Are you ready for summer? With over 200+ festivals on our calendar, there's more options than ever for sampling the scene in the United States. From country fests to metal to EDM heaven, it's time to gas up your vehicle for the classic American road trip.
With so many festivals and lineups, your friends here at Music Festival Wizard have put together our annual rundown on what to check out this summer. We've gathered together 75+ our favorites along with some lineup posters to fill you with some inspirational ideas.
The Scene: When you have a festival that stretches over two weekends, it's going to have a massive lineup, and the New Orleans Jazz Festival is no exception. With 12 stages of music and an alumni list that stretches past 22,000 performers since 1970, Jazz Fest has hosted some of the greatest artists of the last half century.
The Scene: More than 175,000 festies hit up up SunFest in Downtown West Palm Beach for five days of music. Florida's largest waterfront music and art festival is typcially held in the first weekend in May and has been held annually since 1982.
The Scene: Early spring brings festies from around the country and the world to the Beale Street Music Festival in the music mecca of Memphis. This three day event has attracted 1.1 million visitors for an eclectic lineup that includes contemporary rock, blues, soul, and a dash of everything else.
The Scene: Drawing in nearly 40,000 attendees, Shaky Knees Festival brings a highly desired indie scene to the streets of downtown Atlanta, Georgia. In an era where most festival headliners feature a variation of EDM/DJ acts, Shaky Knees lives to show another side of modern day music.
The Scene: For three days in May, the Charlotte Motor Speedway trades in fast cars for even faster music. The Carolina Rebellion Festival has become popular with fans for delivering a rock and metal lineup not typically seen in the United States.
The Scene: The largest hip-hop festival in the world is a three-day event that started in Miami, Florida. Some of the biggest names in the business have already played this newcomer to the Florida festival scene including Kendrick Lamar, Future, Lil Wayne, A$AP Rocky, Travis Scott, Young Thug, Lil B, Post Malone, Migos, Kodak Black, Lil Uzi Vert, 21 Savage, Lil Yachty, and more.
The Scene: The northern leg of The World's Loudest Month is handled by the Northern Invasion Festival in Wisconsin. Metalheads invade the Somerset Amphitheater for two days of rocking out to nearly 40 artists.
The Scene: Aiming for an exclusive festival experience, FORM Arcosanti brings in those chosen to experimental artist campgrounds outside Phoenix. Over the course of three days, artists at FORM perform against the backdrop to sweeping desert terrain. With a small capacity attendance, festival goers receive a personalized experience backed by an eclectic lineup.
The Scene: Hosted at the center of the 1996 Olympics at Centennial Park in Atlanta,Georgia, Shaky Beats Festival was created as an EDM shoot off of its sister alt-rock festival 'Shaky Knees.' Featuring dance music and top tier artists, Shaky Beats fills the prior void of Southern EDM festivals.
The Scene: Hangout takes music festivalling to the beach with this springtime party held mid-May on the golden sands of Gulf Shores, Alabama. The huge lineup of just about every genre frequently gives a sneak peek to what's coming this summer in the United States. As far as we know, this is the only festival in the world where you can watch the main stage from a hot tub.
The Scene: America's largest rock festival tears up the Midwest every May in the most metal of cities — Columbus, Ohio. The three-day festival is one of the anchors of The World's Loudest Month, an annual festival ode to all that is loud music. 60 bands across three stage over three days makes this a must-stop festival for fans of rock and metal.
The Scene: Moogfest combines music, art, and technology along with a conference for this multi-day festival. Days are filled with mind-expanding conversation, experimentation, and collaboration while the nights feature landmark musical performances.
The Scene: The DIY Joshua Tree Music Festival puts out two editions of desert loving fun during the shoulder seasons of spring and autumn. Just a few hours from the hectic vibes of Los Angeles, Joshua Tree is a haven of magical surroundings with phenomenal live music. The spring edition focuses more on dance, world, and funk with the fall reaching out towards Americana, roots and folkadelic vibes.
The Scene: The Electric Daisy Carnival brings all the glitter and glam of Las Vegas to this three-day celebration of electronic music. Now a worldwide phenomenon, there's no place like home for the flagship version of EDC, which shows off hundreds of performers set to the backdrop of a full-sized carnival.
The Scene: Wine meets music when artists from around the world descend on Napa Valley just north of San Francisco. The internationally renown wine region lets it all hang out during this Memorial Day Weekend Festival, putting out one of the best West Coast lineups of the season.
