Playtime Festival

Playtime Music Festival (commonly referred to as Playtime Festival) is an annual music festival held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The festival was founded by Natsagdorj "George" Tserendorj in 2002. He continues to serve as the festival's head programmer, playing a crucial role in its development and success. As of 2024, Playtime Festival is the largest and longest-running annual music festival in Mongolia. Playtime Festival 2025 will be held from July 3rd to 6th at Playtime Field in Nalaikh, Ulaanbaatar.
Traditionally taking place in early July, the weekend before Naadam, the festival features a diverse lineup of local and international acts, featuring genres such as rock, pop, indie, hip-hop, metal and electronic music. In 2024, the festival was held from July 4th to 7th at the newly established Playtime Field in Nalaikh, Ulaanbaatar. This venue is approximately 50 kilometers from the city center, accommodates up to 30,000 attendees daily and emphasizes sustainability with eco-friendly initiatives.
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 Mongolian society, particularly among modern youth, fostering friendships and nurturing curiosity through live music experiences.
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.
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 2014, 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, they were both live broadcast on IPTV in Mongolia with the title "Playtime Virtual 2020" and "Playtime Virtual 2021 2.0"
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. Mongolian fashion brand Michel & Amazonka collaborated with Playtime Festival to present their creative fashion collection in celebration of its 20th anniversary.
In commemoration of the 20th anniversary of Playtime Festival, a documentary film titled "TIME TO PLAY" was released on July 5, 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. 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.
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. This year, 50 international artists from 21 countries were announced to perform at the festival. The new field is circular shaped resembling the traditional Mongolian dwelling "ger" shape.
Currently, Playtime Festival has 7 stages each representing a unique range of genres.
Playtime Festival began hosting international headliner artist from 2013 onwards. Previous lineup consisted of local famous musical acts of Mongolia.