Summer vacation is just around the corner and music festivals have become this generation’s favorite summer pastime. Whether you’re into indie, folk, rock, or techno, there are impressive events lined up from June to September all over the U.S. Most music festivals are held outside under the burning sun, so readers are advised to dress appropriately and plan ahead to fully indulge in the musical extravaganza.
Bonnaroo
Date: June 13-June 16
Location: Manchester, TN
Lineup: Paul McCartney, Mumford & Sons, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Bjork, Wu-Tang Clan, the Lumineers, and Kendrick Lamar.
This four day spectacular not only has 150 musical acts, but also features several dozen comedians and a mini film festival, where you’ll view an eclectic mix of films, old and new, in air conditioning. Yes, you read that correctly; there will be air conditioning at the Bonnaroo Cinema. At Bonnaroo Academy, you can learn anything from belly dancing to guerrilla gardening. Afterwards, you can relax in one of the many yoga sessions, which were a huge hit last year. Bonnaroo provides a myriad of activities to ensure you will savor every moment of your experience.
Lollapalooza
Date: August 2-August 4
Location: Chicago, IL
Lineup: The Cure, Mumford & Sons, The Killers, Nine Inch Nails, Phoenix, Vampire Weekend, and The Postal Service.
With a legacy of twenty years, Lollapalooza holds everything from alternative rock to contemporary indie pop acts in 115 acres of Grant Park. There are plenty of activities to do in the park between sets, but you should be pigging your heart out in Chow Town on your free time. Curated by Graham Elliot, the internationally renowned chef and judge on Masterchef, Chow Town brings the best of Chicago to Grant Park for the weekend. To calm your food baby, take a stroll through Green Street to learn how Lolla holds its title as the most eco-friendly music festival.
Electric Zoo
Date: August 30-September 1
Location: Randall’s Park NYC, NY
Lineup: Avicii, Above & Beyond, Knife Party, David Guetta, DaDa Life, Steve Aoki, Tiesto, and Armin van Buuren.
Celebrating its fifth annual installment of the event, Electric Zoo will have two main stages and three side stages to host all genres of electronic music. EZoo brings the hottest DJs and live acts from multiple countries, turning your Labor Day Weekend into an unforgettable revelry. EZoo has received numerous coveted music awards, including “Best Music Event” in 2012. It also received major press coverage from CNN, New York Times, Huffington Post, and DJ Mag, and continues to be hailed as a top American event.
TomorrowWorld
Date: September 27-September 29
Location: Atlanta, GA
Lineup: Tiesto, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Porter Robinson, Sebastain Ingrosso, A-Trak, Alesso, and Axwell.
The mecca of electronic music festival, TomorrowLand, finally crosses the ocean to the U.S., renamed TomorrowWorld, which will be centered around the same fairy tail theme as its predecessor. Party animals have flown in from over 50 different nations to experience the magic of TomorrowLand in Belgium, which takes place in late July. With dreamlike displays such as mammoth mushrooms and a Ferris wheel to compliment the multiple electronic dance music acts, TomorrowLand is one of the best festivals in the world. There is no doubt that the much anticipated installment in Georgia will live up to fans’ expectations.
The tickets are selling out quickly for all the music festivals, so if one or two interests you, check out the actual event websites for further information. Most, if not all of the aforementioned festivals posted their festival playlists on Spotify, so listen to the lined up artists while counting down the days until your event!