The Scene: The legendary bluegrass artist Del McCoury curates this annual festival at the picture perfect Allegany County Fairgrounds in Maryland. Camping, dancing, and of course, plenty of bluegrass set the stage for a Memorial Day weekend of world class collaborations, special guest sit-ins, informal workshops, and late night picking sessions.
The Scene: Looking for a contemplative weekend of drum circles and mellow campfire jams — then Rocklahoma is your nightmare. The only thing more legendary than the lineup at Rocklahoma are the campground ragers. Contests throughout the weekend inspire party animals to fully trick out their campsite in creative and often, puzzling ways.
The Scene: As a growing key player in the Florida electronic scene, Sunset Music Festival brings big name artists to Raymond James Stadium each Memorial Day weekend. As one of the largest events in Tampa Bay, Sunset brings in crowds of over 50,000 attendees to the area. With costumed-clad performing artists and colorful stages, Sunset Music Festival basks in the Florida sunshine.
The Scene: It's one of the premier hip-hop festivals of the season. For over a decade, underground rappers Atmosphere have curated this single day Minneapolis festival dedicated to hip-hop and rap with a crazy mix of emerging acts and legends.
The Scene: It's been a dry spell for Boston and music festivals until Boston Calling showed up with this downtown fest. As if making up for lost time, Boston Calling now happens twice a year. The spring version takes place over Memorial Day Weekend and has featured acts like Death Cab for Cutie, The National, Bastille, and Built to Spill.
The Scene: 30,000+ fans converge on downtown El Paso for this annual celebration of hip-hop, electronic, and indie rock. The Texas festival prides itself on a mix of nationally acclaimed and up-and-coming music acts.
The Scene: After 10 years of throwing wildly successful ragers in the big city, BangOn!NYC brings their style to the woods for a three day summer camp style party. The new Memorial Day Weekend festival features seven stages, massive art installations, and plenty of fun camp games. Grab a cabin or bring a tent to the bucolic hills of Northeastern Pennsylvania and be ready to dance.
The Scene: The dedicated fans of this transformational festival have kept LiB at the top of its game for over ten years. It's changed venues more than a few times, but the incredible art, enthusiastic attendees, and top notch lineup at this boutique fest is a steady constant.
The Scene: One of the largest reggae festivals in the country, Calforinia Roots "delivers a cosmic blend of good vibes, true happiness, family, peace, love and joy to all who enter." The three-day festival takes place at the Monterey County Fairgrounds, where Jimi Hendrix famously lit his guitar on fire in 1967.
The Scene: Long before the onslaught of the modern day EDM festival scene, the Movement Festival has owned downtown Detroit over Memorial Day weekend. Running under a few different names since 2000, this festival brings in top talent to Hart Plaza and delivers an EDM urban experience far different than any other you'll find over the summer.
The Scene: Much like its namesake, the Sasqutach Festival resides in the northwest, is completely legendary, and sought after by fans from all over the world. The Memorial Day weekend powerhouse now stretches over four days in a trippy Washington wasteland that would be considered desolate if The Gorge didn't provide one of the greatest natural stages known to man.
The Scene: Making the most out of tragedy, Rooster Walk was started to celebrate the lives of two childhood friends that passed away. With a mission to create a festival that could fund a scholarship, the Rooster Walk Music and Arts was born. A decade later, this festival for charity has become a centerpiece event of the region.
The Scene: The Country 500 Festival, also called the 'The Great American Music Fest at Daytona', brings out the biggest country stars in the world for Memorial Day Weekend. The world famous Daytona International Speedway is home to this mega-country festival with fans actually allowed to camp out in the infield.
The Scene: A music festival with a waterpark? That's not all you'll find at the Mountain Music Fest held at America's largest adventure resort. There's 35 miles of hiking trails, a slackline park, workshops on a variety of subjects, and oh yeah, tons of great jam band music to delight your way through the weekend.
The Scene: Finding its stride at Yeatman's Cove and Sawyer Point in Cincinatti, Ohio, Bunbury Music Festival highlights a lineup geared toward the millennial crowd. Sitting on the banks of the Ohio River, the festival showcases anything from pop-punk to rap. Taking a stake in advancing into the future, Bunbury also incorporates eco-friendly and technology initiatives.
The Scene: Country music heads to the hills when Taste of Country rolls into Hunter Mountain. The ski resort provides cozy camping and ToC provides some of the biggest stars in country music. We don't see many country music festivals up here in the Northeast, which makes this one a must for genre fans.
