TOP Festivals in USA

TOP Festivals in USA 

 

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Selling out fast every year, the Indio desert becomes a fashionable hive of the coolest bands watched by trendy people and celebrities. Near the top of everyone's bucket list of festivals, the Coachella lineup is a constant source of annual anticipation and a hotbed for musical discussion.

 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival

best festivals in the us - Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival - ferris wheel

Coachella is a vibe. One of the most famous music festivals in the world, no list of the best festivals in the US could miss out the ultimate Californian desert party. Expect no shortage of beautiful, suntanned revellers wearing flower crowns, crop tops, and trendy bodysuits. But it’s not just about the influencer vibes, you’ll also get the chance to see some of the world’s top musical performers spanning tons of different genres. Coachella is THE place to see and be seen, and you may even get to rub elbows with some celebrity festival-goers too!

Where: Empire Polo Club, Indio, California

When & where: 10-12 & 17-19 April 2020, Indio, California

Coachella 2020 Guide / Buy Coachella 2020 Tickets

Electric Daisy Carnival Las Vegas

Aside from its two popular US events, this fairytale carnival experience has also visited Puerto Rico, Mexico and the UK. Inviting attendees into an EDM wonderland of neon decor and walkabout performers, every year the event pulls in a record attendance with fans desperate to escape reality through electronic music.

When & where: 15–17 May 2020; Las Vegas, Nevada

EDC Las Vegas 2020 Guide and Waiting List

 

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Lollapalooza

Festival lineup (2019): The Strokes, the Chain smokers, Childish Gabion, Tame Impala, Twenty One Pilots, J Balvin, Ariana Grande, Flume

A wonderful gathering of music, dance, comedy and craft booths, Lollapalooza is another multi-genre delight which also provides a platform for political and non-profit artists and groups. The festival is forever creating historical moments in many a musician’s career firmly cementing it in the global hall of fame for festivals.

When & where: 30 July-2 August 2020; Grant Park, Chicago

Lollapalooza 2020 Guide & Waiting List

South By South West

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Regarded as the ultimate trend-setter and launcher of careers, SXSW is an annual showcase of music, film and interactive highlights enjoyed through performances, showcases, talks, screenings and more. Virtually taking over the city of Austin, everyone in the world of music from fans to media flock here to discover the next big thing.

When & where: 16-27 March 2020; Austin, Texas

SXSW 2020 Guide & Waiting List

Pitchfork Music Festival

Festival lineup 

Organised by independently focused music source Pitchfork Media, this three day event is a music genre melting pot of rock, hip-hop, electronic, jazz, punk and any other genre and sub-genre you want to celebrate. With a record fair, food, art and beverages from local and national vendors, this truly is a cultural feast.

When & where: 17-19 July 2020, Union Park, Chicago

Pitchfork Music Festival 2020 Guide & Waiting List

 

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Austin City Limits Music Festival

Festival lineup (2019): Guns N' Roses, Mumford & Sons, Childish Gambino, The Cure, Cardi B, Billie Eilish, Tame Impala, Robyn

Inspired by a concert series of the same name, the festival is an eight stage celebration of all things music, along with an art market, delicious food and drink, a dedicated family area and much more. Originally a one weekend event, the festival successfully expanded to two weekends in 2012 after the local council voted unanimously to allow it to do so.

When & where: 4-6 & 11-13 October 2019; Zilker Park, Austin

Austin City Limits Music Festival 2019 Guide & Waiting List

Ultra Music Festival

Festival lineup (2019): David Guetta, Skrillex & Boys Noize, Richie Hawtin, Odesza

Seen as the ultimate gathering for electronic music fans across the nation and globe, the streets of Miami turn into a bold and pumping party with worshipped DJs providing the summertime soundtrack.

When & where: 20-22 March 2020; Miami, Florida

Ultra Music Festival 2020 Guide & Waiting List

 

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The Governors Ball Music Festival

Headliners (2019): Florence + the Machine, Major Lazer, The 1975, The Strokes, Tyler, the Creator, Lil Wayne, Brockhampton, Nas

Another event which proves the music loving potential of Randall's Island Park is Govenors Ball, an exciting and infectious mix of rock, hip-hop, electronic, pop and folk. Providing a variety of music and food tastes, whether you look to kick back and relax or surrender yourself to beats and riffs, Governors Ball has what you want.

When & where: 29-31 May 2020; Randall's Island, New York

The Governors Ball Music Festival 2020 Guide & Waiting List

New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival

Festival lineup (2019): The Rolling Stones, Dave Matthews Band, Katy Perry, Santana, Van Morrison, Earth, Wind & Fire, Jimmy Buffet & The Coral Reefer Band

Few festivals mean more to their community than New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festivals. Dating back to 1970, the festival is a complete cultural experience reaching well beyond the music. A rigid, stuffy affair this is not: Jazz Fest has expanded its purview over the years, growing alongside one of the most vibrant cities in the world.

