This past May we took our daughter to see BTS at Soldier Field. Just over 88,000 in attendance. It was miserable.

 

What is yours?

Derby, easily.

Cincinnati Riverfest (the Labor Day WEBN Fireworks) is usually over 400,000 and approaching 500,000 in attendance...but that includes folks on two sides of the Ohio River and in three counties (Hamilton, Kenton, and Campbell). Pretty tough to incorporate that in the same way.

 

Probably Kentucky Oaks for me, which is generally around the 100,000 mark.

 

The Forecastle Festival has generally been in the neighborhood of 60,000.

 

Next year we're planning on going to the Kentucky Derby, which is generally around the 150,000 mark. One of these days I'm going to actually make it to Thunder Over Louisville...still kind of amazes me that I've never been, especially after 6 years of living in Louisville. Thunder has averaged 650,000 in attendance over the last decade, again though, that's on two sides of the river and so on.

One thing I'll say...I'm not a car racing fan, even in the slightest bit. I am generally a "I'll try anything once" kind of person though.

 

That said, I have zero desire to go to any auto race, EVER...if only because of the crowd size.

My family followed our beloved Kentucky Wildcats to the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, FL this past year. On December 30th, we all went to Disney's Magic Kingdom. I have NEVER seen so many people in my life. I was told, the park had reached its maximum capacity, and stopped allowing anyone to enter at about 2 pm.

 

I have been to the Derby and college football games in stadiums holding over 100,000, but I have NEVER seen so much humanity in my life as there was that day at Disney.

 

And no........it was not a lot of fun! :(

1992 Indy 500. 400,000 in attendance.

Lollapalooza in 2011... 100,000 or so people shoulder to shoulder watching one band? Nope. Never again.

The first Brickyard 400, it was packed...but Indy never releases attendance numbers.

 

In the neighborhood of mcpapa's number above, maybe a little higher since it was the very first one.

Riverfest at 500,000 would be the largest non sporting event. Football game in the Orange Bowl was close to 80,000.

Actually, Thunder Over Louisville is way bigger than Derby. Not sure how I could forget about that. On really big years it has gotten over 700,000 in attendance.

Without question, the WEBN Fireworks are the most people I've ever seen in one place. Last year, per the TV news, the Police estimated there were nearly 700,000 people in the area to watch, but as was said above, that incorporates both sides of the river.

 

Have been to the Indy 500 (never again), and that is a hot mess of people. Have been to the Derby. Have been to the Final Four (last time, New Orleans, when UK with Anthony Davis were there), and while inside the stadium is one thing, the fan zones and crowds around the building were bonkers.

Louisville at Clemson had 83,000+ in 2016. That's probably the largest sporting event I've been to besides the Derby.

I’ve been to a few Penn State football games in Happy Valley. Over 100k in attendance at the stadium and many many more in Happy Valley that never make into the stadium.

 

Saw The Rolling Stones at Veterans Stadium in Philly for the Steel Wheels Tour in 1989...over 100k tickets sold for that as well.

Louisville at Clemson had 83,000+ in 2016. That's probably the largest sporting event I've been to besides the Derby.

 

Wrong again.

 

Penn State at Ohio State in 2015. 108,000+ at that one. Had field passes, it was sick.

Indy 500, Reds playoff game, Bengals Playoff game and keeping scorebook for the State championship game in Rupp Arena in 2008. That was totally awesome.