California’s Coachella and Stagecoach kicked-off the 2019 festival season earlier this year, and now even more are underway as summer approaches. While there are hundreds of scheduled festivals throughout the season, a handful will have music junkies talking all-year long, with stacked lineups filled with A-list stars dominating the industry.
Check out our curated U.S. summer festival list below:
KAABOO Texas — May 10-12
San Diego’s KAABOO Festival will take place in Austin, Texas for the first time. The three-day event, known for its eclectic lineup, delivered yet again as The Killers, Sting, Lionel Richie, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Little Big Town, and Kid Rock are set to perform. Comedy acts will also appear throughout the fest. Grab tickets here.
Electric Daisy Carnival — May 17-19
EDC is one of the biggest raves in the country, and it’s all going down in Sin City. Throughout the three-day fest, EDM fans can see sets from A$AP Rocky, David Guetta, Alesso, Zeds Dead, Alison Wonderland, Dillon Francis, Steve Aoki, and more across eight different stages. Interactive art installations, rides, and colorful, three-dimensional structures grace the grounds. Plan your glow-in-the-dark gear after scoring some tickets to this year’s event.
Boston Calling — May 24-26
Stationed right in-between the hustle and bustle of downtown Boston, this festival has made the move to Harvard’s Athletic Complex. Boston Calling is a three-day event, and this year’s headliners include rap/rock duo Twenty One Pilots, indie-rock group Tame Impala, and rapper Travis Scott. Artists like Chvrches, Hozier, and Mitski will also make an appearance. Grab your passes here.
CMA Music Festival — June 6-10
There’s nothing that screams “country music” more than a four-day bash in the middle of Nashville. The CMA Music Festival, held by the Country Music Association, is four straight days of music – both outside on the streets of Music City and inside on the Nissan Stadium stage. Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan, Dan + Shay, Miranda Lambert, Florida Georgia Line, Keith Urban, and Carrie Underwood are among the artists slated to perform. Tickets can be found here.
Vans Warped Tour — June 8, 29-30, & July 20-21
After over two decades of cross-country tours, Vans Warped Tour founder Kevin Lyman called-off the annual festival last year. However, this year, three special 25-year anniversary mini fests will be held to honor the show’s legacy. Chicago will kick-off the festivities on June 8 at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, followed by two-day shows in New Jersey’s Atlantic City and Mountain View, California from June 29-30 and July 20-21, respectively. Punk-rockers can find tickets here.
DISRUPT — June 21-July 28
With Warped Tour coming to a close, a few new festivals are starting to emerge. DISRUPT will cross the country this summer with rock bands Sleeping With Sirens, The Used, and Sum 41, along with The Story So Far, Memphis Mayfire, and Four Year Strong, among others. The tour will make stops in cities like Tampa, Hartford, Denver, Boise, and Phoenix. Single-day tickets are available for each stop.
LOVELOUD Festival — June 29
Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons created LOVELOUD to make an inclusive place for LGBTQ+ youth to feel secure and accepted. The third annual one-day festival, set to take place in West Valley, Utah, will feature performances from Kesha, Tegan + Sara, Grouplove, K. Flay, Paris, and Laura Jane Grace. Funds raised from the event will go toward mental health and health services for LGBTQ+ youth. Grab your tickets here.
Essence Festival — July 4-7
The New Orleans-based festival will celebrate its 25-year anniversary this summer at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, featuring acts like ’90s stars Mary J. Blige, Missy Elliot, and Pharrell. Nearly 100 black artists will be in attendance for the “extraordinary, multigenerational, cultural celebration,” taking place across three days. Single day tickets or full 3-day passes are available.
Sad Summer Festival — July 5-August 3
Emo kids – unite! The Sad Summer Festival is bringing your favorite pop-punk groups The Maine, Mayday Parade, The Wonder Years, and State Champs for a cross-country tour, along with Mom Jeans, Stand Atlantic, Just Friends, and L.I.F.T. The festival will also include special appearances at select shows from Four Year Strong, Set It Off, Forever the Sickest Kids, Emo Night, and Every Avenue. A general admission ticket will give you a pass down memory lane.
Super Mega Ultra Giant Mad Decent Festival — July 20-21
This festival – which is definitely a mouthful – is returning once again. Mad Decent Festival, originally held in various cities across the globe since 2008, will be held at Foxbourough’s Gillette Stadium for the first time. While rap music will take over the day – with performances from G-Eazy, Pusha T, and Kodak Black, indie-pop rising star Billie Eilish and EDM’s Zed’s Dead will also take the stage. Don’t miss out on the party.
Lollapalooza — August 1-4
Chicago-bound Lollapalooza, which takes place annually in Grant Park, will feature headlining performances from Ariana Grande, The Strokes, The Chainsmokers, Childish Gambino, Tame Impala, and Twenty One Pilots. The four-day fest features an array of genres, like hip-hop, rock, electronic, and metal; other acts set to take the stage include rapper Meek Mill, metal core group Bring Me The Horizon, and pop-country rising star Kacey Musgraves. Festival tickets can be found here.
Woodstock 50 — August 24-26
As of right now, whether or not Woodstock 50 is still on is unclear. The festival, which would commemorate the 50-year anniversary of the original 1969 event, is supposed to be held at New York’s Watkins Glen International Speedway, organized by the original co-founder Michael Lang. While Lang has faced some difficulties over the past few weeks, the festival would surely be an event to remember with headline sets from The Killers, Jay-Z, Miley Cyrus, Halsey and more. Tickets are supposed to go on sale in the coming weeks.
Burning Man — August 25 – September 2
While not necessarily dubbed as a “music festival,” Burning Man is a cultural experience, bringing together artists, musicians, and creative minds alike. The nine-day event is held in the Nevadan desert, allowing guests to coincide with one another to create “Black Rock City.” There were some issues during this year’s ticket sale, but passes are still up-for-grabs.
Visit Ticket Club for more festival information and tickets
