The Gathering

What The Gathering does

The Gathering Group is a Chicago-based, privately held live event production company founded in 2013 that creates and operates a portfolio of five proprietary music festival brands: Future Sound Music Festival (Chicago's first river-front festival), Snowstorm Winter Music & Arts Festival (Chicago's first winter EDM festival, held at Navy Pier), Afterburn (official after-party of The Great Chicago Fire Festival at Redmoon Theater), Afterhours (a private show series produced with Techweek Chicago), and Black Tie Rave Miami (a poolside event during Ultra weekend). The company's technology stack centers on experiential event production rather than software, featuring integrated 3D concert experiences (Morgan Page's MPP3D), RFID ticketing, and projection technology, with theatrical spectacle provided through a core partnership with Redmoon Theater.

The business model is event-driven: revenue is generated primarily through one-time ticket sales across the festival portfolio and sponsorship packages sold in tiers (Presenting, Stage, Food/Beverage, Collateral, Custom) to brand partners including Red Bull, Lagunitas Brewing, Deep Eddy Vodka, Boxed Water, and ChicagoMusic.org. Distribution runs through dedicated festival websites, physical venue partnerships (Merchandise Mart, Navy Pier, Redmoon Theater, American Junkie, South Beach Miami), email newsletters, and a multi-platform social media presence. Customer segments span consumer ticket buyers, corporate sponsors, performing artists (recruited through an open talent submission form), and event volunteers, with no disclosed recurring-revenue or enterprise contract structure.

The company operates with a lean team of fewer than ten people and no disclosed institutional funding, relying on organic operations and event-level economics. Marketing is brand-led across five festival sub-brands, supported by earned media coverage in outlets such as Huffington Post, Edm Assassin, and Why So Chi. The data indicates geographic concentration in the Midwest (primarily Chicago) with a single-event extension into Miami, and no post-2015 product launches or scale signals in the available sources.

Name

The Gathering

Legal name

The Gathering Group

Website

https://thegatheringgroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Gathering Group is a Chicago-based live event production company that creates and operates five proprietary music festival brands, serving consumer ticket buyers, corporate sponsors, and performing artists across events in Chicago and Miami.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Music Festival Production

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events without Facilities (711320), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events (7113)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Music Festival Organizers & Promoters (MPAGAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Festival & Event Producers/Organizers (MPAIAFAC)

Keywords

• Live event production
• Music festival management
• Concert promotion services
• Experiential event marketing
• Festival sponsorship packages

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Event Ticket Sales: Revenue generated from selling tickets to their music festivals and events including Future Sound, Snowstorm, Afterburn, Afterhours, and Black Tie Rave
2. Event Sponsorships: Partnerships with brands for sponsorship opportunities including Presenting Sponsor, Stage Sponsor, Food/Beverage Sponsor, Collateral, and Custom Opportunities. Sponsors gain exposure to thousands of festival-goers.
3. Festival Brand Licensing: Development and scaling of proprietary festival brands like Future Sound Festival, Snowstorm Winter Music and Arts Festival, and Afterburn

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

The Gathering Group is a Chicago-based live event production company that creates large-scale music festivals and experiential events by integrating technology into in-person experiences. Its product portfolio consists of five proprietary event brands — Snowstorm Winter Music & Arts Festival, Future Sound Music Festival, Afterburn, Afterhours, and Black Tie Rave Miami — featuring world-class DJs and artists across electronic, alternative, rock, hip-hop, and pop genres at venues including Navy Pier, Merchandise Mart, Redmoon Theater, and South Beach Miami. Revenue is generated through consumer ticket sales and tiered corporate sponsorship packages.

Product overview

The Gathering Group is a live events production company that creates large-scale music festivals and experiential events. Their product portfolio consists of five distinct event brands: Snowstorm (winter EDM festival), Future Sound (summer outdoor music festival), Afterburn (house music warehouse after-party), Afterhours (private Techweek shows), and Black Tie Rave Miami (Ultra weekend poolside event). The company integrates technology into live events to deliver experiential in-person experiences, featuring world-class DJs and electronic artists across various venues in Chicago and Miami.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Snowstorm Winter Music and Arts Festival: Chicago's first winter EDM festival held at Navy Pier, featuring electronic music performances with Redmoon spectacles.
• Future Sound Music Festival
• Afterburn
• Afterhours
• Black Tie Rave Miami

