First-Ever Las Vegas Songwriters Festival Brings 50 Hit Writers to Mandalay Bay

The Las Vegas Songwriters Festival will debut Aug. 21 to 24 at Mandalay Bay, marking a groundbreaking celebration of songwriting talent across genres. With more than 50 award-winning hitmakers and over 100 performances across five stages, the inaugural event highlights the artistry and storytelling behind the songs that define country, pop, and beyond.

Conceived by veteran songwriters Rob Hatch and Matt Warren, the festival brings Nashville's iconic songwriter round format to the Las Vegas Strip. “Vegas is the place for entertainment in the world,” he said in an exclusive interview with Las Vegas Magazine. “My thought was, why hasn't anyone done this here? If we were going to bring the best songwriters in the world, we wanted to do it in the best venues in the world.”

The multi-day lineup will span several Mandalay Bay venues, including Rhythm & Riffs and House of Blues, designed to replicate the intimate Nashville songwriting experience in a larger setting. “The Bluebird Cafe is the first thing to come to mind when people think of songwriter rounds,” Hatch notes. “We're bringing that intimate atmosphere to Vegas, even though it's on a big stage.”

The festival opens with an exclusive concert headlined by country star Lee Brice. “Lee's one of the best artists in the country,” Hatch says. “When you look at his setlist, almost every song he performs was written with one of the writers at this festival. Bringing up these writers to perform their songs should be unbelievable.”

More than 300 No. 1 hits are represented among the lineup, including songwriters Bob DiPiero, Dean Dillon, Victoria Shaw, Liz Rose, Billy Montana, and Bobby Pinson. Storme Warren will host Q&A sessions where fans can hear stories behind the songs directly from the writers.

Organized with support from MGM Resorts and Entersong Entertainment, the event aims not only to entertain but also to honor Las Vegas' musical history and bring positive energy back to a city deeply affected by the Route 91 Harvest tragedy. The festival offers fans a rare chance to connect with the biggest hitmakers in music.