1.
festival; fest (especially music festival)
A large outdoor event featuring multiple musical performances, typically spanning one or more days. Abbreviated from フェスティバル (festival).
Etymology
Clipped from フェスティバル (festival). The short form is the everyday word; the full form sounds formal or official.
Usage
Used above all of outdoor music events, especially the summer season of them:
- ロックフェス — rock festival
- 夏フェス — summer festival (as a season and a genre of event)
- 野外フェス — outdoor festival
- 音楽フェス — music festival
Extended usage
The suffix has spread to any large themed gathering with stalls and a crowd: ビールフェス (beer festival), グルメフェス (food festival), アニメフェス (anime festival). Note that it does not replace 祭り for a traditional shrine or town festival.