Products and services

• Snowstorm Winter Music & Arts Festival Chicago's first winter EDM festival held at Navy Pier, featuring electronic dance music performances, Redmoon theatrical spectacles, and lakeside views for EDM enthusiasts seeking winter festival experiences.
• Future Sound Music Festival Three-day outdoor summer music festival at the South Drive of the Merchandise Mart, featuring world-class indie and electronic acts. First river-front festival in Chicago, showcasing artists like Eric Prydz, St. Lucia, and Morgan Page's 3-D show.
• Afterburn Official after party of The Great Chicago Fire Festival held at Redmoon Theater warehouse venue. Showcases house music paying homage to Chicago's roots at The Warehouse (1977), featuring performances by Goldroom and Dani Deahl with Redmoon pyrotechnic spectacles.
• Afterhours Private show series for Techweek Chicago attendees featuring high-profile EDM artists at American Junkie venue in Chicago's River North neighborhood. Known for powerful sound that resonated throughout the streets.
• Black Tie Rave Miami Poolside rave event held during Ultra weekend in Miami, featuring Brazilian DJ Thiago Mansur and Dutch songstress Elise van der Hourst. Benefits Endeavor and Miami Dade County Public Schools.

Quantifiable outcome

• First river-front festival in Chicago - Future Sound at South Drive of Merchandise Mart
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• EndeavorminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 27 March 2014Black Tie Rave Miami benefited Endeavor as a charitable cause during Ultra weekend 2014.
• Miami Dade County Public SchoolsminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 27 March 2014Black Tie Rave Miami benefited Miami Dade County Public Schools as a charitable cause during Ultra weekend 2014.
• Redmoon TheatercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRedmoon Theater is a key venue and production partner for Afterburn and Snowstorm events. They provide unique theatrical spectacles including pyrotechnics, aerialists, and puppetry that integrate with the musical performances. Redmoon's mission aligns with transforming city experiences through large-scale theatrical events.
• Techweek ChicagocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for producing Afterhours events during Techweek conferences. The Gathering Group produced Techweek Afterhours featuring Calvin Harris, which was named a Top 10 EDM Event in Chicago 2013 by Huffington Post.
• Boxed WaterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor for Future Sound 2014 festival.
• ChicagoMusic.orgminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor for Future Sound 2014 festival.
• Deep Eddy VodkaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor for Future Sound 2014 festival.
• Lagunitas Brewing Co.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor for Future Sound 2014 festival.
• Red BullminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor for Future Sound 2014 festival.
• American JunkiecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVenue partner for Techweek Afterhours events featuring Calvin Harris. The venue hosted events that could be heard throughout the streets of River North.
• The Great Chicago Fire FestivalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAfterburn serves as the official after party of The Great Chicago Fire Festival, filling Redmoon Theater to capacity with partygoers.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• North Coast Music Festival: Chicago-based music festival held at Northerly Island; comparable as a Midwest multi-genre music festival competing for similar attendees and sponsors.
• Riot Fest: Chicago-based annual music festival; operates in the same city as TGG and competes for summer festival audiences, sponsors, and venue resources.

Broad incumbents

• Insomniac Events: Largest US electronic music festival operator (EDC, Beyond Wonderland, Countdown); comparable in producing tech-integrated, multi-brand EDM festival experiences at much larger scale.
• Live Nation Entertainment: Largest global live entertainment promoter; competes for headliners, venues, and sponsorship dollars, and is the parent of Festival Republic which operates Lollapalooza in Chicago — TGG's home market.
• Ultra Music Festival: Miami-based flagship EDM festival driving Ultra-weekend demand that TGG's Black Tie Rave Miami explicitly capitalizes on; the dominant incumbent TGG orbits around in Miami.
• AEG Presents: Major live entertainment promoter and venue operator (Coachella, Stagecoach); broad incumbent competitor for headliner talent and corporate sponsorship budgets.
• C3 Presents: Festival operator behind Austin City Limits and Lollapalooza Chicago; direct competitor for Chicago summer festival share and for sponsorship partners.

Direct peers

• React Presents: Chicago-based electronic dance music promoter producing Spring Awakening, Mamby on the Beach, and other EDM festivals; most directly comparable peer given same geography and genre focus.
• Disco Donnie Presents: US-based electronic music festival promoter producing events in multiple cities including Miami (Ultra-weekend adjacent events); comparable in producing boutique EDM festivals with national touring headliners.

Others

• Redmoon Theater: Chicago-based theatrical production company that is both a strategic partner and peer-adjacent producer of large-scale city spectacles; comparable because TGG integrates Redmoon's theatrical IP into its festivals.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/gatheringgroup
• Facebookfacebook.com/TGGLiveEvents
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gathering-group

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Gathering