When & where: 23 April & 3 May 2020; New Orleans, USA

New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival 2020 Guide and Waiting List

Electric Zoo

Festival lineup (2019): Diplo, Skrillex & Boys Noize, Zedd, Afrojack

Turning the parkland of Randall's Island Park into an electronic dance utopia, the creative minds behind Tomorrowland, Mysteryland and Sensation have taken over the event injecting the same passionate magic into an event all dance fans anticipate.

When & where: 28-30 August 2020; Randall's Island, New York

Electric Zoo 2020 Guide & Mailing List

Electric Forest

Festival lineup (2019): ODESZA, Kygo, Bassnectar, Zeds Dead, Gorgon City, Honey Dijon, Alison Wonderland, Gramatik

Fusing bands with electronic DJs, this forest takeover is an alternative to the field-only festivals we are used to, as festival goers are immersed in the colours of the nature surrounding them, as thumping sounds follow them around from stage to stage.

When & where: June 2020; Rothbury, Michigan

Electric Forest 2020 Guide & Waiting List

Burning Man

Festival lineup: Burning Man doesn't have a lineup per se, instead showcasing a programme of music, art and culture driven by its attendees.

Burning Man is the ultimate festival, taking place in the Nevada desert. Started in 1986, the festival has grown into a cultural phenomenon and has inspired imitation festivals around the globe.

When & where: 30 August - 7 September 2020; Black Rock Desert, Nevada

Burning Man 2020 Guide & Mailing List

 

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Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival

Festival lineup (2019): Phish, Childish Gambino, Post Malone, ODESZA, The Lumineers, Solange, Cardi B, Grand Ole Opry

Originally focused on jam bands and folk rock, this festival has expanded to include an impressive array of genres and was once praised by Rolling Stone magazine as being amongst the "50 Moments That Changed Rock & Roll".

When & where: 11–14 June 2020; Great Stage Park, Tennessee

Hot 97 Summer Jam

No festival has been more integral to the development of hip hop than Hot 97 Summer Jam. Giving a platform to the freshest names, as well as providing fans with an opportunity to see the superheroes of rap, the festival has hosted its fair share of classic moments, with performers bringing out huge special guests having become the norm.

When & where: June 2020; East Rutherford, USA

Hot 97 Summer Jam 2020 Guide & Waiting List

AFROPUNK FEST Brooklyn

Starting out as a DIY movement in the US, as a response to feeling like an outsider and desiring a sense of belonging, AFROPUNK is now one of the world's most famous cultural movements. Its mix of art, activism and music now attracts up to 60,000 people and spreads its message in cities around the globe, celebrating black culture and giving community to those who feel marginalised in modern western societies.

When & where: August 2020; Brooklyn, New York

Art Basel Miami Beach

 This three-city modern art festival has additional locations in Basel, Switzerland and Hong Kong, China, but it’s the Miami leg that really turns up the heat. It’s a cultural event showcasing modern art from top galleries and artists from around the world, so it attracts Miami’s cool, hipster crowd. If you’re ready to take a break from raging your face off at the most wild US music festivals and want to show off your artsy side, Art Basel is the festival to do just that!

Where: Miami Beach Convention Center, Miami Beach, Florida

 Lollapalooza

best festivals in the us - Lollapalooza - lake shore stage

Lollapalooza is one of my all-time favorites and definitely puts Chicago on the festival map. This massive music festival in the heart of downtown Chicago has hosted names from Ariana Grande to Lil Wayne, plus so many more. Lolla brings with it a wild energy that only comes from Chicagoans who have been holed up in their homes all winter finally experiencing a ray of sunshine – definitely worth travelling to the US for!

 Where: Grant Park, Chicago, Illinois

 Burning Man

Supposedly Burning Man isn’t really a festival, it’s a community….I’m not really sure what that means, but it’s basically a giant free-love hippy arts and music festival out in the middle of the Nevada desert. There are no “acts” per se, but the festival is full of the most random things you can imagine, from “free bad advice” booths to fire-breathing octopus cars. A temporary city is constructed, art is showcased and then promptly lit on fire, and everyone dances around and is merry. What’s not to love?

Where: Black Rock City, Black Rock Desert, Nevada

Taste of Chicago

First and foremost a foodie city, what better place to host one of the country’s best food festivals than Chicago? From Michelin-star restaurants to celebrity chefs, Taste of Chicago is the best place to sample the tastiest food in the city. Take it slow and don’t overdo it in the first couple of booths, no matter how tempting it may be – you don’t want to end up as the guy with food envy! Incredible food, live music and public art expositions all along the backdrop of Lake Michigan make this one of the best festivals in the US. And most importantly, it’s free to enter!

