This study investigates the landscape of branded mobile applications for music festivals, aiming to identify the key features of such apps and provide recommendations for future research. The authors analyze mobile apps from 12 major music festivals across the USA and Europe, identifying 17 distinct features. The most common functionalities focus on on-site entertainment, such as personalized schedules, real-time updates, and interactive maps with GPS. However, the study highlights a notable gap in experience-enhancement features like social interaction, accessibility, and post-festival engagement. Emerging technologies, such as augmented reality (AR), artificial intelligence (AI), and metaverse integration, are largely absent from festival apps. The results suggest that while apps prioritize real-time, in-venue functionality, there is significant potential for incorporating advanced technologies to improve personalization, socialization, and overall festival experience. The study concludes with recommendations to festival promotors for future app feature development and a research agenda for further studies in the field, considering technologies, organizers, and festivalgoers.