatre

|-

| August 3

| Antioch

| Starwood Amphitheatre

|-

| August 4

| Maryland Heights

| Riverport Amphitheatre

|-

| August 5

| Tinley Park

| New World Music Theatre

|-

| August 6

| Cuyahoga Falls

| Blossom Music Center

|-

| August 8

| Cincinnati

| Riverbend Music Center

|-

| August 9

| Burgettstown

| Star Lake Amphitheatre

|-

| August 10

| Hershey

| Hersheypark Stadium

|-

| August 11

|rowspan="2"|Mansfield

|rowspan="2"|Great Woods

|-

| August 12

|-

| August 14

| Ottawa

|rowspan="3"|Canada

| Lansdowne Park

|-

| August 15

|rowspan="2"|Toronto

|rowspan="2"|Molson Amphitheatre

|-

| August 16

|-

| August 17

| Darien

|rowspan="7"|United States

| Darien Lake Theme Park Resort

|-

| August 19

|rowspan="2"|Milwaukee

|rowspan="2"|Marcus Amphitheater

|-

| August 20

|-

| August 21

| Shakopee

| Canterbury Park

|-

| August 23

| Greenwood Village

| Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre

|-

| August 25

| Park City

| The Canyons/Wolf Mountain Ski Resort

|-

| August 26

| Nampa

| Idaho Center Amphitheatre

|-

| August 28

| Calgary

|rowspan="3"|Canada

| McMahon Stadium

|-

| August 29

| Edmonton

| Commonwealth Stadium

|-

| August 31

| Vancouver

| Thunderbird Stadium

|}

1999

The artists appearing at Lilith Fair varied by date (with McLachlan the only artist to play all dates).

The tour fell apart on the road as headliners Carly Simon, Norah Jones, Kelly Clarkson, the Go-Go's, and Queen Latifah dropped out, fearing that they would not be paid for their performances.

Due to poor ticket sales, thirteen shows (about one-third of the tour) were scratched (two announced on June 25, ten more on July 1, one additional on July 2) and one reassigned to a smaller venue.

The artists appearing at Lilith Fair vary by date (with McLachlan the only artist to play all dates).

  • Tara MacLean
  • Terra Naomi
  • Winterbloom (Antje Duvekot, Anne Heaton, Meg Hutchinson, Rose Polenzani, Natalia Zukerman)
  • Zee Avi

;Dates

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

|-

! style="width:100px;"| Date

! style="width:150px;"| City

! style="width:90px;"| Country

! style="width:200px;"| Venue

|-

| June 27

| Calgary

|rowspan="3"|Canada

| McMahon Stadium

|-

| June 28

| Edmonton

| Rexall Place

|-

| July 1

| West Vancouver

| Ambleside Park

|-

| July 2

| Ridgefield

|rowspan="13"|United States

| The Amphitheater at Clark County

|-

| July 3

| George

| The Gorge Amphitheatre

|-

| July 5

| Mountain View

| Shoreline Amphitheatre

|-

| July 7

| Chula Vista

| Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre

|-

| July 9

| Las Vegas

| Mandalay Bay Events Center

|-

| July 10

| Irvine

| Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre

|-

| July 13

| Greenwood Village

| Comfort Dental Amphitheatre

|-

| July 15

| Bonner Springs

| Capitol Federal Park @ Sandstone

|-

| July 16

| Maryland Heights

| Verizon Wireless Amphitheater

|-

| July 17

| Tinley Park

| First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre

|-

| July 18

| Minneapolis

| Target Center

|-

| July 20

| Noblesville

| Verizon Wireless Music Center

|-

| July 21

| Clarkston

| DTE Energy Music Theatre

|-

| July 24

| Toronto

| Canada

| Molson Amphitheatre

|-

| July 27

| Cuyahoga Falls

|rowspan="6"|United States

| Blossom Music Center

|-

| July 28

| Camden

| Susquehanna Bank Center

|-

| July 30

| Mansfield

| Comcast Center

|-

| July 31

| Holmdel

| PNC Bank Arts Center

|-

| August 1

| Hartford

| Comcast Theatre

|-

| August 3

| Columbia

| Merriweather Post Pavilion

|}

;Cancelled dates and venues

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

|-

! style="width:100px;"| Date

! style="width:150px;"| City

! style="width:90px;"| Country

! style="width:200px;"| Venue

|-

| July 8

| Phoenix

|rowspan="2"|United States

| Cricket Wireless Pavilion

|-

| July 12

| West Valley City

| USANA Amphitheatre

|-

| July 23

| Montreal

| Canada

| Bell Centre

|-

| August 4

| Raleigh

|rowspan="10"|United States

| Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion at Walnut Creek

|-

| August 6

| Charlotte

| Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre Charlotte

|-

| August 7

| Nashville

| Bridgestone Arena

|-

| August 8

| Atlanta

| Aaron's Amphitheatre at Lakewood

|-

| August 10

| West Palm Beach

| Cruzan Amphitheatre

|-

| August 11

| Tampa

| 1-800-ASK-GARY Amphitheatre

|-

| August 12

| Pelham

| Verizon Wireless Music Center Birmingham

|-

| August 14

| Austin

| Never determined

|-

| August 15

| The Woodlands

| Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion

|-

| August 16

| Dallas

| Superpages.com Center

|}

See also

  • Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery, a 2025 documentary film about the festival
  • Moondance International Film Festival

References

  • External Connections Paula Cole interview
  • Sarah McLachlan Official Lilith Fair website Archived June 12, 2010.
  • Lilith Fair: 20 things you never knew for the festival's 20th anniversary