The Scene: New York City struggled for years to land a proper mega-festival and finally found the perfect partner with The Governor's Ball. Taking place on the Hudson River on Randall's Island, festival fans can settle back and enjoy the show with the unforgettable NYC skyline as the backdrop.
The Scene: The laidback Nelsonville Music Festival mixes small regional bands, under the radar acts, and national headliners for a weekend of music in the Hocking Hills region of Ohio. One of the best kept secrets in Southeast Ohio, the four stage fest brings back fans year after year with its intimate vibe.
The Scene: Adding to the myriad of festivals taking place in California each summer, The Untz Festival brings a weekend of dance music to the Mairposa Fairgrounds. Founded in 2009, Untz has devoted their event to bringing to light some of the best underground electronic artists making an impact on the industry.
The Scene: The latest addition to the Seattle festival family, the Upstream Music Festival now kicks off the summer with 400+ bands in and around Pioneer Square. Beyond the music, there's a summit, which gathers together industry heavyweights and incredible speakers. Inspired by the South by Southwest, Upstream brings a major showcase music festival to the Northwest.
The Scene: Over the last decade, no other US music festival has captured the spirit of large greenfield gatherings like the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival. Bonnaroo burst onto the scene grabbing headlines along with our hearts as we watched it grow from scrappy newcomer to a full fledged anchor of the summer. It may not be the oldest or the largest, but Bonnaroo is the spirit of the quintessential American music festival. Long live The Roo.
The Scene: With a new home at Addams/Medil Park, the five year old Spring Awakening Festival continues to supply Chicago with a summertime burst of EDM cacophony. There's over 100 artists on the bill supported by trippy stage production like fireworks, smoke plumes, and pyrotechnics.
The Scene: In addition to a weekend of great music in a beautiful setting, careful attention is given to the culinary and family aspects of the event. LaureLive provides first-class culinary and artisan experiences, as well as children's activities and educational events appropriate for the entire family.
The Scene: Bluegrass band, Pert Near Sandstone, hosts the Blue Ox Music Festival just outside of Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The Whispering Pines Campground brings back festies each year with its hammock-handy shade trees and the peace of the central pond. This small sized festival is beloved for its cozy size and excellent bluegrass lineup.
The Scene: In only a few short years, the Firefly Music Festival has become a solid addition to the East Coast summer calendar. Set in the forested landscape of The Woodlands of Dover International Speedway in Delaware, Firefly boasts seven stages and over a 100 performers each year.
The Scene: Held in the picturesque Hunter Mountains, Mountain Jam is a three-day rock festival set out to bring rock fans together in upstate New York. With more than 50 artists on the lineup covering multiple stages, headliners each year include legends in the rock world.
The Scene: A three day camping festival, Sonic Bloom brings together electronic music, dance, and art, in an inspirational atmosphere that encourages creative expression. Traditionally held over the summer solstice, Sonic Bloom is located in the foothills of the southern Rocky Mountains of Colorado at the tranquil Hummingbird Ranch.
The Scene: The latest addition to the Washington festival scene, Paradiso takes advantage of the stunning natural amphitheater of the Gorge. With multiple stages blasting out music, you'll find yourself transported into EDM nirvana. Camping at The Gorge is always an amazing experience that is not to be missed.
The Scene: Nestled in the heart of an old Utah mining town, Bonanza Campout boasts a picture perfect setting for this boutique music festival. An eclectic mix of pop, hip-hop, EDM, and indie rock will welcome campers along with a variety of art installations, local breweries, food trucks, and a nightly Pond Yacht After Party with surprise guest DJs.
The Scene: Mamby on the Beach, Chicago's only beachside summer music festival takes place on the grassy fields and sand-swept coastline of Oakwood Beach in the historic Bronzeville neighborhood. The two-day boutique festival features not only a stunning view of Chicago's skyline and the shimmering waters of Lake Michigan, but also the best in indie, electronic, and hip-hop.
The Scene: Camping in the Rocky Mountains during the summer is an enlightening experience especially when surrounded by one the jewels of summer – the annual Telluride Bluegrass Festival. If you manage to snag tickets to this sold out event, Town Park Campground is the Valhalla of camping with permanent bathrooms, waterfalls, and a location so close that you can listen to music from your tent.
The Scene: Stationed in shaded oaks next to the iconic Rose Bowl Stadium, Arroyo Seco Weekend pairs L.A. music and food enthusiasts together for two days. Not only is the weekend stacked with multi-generational indie and rock headliners, Arroyo Seco also teams up with well-known local culinary brands and restaurants to bring an exclusive experience to attendees.
