How TikTok, YouTube, Discord, Facebook Right Now Pushing Gen Z and Digital Natives in United States to Embrace Cultural Festivals and Events, Here is a Report


TikTok, YouTube, Discord, and Facebook are right now changing the way Gen Z and digital natives in the United States embrace cultural festivals and events. In this report, we see how these platforms push trends, shape conversations, and turn online excitement into real-life participation. Gen Z and digital natives in the United States are not just watching videos or scrolling feeds. They are finding festivals, buying tickets, and planning experiences through TikTok, YouTube, Discord, and Facebook.
Right now, TikTok uses quick, creative videos to push festival highlights and make cultural events go viral. YouTube builds deep connections with live streams, behind-the-scenes clips, and artist interviews. Discord creates private and interactive spaces where festival lovers in the United States can share tips, form groups, and meet at cultural events. Facebook, while less popular with younger users, still plays a key role in pushing official updates, event details, and community plans for cultural festivals.
This report explains how TikTok, YouTube, Discord, and Facebook together shape the cultural festival scene for Gen Z and digital natives in the United States. It shows why each platform matters right now, how they push different parts of the festival journey, and why their influence will keep growing. The story of cultural festivals and events today cannot be told without understanding how these platforms push discovery, excitement, and attendance in real time.
TikTok: Turning Viral Moments into Real-World Tickets
TikTok is no longer just a place to watch fun dances or comedy skits. For many young people, it is now a search engine. When Gen Z wants to know “Which festival should I go to this summer?” they are more likely to search on TikTok than on Google.
Festival organisers know this. They post quick, eye-catching videos about line-ups, behind-the-scenes moments, and festival tips. Popular creators join in, showing travel hacks, outfits, and food to try. These short clips are fast, entertaining, and easy to share.
TikTok has also made buying tickets simpler. Its partnerships with Ticketmaster and AXS mean that viewers can click and buy tickets without leaving the app. This shortens the journey from “That looks fun” to “I’m going!” The emotional pull is immediate, and the payment path is frictionless.
For many festivals, TikTok is now the main way to reach new fans. Viral videos can sell out events faster than traditional ads ever could.
YouTube: Building Hype and Deepening the Festival Dream
YouTube is where Gen Z goes to explore a festival before buying a ticket. Almost 90% of US teens use YouTube, and many watch it daily. Long-form videos, short clips, and live streams all work together to tell the full festival story.
The platform’s livestream partnerships with big events, like Coachella, create “you have to be here” moments. Viewers can switch between different stages, watch with popular creators, and replay their favourite sets later. Seeing real people having a great time sparks the fear of missing out. This feeling is powerful. It makes people want to be there next year.
YouTube also helps turn music fandom into festival attendance. It links official artist videos with ticket shelves, showing where and when they are performing. If someone loves a band and sees they are playing at a festival, it’s a direct trigger to buy a ticket.
For organisers, YouTube is a year-round marketing tool. It can showcase past highlights, share line-up announcements, and give fans the content they want long before and after the event.
Country Event City/Region Dates (2025) Category Description United States Lollapalooza Chicago, Illinois Jul 31–Aug 3 Music festival 4-day global music event in Grant Park. United States Burning Man – “Black Rock City 2025: Tomorrow Today” Black Rock Desert, Nevada Aug 24–Sep 1 Arts & culture gathering Temporary desert city focused on radical art, community, and self-expression. United States West Indian American Day Parade Brooklyn, New York Sep 1 Caribbean carnival parade Labour Day parade celebrating Caribbean culture. United States Austin City Limits Music Festival Austin, Texas Oct 3–5 & Oct 10–12 Music festival Two weekends of live music across nine stages. United States Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta Albuquerque, New Mexico Oct 4–12 Balloon festival World’s largest hot-air balloon event. United States NYC Village Halloween Parade New York, New York Oct 31 Parade & street arts Annual public costume parade in Greenwich Village. United States Día de los Muertos at Hollywood Forever Los Angeles, California Oct 25 Day of the Dead festival Celebration with altars, music, and art. United States Muertos Fest San Antonio, Texas Oct 25–26 Day of the Dead festival Large festival with altars and cultural performances. United States Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade New York, New York Nov 27 Holiday parade Annual Thanksgiving parade with balloons and floats. United States Art Basel Miami Beach Miami Beach, Florida Dec 5–7 Art fair International contemporary art fair. Canada Fierté Montréal Montréal, Québec Jul 