The Aurora Music Festival is a unique blend of music and spectacle. Held in Clark City, Pampanga, the live music performances are displayed against the backdrop of a vibrant hot air balloon festival. Music festivals like Aurora often serve two purposes: showcasing local talent on a grand stage to reach wider audiences and, boosting Kapampangan tourism and culture — with particular emphasis on Clark City, which is often dubbed as the “next Metro Manila.”
As a city on the up, Clark is increasingly attracting people seeking new places to live, work, and explore. The festival is a chance for attendees to experience the area’s charm and envision it as a future home or destination.
But the Clark-based festival faces stiff competition against more established festivals such as the colorfully curated and art-focused Circus, the X-factor-filled local talent lineup of Fusion, the internationally acclaimed performers of Wanderland, and Malasimbo’s nature-driven initiative. These festivals already have their own unique take on offering special experiences to their audiences. Nonetheless, regular festival-goers can discern the nuances of each festival.
Ups and Downs
The Aurora Music Festival was initially established in March 2020, which was billed not only as a music festival but also a food festival, hot air balloon festival, and night glow festival. Unfortunately, all three events were canceled due to the pandemic. The festival was revived in June 2022 with headliners like Skusta Clee, Zack Tabudlo, Adie, December Avenue, Unique Salonga, Ben&Ben, and many more. However, the event didn’t quite live up to the “magical” experience that many had hoped for.
The festival experienced a mix of highs and lows, with Unique Salonga’s live performance interrupted by technical difficulties and Skusta Clee’s set facing heavy jeering from the audience. Attendees also struggled with disorganized queues and a lack of security, which compromised the safety and overall experience of those entering and leaving the festival grounds. Despite these internal mishaps — such as overcrowded sections and last-minute schedule changes — the Aurora Music Festival continued to push forward, aiming to become the biggest festival in the country.
This year, however, the festival stirred controversy with its marketing strategy, teasing fans of IV of Spades by posting the Roman numeral four in their promotional materials. Fans were left disappointed when the final lineup was revealed, and the band was notably absent.
Since its debut in 2022, the Aurora Music Festival has treated its hot air balloon display as an afterthought, with almost no photos of the balloons shared on their social media. This neglect has undermined the original theme of the festival, which ultimately led it to become just another standard music festival.
But this year’s edition did the unthinkable: the nation’s girl group, BINI, headlined the festival on both days, making them the first P-pop group to ever do so. Their historic achievement marked the beginning of a new era for the festival, alongside newer acts like Dionela, BGYO, Maki, Cup of Joe, TJ Monterde, Flow G, and many more. Tickets for Aurora Music Festival 2025 are available online here.
