Music Festival Season—spring to late summer—is officially upon us! If you are a seasoned festival-goer or novice looking to have the time of your life, the Perfect Bar in-house experts have navigated the endless road of options to provide a comprehensive yet succinct guide to the nation’s “bucket list-worthy music festivals”.
Whether massive or intimate, the best festival experiences provide more than just top-notch headlining acts. Below you will find options offering a unique blend and appreciation for iconic outdoor settings, music genres, high quality lineups, local and organic fare, camping, sustainability efforts, fine art, interactive installations, yoga and holistic living.
With that being said, we think you’ll find our suggestions to be sophisticated, some family-friendly and others quite refreshing. We hope you add a few to your travel itinerary and perhaps we may even see you on the dance floor!
Coachella Valley Music and Art Festival
Where: Indio, CA
When: April 10-12 and 17-19
Camping: Yes
What makes it perfect? Interactive art installations, a focus on sustainability, and a unique blend of classic and alternative rock acts combined with the best electronic and up and coming Indy music acts keep us coming back year after year. The party doesn’t end when the festival shuts down – enjoy the silent disco or Uber to one of the many sponsored after parties.
Catch the video trailer here…
Lucidity Festival: Kindred Quest
Where: Santa Barbara, CA
When: April 10-12
Camping: Yes
What makes it perfect? Lucidity is an open-source transformational arts and music festival. They call it an open-source because they co-create this festival experience with festival-goers! Find your spirit animal and enrich your experience at one of the seven themed, co-created villages.
Catch the video trailer here…
Euphoria
Where: Austin, TX
When: April 10-12
Camping: Yes
What makes it perfect? Incorporating a creative experience with their boutique music festival, Euphoria represents the lasting feeling of joy and community found from being in the right place at the right time with the right people. Enjoy unique stage designs, artist workshops and late night silent discos.
Levitation
Where: Austin, TX
When: May 8-19
Camping: Yes
What makes it perfect? Austin Psych Fest & The Reverberation Appreciation Society work to promote and create fertile ground for artistic expression through music and visual art, support homegrown businesses in Austin, and operate in an environmentally responsible manner.
Joshua Tree Music Festival
Where: Joshua Tree, CA
When: May 14-17
Camping: Yes
What makes it perfect? The desert is freedom, music is power, and community is crucial according to JTMF. Music lovers of all ages can enjoy phenomenal live music in an intimate setting surrounding the magical national park.
Catch the video trailer here…
Lighting In A Bottle
Where: Bradley, CA
When: May 21-25
Camping: Yes
What makes it perfect? LIB offers an immersive environment that allows you to lose yourself in an entire universe of play. They provide nutrition classes at the “Learning Kitchen,” and inspiration can be found in “The Temple” as renowned visionaries lecture, perform, and heal.
Catch the video trailer here…
Sasquatch
Where: Quincy, WA
When: May 22-25
Camping: Yes
What makes it perfect? Sticking to what they know best, music and beauty, Sasquatch banks on their picturesque view of the gorge and rocks the house with an expansive list of amazing performances.
Governors Ball
Where: New York, NY
When: June 5-7
Camping: No
What makes it perfect? The music never stops in the city that never sleeps. Enjoy the Silent Disco that runs all night long or take some time to enjoy lawn games, art installations, and drinks at the “Mixology Tent.”
Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival
Where: Manchester, TN
When: June 11-14
Camping: Yes
What makes it perfect? Bonnaroo offers EVERYTHING! A film fest, wild dance parties and beautiful scenery accompany unbelievable music, art, and food. Be sure experience The Walter Show with Kalliope & Big Red, an interactive art and music installment featuring art cars.
Firefly Music Festival
Where: Dover, DE
When: June 18-21
Camping: Yes
What makes it perfect? Set among lush wooded landscapes and featuring renowned headliners and emerging artists, Firefly allows you to witness unforgettable performances and engaging attractions are nestled around every turn. Be sure to visit the brewery, outdoor bazaar, and beercade… Yes, a beercade.
Genius Loci
Where: Punta Cabras Baja, Mexico
When: June 19-22
Camping: Yes
What makes it perfect? Genius Loci (low-key), is an incredible no trace event focused on environmental awareness, yoga and music. It also provides 3 Surf breaks within a 5-minute walk and flirts with exclusivity offering only 500 tickets.
Electric Forest
Where: Rothbury, MI
When: June 25-28
Camping: Yes
What makes it perfect? Electric Forest accompanies 60 musical performances with intricate, mind-blowing light displays in an earthy environment they call Sherwood Forest. They pride themselves on their conscious and involved festival community.
Wanderlust Aspen-Snowmass
Where: Snowmass Village, CO
When: July 2-5
Camping: No
What makes it perfect? Wanderlust’s core mission is to create community around mindful living. Through yoga, guided adventures, art, music and food, they educate to practice purpose, create awareness, and be green.
Northern Nights Music Festival
Where: Piercy, CA
When: July 17-19
Camping: Yes
What makes it perfect? The lazy Eel River and towering Redwood forests form the picture-perfect backdrop for premier musical talent, jaw-dropping art, thought-provoking workshops, comedy, yoga, and industry-leading sustainability initiatives.
Lollapolooza
Where: Grant Park, Chicago
When: July 31-Aug 2
Camping: No
What makes it perfect? More than just a rock concert, Lolla is a place where music fans can learn. Whether it’s becoming more environmentally conscious, registering to vote or saving a life through a bone marrow match, Lolla brings together the best organizations and puts them in front of 100K festival fans to bring awareness to amazing causes.
Oregon Jamboree
Where: Sweet Home, OR
When: July 31-Aug
Camping: Yes
What makes it perfect? Oregon Jamboree offers a great lineup of country music stars in the historic of Sanky Park. The family-style event hosts food booths, beer & wine gardens and a variety of other interactive attractions.
Outside Lands
Where: San Francisco, CA
When: August 7-9
Camping: No
What makes it perfect? Amazing comedic acts and musical performances accompany beer, wine, and food in a sustainably conscious environment. Choose between a swarm of 9 different food trucks, 50 + restaurants, 6 chocolate and sugary treat vendors, 30+ wineries, and over 40 local craft brews during the 3-day festival.
Summer Set
Where: Somerset, WI
When: August 14-16
Camping: Yes
What makes it perfect? Incorporating everything we love about summer, swimming, music, and camping; Summer Set offers a multiple stage experience in an incredible Northern Wisconsin setting. Enjoy a float down the Apple River and dance long into the night as summer begins to close out.
Utopiafest
Where: Utopia, TX
When: September 5-6
Camping: Yes
What makes it perfect? Utopia offers an alternative and escape from the multiple-stage festival. Settled in the hills of West Texas, breathtaking country sunsets give way to awesome musical performances that are naturally amplified on the 1,000-acre Four Sisters Ranch.
Where: Joshua Tree, CA
When: September 10-13
Camping: Yes
What makes it perfect? Bhaktifest is a yoga, dance and music festival that celebrates the devotional path that has its roots in yoga, kirtan, and meditation. It embraces ancient and modern sacred wisdom and traditional and non-traditional spiritual practices. The festival is a vehicle for evolution of human consciousness through a heart-centered revolution.
Want more health hacks and wellness insights? We got you covered. You'll also receive a code for 15% off your first order!