31–Aug 10 Pride festival 11-day LGBTQ+ celebration with parade. Canada Toronto Caribbean Carnival (Caribana) Toronto, Ontario Jul 31–Aug 4 Caribbean carnival Grand Parade on Aug 2 with Caribbean music and costumes. Canada Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF 50) Toronto, Ontario Sep 4–14 Film festival One of the world’s largest film festivals. Canada Calgary International Film Festival (CIFF) Calgary, Alberta Sep 18–28 Film festival City-wide screenings and industry events. Canada POP Montréal Montréal, Québec Sep 24–28 Music & arts festival Indie music and arts shows. Canada Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF) Vancouver, BC Oct 2–12 Film festival Large North American film festival. Canada Nuit Blanche Toronto Toronto, Ontario Oct 4–5 All-night art festival Free contemporary art across the city. Canada Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest Ontario Sep 26–Oct 18 Cultural festival Canada’s largest Bavarian festival. Canada Toronto Santa Claus Parade Toronto, Ontario Nov 23 Holiday parade Historic downtown parade. Canada Great Montreal Christmas Market Montréal, Québec Nov 21–Jan 4 Christmas market Outdoor holiday market in Quartier des spectacles. Jamaica Dream Weekend Negril, Westmoreland Aug 1–5 Music & beach festival Series of beach parties and concerts. Jamaica Denbigh Agricultural, Industrial & Food Show May Pen, Clarendon Aug 1–3 Agricultural fair Largest Caribbean agricultural event. Jamaica Jamaica Food & Drink Festival Kingston Nov 13–16 Food & drink festival Themed culinary events with local chefs. Jamaica Reggae Marathon, Half Marathon & 10K Kingston Waterfront Dec 7 Sports & culture Race event with reggae music. Peru Anniversary of Arequipa Arequipa Aug 14–15 City anniversary Parades, concerts, and cultural events. Peru International Spring Festival Trujillo, La Libertad Sep 21–28 Cultural festival Parades, dance shows, and spring celebrations. Peru Señor de los Milagros Processions Lima Oct 5–Nov 1 Religious event Largest Catholic procession in Peru. Peru Anniversary of Puno Puno Nov 3–4 City anniversary Parades, music, and dance shows. Peru Santurantikuy Cusco Dec 24 Craft fair Christmas Eve market with handmade goods.
Discord: Where Festival Communities Come Alive
Discord is not as big as TikTok or YouTube, but it has a special role. It is where close-knit festival communities gather, plan, and stay connected.
Some festivals, like Coachella and Lollapalooza, run official Discord servers. These online spaces have chat rooms for travel tips, safety advice, artist discussions, and ticket swaps. There are even voice channels and scheduled events for meet-ups.
For Gen Z, Discord feels more personal than other platforms. It is like a private clubhouse where you can talk directly to other fans. It is also a place where friendships form before the event and continue afterwards.
This ongoing connection means festivals are not just once-a-year experiences. They become year-round communities, making it more likely that fans will return and bring friends with them.
Facebook: Still Useful for Logistics and Local Reach
Facebook is less popular among US teens compared to other platforms, but it still plays an important role. It is often used for practical event details—things like official start times, maps, parking instructions, and updates.
Its event pages and groups help with RSVPs and ride-sharing. Older family members, who may be helping younger attendees plan, are also more likely to use Facebook. Cultural events that attract multi-generational audiences can benefit from this built-in bridge between age groups.
Facebook also works well for local festivals that rely on community outreach. Targeted event ads and group posts can spread news quickly within a specific city or neighbourhood.
The Gen Z Event Journey: From Screen to Festival Gate
For young Americans, attending a festival is often the end of a multi-step journey that starts online.
- Inspiration – A short TikTok or YouTube Short shows an exciting festival moment.
- Social Proof – Watching livestreams and highlight videos builds the feeling that “everyone is going.”
- Purchase – In-app ticketing on TikTok or YouTube makes it easy to buy instantly.
- Planning – Discord channels and Facebook groups help coordinate travel, schedules, and safety tips.
- On-Site Sharing – While at the festival, attendees post videos that start the cycle for the next group of future visitors.
Why This Matters for Festivals and Cultural Events
For organisers, understanding these platforms is now essential. TikTok drives discovery and fast sales. YouTube builds deep engagement and keeps fans hooked year-round. Discord creates loyal communities that return again and again. Facebook still matters for logistics and reaching mixed-age audiences.
When used together, these platforms can turn a festival from a one-off event into a cultural moment that lives on in digital form. This is how online hype becomes real-world energy—and how the next generation of festival-goers is born.
How Americans Use Social Media Apps to Plan Amazing Trips and Adventures
Americans love to travel. They also love social media. Now they use both together to plan the best trips ever. Let’s see how people use different apps to find cool places and plan their holidays.