The Scene: Situated in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California, High Sierra Music Festival boasts a family friendly atmosphere packed with artists traversing all musical genres. The eclectic lineup at the festival is backed by a picturesque venue surrounded by a mountainous landscape and national forests. More than just music is offered at the High Sierra with yoga areas, audience-participation parades, children's areas and more.
The Scene: This grassroots music and arts festival features roots, reggae, folk, rock, and funk. The organizers, a community oriented surf/skate shop, started the festival as an anniversary party in 2013, but it became such a success, it's now an annual New England event. Held just 30 minutes south of Boston, the festival is an excellent reason to get out of the city for the weekend!
The Scene: There are rock fests and then there's the Rock Fest. Now in its 25th year, Rock Fest in Wisconsin features the very best of active and classic rock names in the history of the genre. Aerosmith, Iron Maiden, Avenged Sevenfold, Kiss, Motley Crue, Fleetwood Mac, Tom Petty, Kid Rock, Shinedown, Five Finger Death Punch, Rob Zombie, and Korn are just a few of the names to touch down here. And with 7,000 campsites, you know it's going to be a crazy weekend.
The Scene: Back in 1999, jam band The Disco Biscuits, were tired of playing opening slots so they created their own festival and curated the lineup with like-minded artists. Now nearly two decades later, Camp Bisco is a highly anticipated event on the east coast. Now held at Montage Mountain in Pennsylvania, expect a wild weekend with some of the best in the modern-day jam and electronic scene.
The Scene: An annual gathering that's equal parts music, arts, and activism, Forecastle takes place at Louisville's Waterfront Park, attracting over 75,000 attendees annually. Featuring alumni like Outkast, Jack White, The Black Keys, The Avett Brothers, Beck, Alabama Shakes, My Morning Jacket, and The Flaming Lips makes this a stellar summer event. And because it's Kentucky, there's definitely a taste of the state's famous liquor in the Bourbon Lodge.
The Scene: This Alabama summertime festival pulls its name from the venue – The Sloss Furnaces – a national historic landmark of Birmingham. Over two days, fans are treated to a solid lineup of Americana, jam, indie rock, soul, and EDM.
The Scene: This three day music and arts festival celebrates the Capitol Hill neighborhood in Seattle, with a 100 local and national acts performing at dozens of bars, outdoor stages, and restaurants. If you're looking for a showcase festival in one of the world's best live music cities, then CHBP should be on our list.
The Scene: Touring legends, Yonder Mountain String Band, hosts their friends for a weekend of bluegrass paradise in the shady forests of North Plains, Oregon. Multiple sets, late name jam session, and unique collaborations are all part of the fun. The Northwest String Summit (known as "Strummit" to festies) boasts some incredible camping at beautiful Horning's Hideout.
The Scene: As one of the leading voices in the musical landscape, you would guess right that Pitchfork knows how to throw an outstanding festival. The Chicago based festival takes place in Union Park. You may not recognize most of the names on the lineup poster, but if it's curated by Pitchfork, then these artists are definitely worth checking out.
The Scene: Started by the Allman Brothers in 2012, The Peach Music Festival proudly plays out the jams at Montage Mountain just outside of Scranton, Pennsylvania. The spirit of Greg Allman (who died in 2017), still lives out with a lineup that always brings in the big names from this genre.
The Scene: Cooling festival-goers down in the San Marcos River, Float Fest brings a range of music from indie-pop and electro to hip hop and progressive rock to Texas each summer. Float Fest also attracts a large college-aged audience from the nearby Texas State and University of Texas. Taking a break from the stages, attendees can bring their own floats to splash around in summer Texan sun.
The Scene: The name and venue for FYF Fest has changed over the years, but the spirit of the festival remains intact delivering a solid summertime dose of indie rock to downtown Los Angeles. Come for the big names like Phoenix, The Replacements, and MGMT, and check out the dozens of up-comers that litter the lineup.
The Scene: Much like its west coast massive sister festival Coachella, Panorama Music Festival boasts a diverse lineup with something for everyone. At its home in Randall's Island Park, Panorama brings top artists to New York City each year for three days of music and fun. Calling upon New York's creative hub, art installations motivated by technology are showcased throughout the festival.
The Scene: This two-day festival welcomes 30,000 festies to West Riverfront Park in downtown Detroit. Alumni of the fest include Chromeo, Modest Mouse, Passion Pit, Iron & Wine, Alt-J, Run The Jewels, Solange, Phantogram, Vance Joy, and Foster the People.
