Why has there been an increase in the amount of music festivals in the UK?

There has been a proliferation of niche music festivals, which has led to audience segmentation. This diversification has meant that audiences can express identity through consumerism; they can buy tickets/merchandise and wear the wristbands/t-shirts for months afterwards. This is a new revenue stream as the sale of music is decreasing due to illegal downloading. Which festival people decide to go to depends on lifestyle cultures and experiences, and so this creates a sense of collectivity at each festival - the audiences are there for similar reasons.