The music business takes over Lancaster every spring, when the Launch Music Conference & Festival sets up shop in the storied city's downtown area. With panels on getting ahead in the music business, performances by huge stars as well as up-and-comers and opportunities to bond with some of the biggest names in the business, the it's an event full of opportunity and riffs.

Now in its 11th year, Launch Music Conference & Festival was started by Jeremy Weiss of the label CI Records as a way to connect fans, musicians, industry members and anyone else with an interest in music. This year, the conference will also be presented by New Lane Entertainment, the record label led by hip-hop artist (and fellow Pennsylvanian) PnB Rock.

The annual event is focused on finding a place for working artists to make their job better, whether through booking tours more efficiently, figuring out how to enter the world of sync licensing or avoiding burnout. Previous events have included panels on safety at smaller shows, navigating the world of press coverage and "redefining the hustle" by making mental and physical health a priority. These panels feature people working in the industry giving real-life advice — and they're a great resource for any musician who wants to succeed without sacrificing their quality of life.

In 2018, Launch Music Conference & Festival hosted more than 160 performances across Lancaster, with shows in downtown Binns Park and The Lancaster County Convention Center as well as smaller clubs. Previous editions of the conference have included performances by top-notch artists like Panic! At the Disco, Underoath, Twenty One Pilots and Foxy Shazam, as well as hundreds of up-and-coming bands from Lancaster and beyond.