Ladyfest is a community based, not-for-profit global music and arts festival for female artists which features bands, musical groups, performance artists, authors, spoken word and visual artists, workshops, and is organized by volunteers. The origins of Ladyfest developed from the DIY ethic Riot grrrl movement from Olympia, Washington combined with inclusive feminist philosophy.
The first ever Ladyfest was conducted in Olympia, Washington in August 2000 with over 2000 people attending. Prime motivators in the event were Sarah Dougher, Sleater-Kinney, Cat Power, and Neko Case.
Since the first Ladyfest, the event has branched out into other urban centers such as Amsterdam, Atlanta, Belgium, Berlin, Birmingham, Brighton, Bristol, Brooklyn, Columbus, Chicago, Cardiff, Dublin, Glasgow, Lansing, London, Los Angeles, Melbourne, Orlando, Ottawa, Philadelphia, San Francisco, San Diego, Toronto, Washington DC, and more. Each new festival is organized locally and independently of other Ladyfest events in other states or countries, primarily by volunteers, and most proceeds are donated to non-profit organizations.