Where: Grant Park, Chicago, Illinois

Throwing it back to the free-love mindset of the ‘60s, Bonnaroo is one of the best US festivals you won’t want to miss. With a totally inclusive vibe and multi-genre musical acts, Bonnaroo lets you leave your worries behind and join the positivity movement in the heart of the American south. Camp out on the massive farm in Tennessee where this four-day festival takes place and dance like nobody’s watching! With everyone from Cardi B to Childish Gambino on the bill this year, we can’t wait to see who’s performing in 2020!

Where: Great Stage Park, Manchester, Tennessee

When: 2020 festival TBA

Electric Daisy Carnival Las Vegas

best festivals in the us - Electric Daisy Carnival Las Vegas - crowd and fireworks

Easily one of the craziest EDM festivals you will ever experience, Electric Daisy Carnival takes place in Las Vegas, a city which needs no further introduction. A huge rave with top DJs and EDM artists, this festival is three days of pure dancing and partying. Not to mention its incredible artistic design, interactive installations and crazy fairground for the young at heart. My top survival tips: hydrate and wear comfortable shoes…Vegas, baby!

Where: Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas, Nevada

New Orleans is a hub for culture and festivals, but none are more iconic than the world-famous Mardi Gras. The city’s annual carnival celebration, Mardi Gras in New Orleans is a wild party filled with live jazz music, classic southern fried foods and parades in one of the most fun and eccentric corners of America. Stuff yourself silly with beignet donuts, do some unsavory things to collect your share of party beads and dance through the streets of the French Quarter at one of the very best festivals in the US!

Where: New Orleans, Louisiana

Minnesota Renaissance Festival

Though it may seem a more offbeat choice, the Minnesota Renaissance Festival is one of the biggest in the country and is an absolute freaking blast. Unleash your inner history nerd and dress up in your finest Middle Ages garb, grab an oversized turkey leg and tankard of beer, and try to avoid catching the Black Plague. It may be random AF, but isn’t it all things weird and wonderful that make festivals so great? Huzzah!

 Austin City Limits Music Festival

ACL is the chill Texas music festival that hosts some of the best names in music over the course of two weekends. Austin keeps it local, offering tons of food options from vendors from the area, plus displaying lots of work from Texan artists, perfect for backpackers who want to get an authentic feel for the city. A classic summer music festival with an overall relaxed vibe, varied markets and a great Indie music lineup – there’s no question that Austin City Limits is one of the best festivals in the US!

San Francisco Pride

San Francisco Pride represents generations of resistance, and is the best place in the country to shout from the rooftops that love is love! From live music and street parades to drag queens and neon speedos, SF Pride might just be the happiest celebration on earth. Let your freak flag fly and join the colorful festivities and people that make Pride in San Francisco so iconic.!

South by Southwest (SXSW)

More than just a festival, South by Southwest is a combination of conferences, film, media and music festivals all rolled into one. A true trend-setter in the world of music and media, you’ll need to be cool AND interesting to attend this festival, and your career might just get a little boost as well! If you think you have what it takes, get down to Austin to enjoy everything this eclectic festival has to offer.

 Afropunk Fest Brooklyn

Started by black punks as a response to feeling like outsiders, Afropunk was the result of a community coming together to create one of the most famous cultural festivals in the world. Its roots are in Brooklyn, but it now has locations in cities across the globe. This festival showcases a combination of music, film, art and fashion, all produced by black artists with a focus on activism and celebrating black culture. So, get to Brooklyn and join the movement of people who are speaking up and expressing themselves through radical creativity!

 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival

If New Orleans knows how to do one thing, it’s put on a great festival! Covering way more than just jazz music, this fest is a celebration of all things New Orleans, making it a great way to connect to every aspect of the city. Put together the best musical acts in America, the most artery-clogging food of the deep south, ultra-positive vibes and warm weather, and that’s the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. If you’re looking for some classic New Orleans soul and culture without the drunken mania of Mardi Gras, you’re not going to want to miss this one!

 Sundance Film Festival

Only truly dedicated movie fans will have what it takes to withstand the gruelling process of gaining tickets to this exclusive event. Though the largest independent film festival in the US, many of Sundance’s available tickets go to industry professionals and only a percentage are allotted for public purchase. However, with enough perseverance and starting the process just five short months in advance, you too could gain a highly-coveted ticket to what is easily the most important film festival in the US. This is where world premieres are screened and deals are made to decide which movies the world will see in the upcoming year. Talk about culture! If you gain a golden ticket to this event, it definitely won’t be one you’ll want to miss.