Playtime Festival
| Playtime Music Festival | |
|---|---|
 Playtime Festival Main Stage in 2024 | |
| Location(s) | Playtime Field, Nalaikh, Ulaanbaatar |
| Coordinates | 47°42'14.5"N 107°25'02.5"E |
| Country | Mongolia |
| Years active | 2002–present |
| Founder | Natsagdorj Tserendorj |
| Next event | July 3-6, 2025 |
| Attendance | 25,000 (daily visitors) |
| Capacity | 30,000 |
| Website | Official website |
Playtime Music Festival (commonly referred to as Playtime Festival) is an annual music festival held at Playtime Field in Nalaikh area of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Founded by Natsagdorj "George" Tserendorj in 2002, the festival has grown to feature 1,500 artists from over 20 countries performing across 8 different stages over the span of 20 years. As of 2024, it is the largest and longest-running annual music festival in Mongolia.
The festival has played a crucial role in the growth and development of the Mongolian music scene and the creative cultural industry. It has had a profound impact on society, particularly among modern youth, fostering friendships and nurturing curiosity through live music experiences.
Emphasizing its motto, EARTH. MUSIC. ART. LOVE, the festival promotes high-quality music and a lifestyle rooted in love and respect for humanity, the arts, culture, nature, and peace. Celebrated in a sustainable, healthy, and creative manner, Playtime Festival remains committed to these principles as it continues to evolve.
History
[edit]2002 - 2008: Beginnings
[edit]The festival began as a one-day event at UB Palace concert venue in the center of Ulaanbatar. The lineup featured Mongolia's emerging wave of rock, metal, and indie acts from the late 1990s and early 2000s, including notable bands such as Nisvanis, Night Train, The Lemons, A-Sound, Mohanik, and Starfish.
2008 - 2019: Outdoor Festival
[edit]In 2008, the festival transitioned to an outdoor format for the first time, held in the Zaisan, Khanbogd area, and expanded to a two-day event. This marked the beginning of its camping-style format.
From 2009 onwards, Playtime Festival was hosted at Mongol Shiltgeen in Gachuurt Village, on the outskirts of Ulaanbaatar. In 2013, the festival introduced a new electronic music stage named "Naaglihats" (derived from the Mongolian word for electricity, "tsahilgaan," spelled backwards), providing a platform for DJs and expanding its musical offerings. By 2016, the festival had grown to three days and included five stages.
In the subsequent years, Playtime Festival broadened its scope to encompass arts and cultural programs alongside eco-friendly sustainability initiatives. The 2020 and 2021 editions were held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2022: 20th Anniversary
[edit]The 2022 festival marked its 20th anniversary, celebrated with a grand four-day event from July 7 to 10. As highlighted by founder Natsagdorj Tserendorj in the Playtime 20th Anniversary photobook, "Mongolia's first and largest international music festival, Playtime, has reached a significant milestone as it celebrates its 20-year anniversary." The celebration featured over 2,500 individuals working behind the scenes and on stage, with more than 150 bands and singers performing across 15 stages, making it the most widely attended festival to date.
2024 - Present: New Era of the Festival
[edit]In 2024, Playtime Festival relocated to a new venue named Playtime Field, situated in the Nalaikh area of Ulaanbaatar, approximately 50 kilometers from the city center. The new venue has a daily capacity of 30,000 people and represents a significant step in the festival's commitment to sustainability, featuring a botanical garden, self-sustainable clean energy solutions, and an eco-friendly camping site.
Stages
[edit]Currently, Playtime Festival has 7 stages each representing a unique range of genres.
| No | Stage Name | Genres |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Main Stage | All genres, Rock, Indie, Hip-Hop, Reggae, Electronic |
| 2 | Naaglihats | Electronic, Techno |
| 3 | BUNKR | Rock, Post Rock, Punk, Indie |
| 4 | Fire | Hardcore Electronic |
| 5 | Grove | Electronic, House |
| 6 | Waldo | World Music, Acoustic |
| 7 | La Vie en Rose | Jazz, Acoustic |
Lineup
[edit]Playtime Festival began hosting international headliner artist from 2013 onwards. Previous lineup consisted of local famous musical acts of Mongolia.
| Edition | Year | Dates | Headliners |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12th | 2013 | July 27-28 | MONO · Nisvanis · The Lemons · A-Sound · Болор Хамтлаг |
| 13th | 2014 | July 19-20 | Peter Hook & The Light · Мумий Тролль · Хонх Хамтлаг · envy |
| 14th | 2015 | June 27- 28 | The Pains of Being Pure at Heart · Niciton · Nine Treasures |
| 15th | 2016 | June 24-26 | The Radio Dept · Roth Bart Baron · Ayasin Salhi · The You |
| 16th | 2017 | July 7-9 | The fin · Haranga · Japandroids · Magnolian · One Sentence Supervisor · Daisy & Gang · The Jazz Train |
| 17th | 2018 | July 6-8 | Ariel Pink · The Colors · Хөх Тэнгэр (Khuh Tenger) · Сөрөг Хүч (Surug Huch) · Lite |
| 18th | 2019 | July 5-7 | Yo La Tengo · Sunset Rollercoaster · The Wedding Present · TITEM · Ice Top · Ginjin · Onra |
| 21st | 2022 | July 7-10 | Alcest · MONO · I Hate Models · Motorama · Altan Urag · Sarantuya · Soyol Erdene 50 · Vanquish · Bulsara · Hurd |
| 22nd | 2023 | July 6-8 | Cigarettes After Sex · Marcel Dettmann · Carsick Cars · Shortparis · Delkhii |
| 23rd | 2024 | July 4-7 | Teenage Fanclub · Deafheaven · Ben Klock · OSEES · Elephant Gym · Night Train · Aisha Devi · IDIOTAPE · Lindstrøm · Teresa in the Moon · Ineemseglel · toe |
| 24th | 2025 | July 3-6 | To be announced in Feb, 2025 |
Media
[edit]TIME TO PLAY: Playtime Festival 20th Anniversary Documentary
[edit]In commemoration of the 20th anniversary of Playtime Festival, a documentary film titled "TIME TO PLAY" was released on July 5th, 2022. The documentary looks back on the formulation and history of Playtime Festival, and the lasting impact it has had in the contemporary music, arts and cultural scene of Mongolia. The founder and programmer Natsagdorj "George" Tserendorj, as well as other influential figures who worked behind the scene of the festival share their stories. The full documentary is available on Playtime Festival Official Youtube Channel.
PLAYTIME MUSIC FESTIVAL 20th ANNIVERSARY Photo book
[edit]Mongolian publishing house BROSCODE published the first print media photobook of Playtime Festival in May, 2023. The photo book is a visual collection of the festival's 20 year history.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]External links
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