TikTok Becomes the New Travel Guide
TikTok is super popular in America. 135.8 million Americans use it every month. People spend 78 minutes every day watching videos on TikTok. That’s more than any other app!
Young people use TikTok like Google. 40% of Americans search for things on TikTok instead of Google. 64% of young people do this even more. When they want to find travel ideas, they watch short videos about cool places.
32% of travellers use TikTok to plan trips. They watch videos about beaches, mountains, and fun cities. Travel videos get billions of views. The hashtag #TravelTikTok has 13.3 million posts. People love watching these short travel videos.
Famous travel creators on TikTok have millions of followers. Alex Ojeda shows extreme adventures to 8.5 million followers. Julia Gal shares luxury travel with 8.2 million people. These creators help others pick where to go next.
YouTube Shows Long Travel Videos
YouTube is huge in America. 253 million Americans watch YouTube videos. People spend 24 hours every month watching videos on their phones. That’s almost one full day!
Travel videos on YouTube are very popular. Adventure travel videos got 184.76 billion views around the world. Travel planning videos got 175 billion views. People watch these long videos to learn about places before they visit.
YouTube helps people research trips. They watch detailed guides about hotels, restaurants, and fun activities. Popular American travel YouTubers like Kara and Nate have 1.5 million subscribers. They show family adventures that inspire others.
Instagram Makes Places Look Beautiful
Instagram is perfect for travel photos. 57% of travellers use Instagram to research and plan trips. They look at pretty pictures of beaches, cities, and food.
70% of travel lovers share their holiday plans on Instagram. 67% of users find ideas for their next trip by looking at photos. Instagram has over 624 million travel posts. That’s a lot of holiday pictures!
Young people care about how places look on Instagram. 40% of millennials choose destinations because they look good in photos. They want to take amazing pictures to share with friends.
Instagram Reels are very popular. These short videos get 200 billion plays every day. 75% of Instagram users do something after watching a video ad. This makes Instagram great for finding travel deals.
Snapchat Connects Friends and Travel
Snapchat has 850 million users around the world. Many Americans use it to share travel moments with close friends. It’s different from other apps because it focuses on real friendships.
73% of travellers find new travel ideas on social media apps like Snapchat. 76% of people get inspired by friends’ and family’s travel photos. 86% of Snapchat users use the app before taking a trip.
Snapchat has cool features for travel. Snap Map shows where friends are travelling. AR features let people explore places virtually. 67% of users think AR shopping for travel is fun. People are 3.1 times more likely to buy travel things when friends share them on Snapchat.
Other Apps Help Too
Facebook still helps with travel planning. 244.5 million Americans use Facebook. 57% of travellers use Facebook along with Instagram and YouTube. Facebook is good for finding travel groups and events.
Discord is growing for travel communities. It has 244.5 million American users. Travel groups use Discord to chat in real-time and plan group trips together.
Twitter helps people find travel news and trending hashtags. 106.23 million Americans use Twitter. They follow hashtags like #Travel and #Wanderlust to find new ideas.
Different Ages Use Apps Differently
Young people aged 18-24 love TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat. 60% of young adults use social media to plan trips. They watch short videos and follow influencers.
People aged 25-34 also use social media a lot for travel. 60% of millennials plan trips using Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. They like to share their travel plans with friends.
Older people use less social media for travel. Only 35% of people aged 35-54 use social apps for trips. They prefer Facebook and Instagram. 20% of people over 55 use social media for travel planning.
Social Media Changes How We Travel
62% of travellers make travel decisions after seeing social media posts. 57% of Americans use social media during their trips. 72% of people book trips because of content from influencers and bloggers.
Social media makes travel planning easier and more fun. People discover new places, get tips from others, and share their adventures. This trend will keep growing as more people join social media and travel becomes more popular.
Americans now use multiple apps together to plan perfect trips. Each app does something different, but they all help create amazing travel experiences.
Key Takeaways for Event Organisers
- Use TikTok for instant impact. Short videos and native ticket links convert curiosity into sales.
- Leverage YouTube for lasting hype. Livestreams, recaps, and artist tie-ins deepen interest.
- Build on Discord for loyalty. Create spaces for fans to connect before, during, and after events.
- Keep Facebook for practical details. It still helps with RSVPs, local reach, and older audiences.
The Future of Digital-to-Physical Festival Culture
As technology evolves, the link between online buzz and real-life attendance will only get stronger. Gen Z and younger digital natives expect events to live both on their screens and in their social calendars. The platforms that inspire them today will shape the festivals of tomorrow.
For cultural events to thrive, they must meet young audiences where they are—on TikTok, YouTube, Discord, and even Facebook—and guide them from that first moment of inspiration all the way to the festival gate.
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