The Scene: Strike out for the uncharted regions of central Iowa and the two-day Hinterland Festival. Located along the scenic Raccoon River, this newcomer to the festival scene has already hosted a number of world class bands including San Fermin, TV on the Radio, Future Islands, Shakey Graves, Dwight Yoakam, and Ryan Adams.
The Scene: The transformational vibes of positivity and joy flow into the aptly named Loveland in Colorado for the annual ARISE Music Festival. It's an independent, family-run, leave-no-trace event, which puts as much emphasis on the experience as they do on the seven stages of music. Sunrise Ranch, a 350-acre organic farm in a stunning Colorado mountain valley, is home to the ARISE Festival.
The Scene: Just east of Portland, the magical Pickathon springs up on a rambling farm. Stages that double as art installations not only host bluegrass, but roots and indie artists too. The festival is proudly sustainable, becoming became the first large outdoor music festival in the US to eliminate single-use plates, cups and utensils.
The Scene: Presented by a myriad of organizations from Journeys to Monster Energy to Epitaph Records, Vans Warped tour is the largest traveling music festival in the United States. Not only that but Warped Tour is also the longest-running music festival in all of North America. Back in 1996 when a sponsorship with Vans became the festival's namesake, the lineup featured alternative rock but has now progressed to a more punk rock scene.
The Scene: A multi-day grassroots festival, Summer Meltdown features four stages of music and onsite camping with river access and tubing. There's rafting, helicopter rides, and horseback riding in between the tunes, along with a lush woodland venue, making this an amazing summertime getaway.
The Scene: Travelers' Rest, a new festival out of Montana, is hosted by indie rock stalwarts, The Decemberists, who put together a small, but incredible indie rock lineup. Singer Colin Meloy's hometown of Missoula is where the festival takes place, at the Big Sky Brewing Amphitheater. The Decemberists headline both nights of the festival.
The Scene: Founded by Gary Richards, also known as the electronic artist Destructo, Hard Summer thrives each year on the root of its founder's fame – electronic. Taking place in diverse locations within the Los Angeles city limits since its inaugural year in 2007, the festival has finally found a home at Fontana Speedway where it will be returning each year.
The Scene: A bike valet, wine tasting tent, and local organic food vendors are just a couple of signs that you're in San Francisco at Outside Lands. The quirky and wonderful Golden Gate Park hosts a wide range of acts and has quickly grown into a highlight of the San Fran summer. Bring a hoodie with you. Just because it's August doesn't mean that the fog won't join the party.
The Scene: It's off to the races with the EDM Moonrise Festival. Held just outside Baltimore at the nearly 150 year old Pimlico Race Course, Moonrise is growing organically into one of the largest electronic events in the Capitol Region.
The Scene: Founded in Brooklyn, the Afropunk Festival has made its away around the world to London, Paris, Atlanta, and South Africa. The flagship edition, which takes place in mid-August, has grown to over 60,000 attendees with two days of world-class hip-hop, soul, and rock.
The Scene: After throwing a successful dinosaur-themed festival in Ohio (just roll with it), superstar DJ, Excision, takes the basshead party to the legendary Gorge Amphitheater in Washington State for this new late summer show. Bass Canyon promises 3 days and nights of non-stop bass music with no stage conflicts, and of course, lots of Excision sets.
The Scene: Electric Zoo is New York City's premier electronic music festival every Labor Day weekend. With stacked artists ranging from bass to techno and everything in between, Electric Zoo promises to not disappoint attendees. As the largest and longest-running electronic festival in the city, the park transforms into an electronic playground for a three-day jammed pack festival.
The Scene: The legendary Sherwood Forest, beloved by music festival fans around the world, sets the backdrop to Electric Forest. Located on the Double JJ Ranch in Michigan, Electric Forest has grown into a full-on destination fest. At night, the Sherwood Forest becomes alive with lights, art, and the creativity of the fans.
The Scene: First appearing in 2013, the Lockn' Festival immediately established itself as one of the premier jam band festivals of the season. Thousands of fans from around the country now make the trek to the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia for four packed days of jam music and inspiring collaborations.
The Scene: Now in its fourth decade, Bumbershoot (a oldie time word for umbrella) is more of an institution than a music festival. There's so much happening here that you'll need all three days to sort through all the live music, art shows, speakers, and exhibitions happening under the Bumbershoot. With a budget friendly price (and children under ten are FREE), this fest is one of the most affordable and family friendly of the season.