There’s been a lot of talk around campus lately about Coachella, an annual music and arts festival held in southern California every April, marking the kick-off of the music festival season. But don’t be too disappointed if you missed this one. There are many more to come, and plenty of those will be happening right here in the great northwest. As someone who has attended a few in the last couple years, I can personally tell you they are a blast. When doing my research; however, I found that many of the festivals nearby don’t get much publicity. But don’t worry—I got you covered! Here are 11 of the most popular music festivals in the northwest that are happening this spring and summer and the details you’ll want to know about them.
Sasquatch! Music Festival (May 24th-27th)
Sasquatch! is an annual music festival held at the beautiful Gorge Amphitheater, an internationally acclaimed concert venue nestled in the basalt cliffs of Quincy, Washington. The four-day festival happens every Memorial Day weekend and features a variety of musical genres, including indie, rock, pop, hip-hop, and rap. This year’s headliners, among many, are Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, Mumford and Sons, The Lumineers, Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeroes, Vampire Weekend, and Imagine Dragons. My friends and I have attended the last couple years and it’s always an amazing experience! Although tickets for this year’s festival are sold out, you can still find them on StubHub or Craigslist, starting at about $350 for a four-day pass. The ticket prices are decreasing at a faster rate each day as the event nears us, so get on it! If you decide to attend this year, I have a few words of advice. First of all, make sure you bring everything you’ll need because although they do have a store, everything there is pretty expensive. Bring all of your camping gear, (you won’t get the full experience if you don’t camp,) a backpack, reusable water bottle, warm clothes, (nighttime in the gorge is extremely cold,) spending money, and earplugs if you’re a light sleeper. The campground turns into a giant party at night!
Music Fest Northwest (September 3rd-8th)
This music festival is six days long and takes place in several different venues in downtown Portland, including The Crystal Ballroom, The Aladdin Theater, Backspace, The Hawthorne Theatre, The Wonder Ballroom, and even four nights of outdoor shows in “Portland’s living room,” Pioneer Courthouse Square. The lineup will be announced on May 29th, and tickets will be going on sale shortly after that on May 31st. So far they have leaked that Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Austra, and Deerhunter will be there. But to give you a sense of excitement, some of the past headliners have included Modest Mouse, The Black Keys, Passion Pit, Wiz Khalifa, and Macklemore. If you have yet to experience the City of Roses, then I highly suggest checking this one out. Some of the venues do not allow minors; however, so be aware of that, and make sure you have a safe way to get around town.
Bumbershoot (August 31st-September 2nd)
I have only recently heard about this festival and am so glad I did. It’s an all-ages festival at the Seattle Center in Washington. The lineup this year will feature Death Cab for Cutie, Fun, Heart, Bassnectar, Kendrick Lamar, MGMT, Crystal Castles, and Icona Pop, among many others. The festival also includes an indie market, comedy shows, tons of food vendors, and many other activities. One three-day ticket is currently priced at $120, but you also have the option to purchase a single day ticket for $50, which is an awesome deal considering all the amazing artists you’ll be seeing! I haven’t been to this one yet, but the site warns that although the ticket will grant you access to all venues, it will be subject to capacity, so make sure you arrive early.
Willamette Country Music Festival (August 16th-18th)
Time to break out the cowboy boots and daisy dukes! Okay, maybe you’re not the biggest country music fan, but if you’re like me, you enjoy it every once in a while. Luckily for us, you don’t have to be from the south to know some of this year’s headliners. Carrie Underwood, Brad Paisley, Hunter Hayes, Chris Young, and Darius Rucker will be there this year, along with many others. The festival will be in Brownsville, Oregon, (about 30 minutes north of Eugene,) and will welcome all ages! Camping is available for an extra cost, along with three-day parking passes. Tickets are sold out, but you can still find them on Craigslist starting at $150. This is a family-friendly festival, so the policies are pretty strict; I recommend checking out their website first.
Paradiso (June 28th-29th)
All you EDM lovers out there, this one’s for you. Paradiso is an electronic music festival held in the previously mentioned Gorge Amphitheater. I don’t know about you, but I can’t think of a better place to dance the night away! There will also be amusement park rides, carnival style games, art installations, and camping. This year’s lineup includes Tiësto, Kaskade, Borgore, Cazzette, Crizzly, Infected Mushroom, Zeds Dead, Adventure Club, and many more. The event is restricted to people 18 and older only, and tickets start at $160. Camping passes are sold separately this year at $75 per vehicle. If you’ve never been to an EDM show before, I highly suggest this one to be your first.
What The Festival (July 26th-28th)
This year, What The Festival will be held at the Wolf Run Ranch in Oregon, (about two hours east of Portland.) The new location has many spectacular views and a beautiful forest for camping. There will also be a pool party, a market, art installations, workshops and many other activities to participate in. The lineup this year includes A-Trak, Purity Ring, Gramatik, Pantyraid, YACHT, and XXYYXX, among many more. There are several different ticket options, the cheapest starting at $175. This is another festival with strict policies; however, so make sure to check those out first.
Some other upcoming festivals to check out:
- Decibel Festival (Seattle, Washington, Sept. 25-29)
- Waterfront Blues Fest (Portland, Oregon, July 4-7)
- Pickathon Indie Roots Festival (Happy Valley, Oregon, Aug. 2-4)
- Sisters Folk Festival (Sisters, Oregon, Sept. 6-8)
- Oregon Jamboree (Sweet Home, Oregon, Aug. 2-4)
If you have some cash to spare and want this summer to be unforgettable, you should definitely consider going to more than one of these. If it’s not already on your bucket list, right now would be a perfect time to add it!