The Biggest Concert Venues in Connecticut, Ranked by Capacity
Connecticut's largest concert venue is the open-air Meadows Music Theatre in Hartford, at ~30,000. The top indoor room is PeoplesBank Arena, at ~16,000. Next come the Mohegan Sun and Total Mortgage arenas, at ~10,000 each. Below is the full ranking. Capacities aren't exact. They change with the stage setup. Outdoor venues run mainly in summer.
"How big is it?" That's the first thing people ask about a venue. Size shapes ticket price, sightlines, and even which acts play there. Here's how CT's concert rooms stack up. We ranked them by their top concert capacity. Unless we say outdoor, a venue is indoor.
The ranking
- The Meadows Music Theatre in Hartford holds ~30,000. It's an outdoor venue, once called the Xfinity Theatre.
- PeoplesBank Arena in Hartford holds ~16,000. It was once called the XL Center.
- Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville holds ~10,000.
- Total Mortgage Arena in Bridgeport holds ~10,000.
- Westville Music Bowl in New Haven holds up to ~10,000, outdoor and scalable.
- Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater in Bridgeport holds ~5,700, outdoor on the harbor.
- Ives Concert Park in Danbury holds ~5,500, outdoor.
- Toyota Oakdale Theatre in Wallingford holds ~4,800.
- Premier Theater at Foxwoods in Mashantucket holds ~4,000.
- The Bushnell's Mortensen Hall in Hartford holds ~2,800.
- Palace Theater in Waterbury holds ~2,500.
- College Street Music Hall in New Haven holds ~2,000. It's flexible.
- Warner Theatre's Oneglia Auditorium in Torrington holds ~1,700.
- Shubert Theatre in New Haven holds ~1,600.
- Palace Theatre in Stamford holds ~1,580.
- Garde Arts Center in New London holds ~1,500.
- Klein Memorial Auditorium in Bridgeport holds ~1,400.
See what's playing these venues
The free CT Concert Center app lists shows at every venue here. Add 40+ more statewide, all in one feed that updates daily.
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A few things worth knowing. Capacities aren't exact and shift with the stage setup. An arena can be "in the round." That holds more people than one with an end stage. A flexible hall like College Street can seat 650 for a show. Or it can fit 2,000 people standing. Outdoor venues are seasonal. They generally run from spring through early fall. A big room isn't always the best pick. Many fans prefer the sound of a small 1,500-seat theater. They like it better than a big 10,000-seat arena.
Bigger isn't always better
If you want a huge headliner, look at the top of this list. But CT's real strength is its mid-size and small rooms. See our guide to best live music venues. Or our guide to best small & intimate venues in the state. Some of the best nights happen far down this ranking.
Biggest venues FAQ
What's the biggest venue overall?
The Meadows Music Theatre (~30,000), an outdoor venue in Hartford.
Biggest indoor arena?
PeoplesBank Arena in Hartford (~16,000), the renovated former XL Center.
How big is Mohegan Sun Arena?
About 10,000 for concerts.
How do I find shows?
The free CT Concert Center app lists every venue in one feed.