Spring is around the corner which means summer is basically right upon us! Music festivals have become all the rage over the past few years, and most of them take place during the summer months. Festivals are a great way to see tons of your favorite bands and musicians for a relatively low cost. If you’re interested in attending a festival this summer, here are a few to consider (listed by date).
1. Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival – April 12-14 and April 19-21 in Indio, California
Arguably one of the most well-known music festivals, Coachella does a good job of showcasing both popular and up-and-coming artists (as well as Tupac’s hologram). The festival is held in the desert setting of Indio, California, where most people choose to camp out. Coachella always does a good job of delivering on big artist names, with some notable artists from this year’s lineup including The Stone Roses, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Phoenix, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Modest Mouse, and Vampire Weekend. Coachella is two weekends long, with the same lineup each weekend. For more information about Coachella, visit their website.
2. Electric Daisy Carnival – May 17+18 in Citi Field, New York, May 24-26 in Chicago, IL, June 21-23 in Las Vegas, NV, and TBD in Orlando, FL and Puerto Rico
EDC is a big electric festival that features 5 locations all over North America and a large array of different electronic artists. Although the lineup has not been released yet, EDC always delivers. Big performers from the past include Avicii, Sebastian Ingrosso, Calvin Harris, and Bassnectar. For more information, click here.
3. Sasquatch! Festival – May 24-27 in Quincy, Washington
If you’re willing to trek all the way to Washington state, Sasquatch may be the festival for you! The four day festival features a wide array of different artists and comedians – there’s definitely music for everybody! Like Coachella, most Sasquatch attendees camp out on the festival grounds. Some of this year’s big performers include Mumford and Sons, The Postal Service, Sigur Ros, Macklemore, and The Arctic Monkeys. For more information about Sasquatch, click here.
4. The Governor’s Ball Music Festival – June 7-9 in Randall’s Island, NYC
The Governor’s Ball is a festival I plan on attending this summer. It’s located in New York, and it includes many similar artists to other popular music festivals going on this summer. Unlike Coachella, there is no option to camp out at Gov Ball, which may bring costs up if you have to spring for a hotel. Still, Gov Ball features some really great artists and is a festival that has grown a lot in the past few years. Some highlights for this year include Kanye West, Kings of Leon, Guns N’ Roses, Nas, The Lumineers, and Cut Copy. For more information about The Governor’s Ball, check out their website.
5. Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival – June 13-16 in Manchester, Tennessee
Bonnaroo is one of my personal favorites. I had the privilege of going last year, and it was a blast! The 4-day festival is held on 80,000 acres of land in Manchester, Tennessee, which is right outside of Nashville. Most Bonnaroo festival goers camp out on the grounds, which makes for an interesting yet great experience. Bonnaroo does a good job of encompassing all sorts of musicians as well as comedians. Some notable 2013 performers include Paul McCartney, Mumford and Sons, Tom Petty, Wilco, R. Kelly, Daniel Tosh, Passion Pit, The XX, Kendrick Lamar, Pretty Lights, and more! For more information about Bonnaroo, click here.
6. Camp Bisco – July 11-13 outside of Albany, NY
Camp Bisco was started on camp grounds outside of Albany, NY by the Disco Biscuits and has become increasingly more popular in the past few years, along with the rise of electronic music. Festival goers have the option of camping out, which is always fun. Notable artists from the 2013 lineup include Bassnectar, Passion Pit, STS9, Wolfgang Gartner, and Macklemore. For more information, click here.
7. Tomorrowland – July 26-28 in Boom, Belgium
Although this one isn’t in America, I still had to include it. Tomorrowland is one of the biggest electronic music festivals in the world and is a must for all electronic lovers – if you’re willing to go all the way to Belgium, that is. Sadly, tickets for this year’s festival have already sold out, probably due to their stacked lineup, which hasn’t been finalized but still includes artists like Armin Van Buuren, Tiesto, Avicii, Hardwell, and Benny Benassi. Last year, performances included Afrojack, Avicii, Swedish House Mafia, David Guetta, and Steve Aoki. For more information, click here.
8. Lollapalooza – August 2-4 in Chicago, IL
Lollapalooza is a music and arts festival that is more geared towards alternative and rock music, unlike most festivals (electronic, house, and dubstep anyone?) Lollapalooza was started by Jane’s Addiction singer Perry Farrell and has helped popularize big names like Muse, Beastie Boys, Coldplay, and Depeche Mode. 2012’s lineup featured artists such as Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Black Keys, Florence + the Machine, The Shins, Avicii, and The Weeknd. For more information, click here.
9. Outside Lands – August 9-11 in San Francisco, CA
Outside Lands features every kind of music, and is definitely a festival that anyone can enjoy. The 2013 lineup has yet to be released, but some of my favorite artists from 2012’s lineup include Neil Young, Foo Fighters, MSTRKRFT, Big Boi, Dispatch, Skrillex, and Stevie Wonder – Like I said, Outside Lands really accommodates every music lover out there. For more information, click here.
10. Electric Zoo – August 30-September 1 in Randall’s Island, NY
What better to do on Labor Day weekend than attend one final music festival before heading back to school? Another electronic festival, Electric Zoo does a good job of bringing local and international DJs together. Last year’s lineup include artists such as Diplo, Dada Life, Zeds Dead, Knife Party, Benny Benassi, and Porter Robinson. Hopefully this year’s lineup won’t disappoint! For more information, click here.