Outdoor Music Festivals

Cold weather is a gateway to dreaming about summer. Warmer weather and longer days make summer is the superior season. With summer brings all the best music festivals. Here are the top five music festivals happening in the summer

1. Bonnaroo (Manchester, TN) – June 12-15

Bonnaroo Music Festival is a 4-day music festival that is held in Manchester, Tennessee. A multi-genre festival featuring rock, hip-hop, electronic, and indie acts with a strong camping culture.

The first Bonnaroo, organized by veteran music promoter Ashley Capps and held in 2002, attracted about 70,000 visitors. The festival took its name from the 1974 album Desitively Bonnaroo by New Orleans pianist and vocalist Dr. John.

4-Day General Admission: $435

4-Day General Admission+: $725

4-Day VIP: $1105

4-Day Platinum: $3995

4-Day Roo Insider: $26000

Picture courtesy of bonnaroo.com

2. Coachella (Indio, CA) – April 11-13 & 18-20

Although Coachella is not technically a “summer” festival, it remains one of the biggest music events in the United States. Initially, it was held on just one weekend; however, as it continued to grow in popularity, organizers expanded it to two weekends in 2012 to accommodate the increasing demand.

Paul Tollett and Rick Van Santen co-founded Coachella in 1999. The festival is officially called the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. Coachella not only showcases a variety of musical genres but also brings together artists from diverse backgrounds. For example, the festival features everything from rock and pop to indie, hip hop, and electronic dance music. Furthermore, it creates a unique space where different musical styles blend, attracting fans from all over the world.

General Admission:

Weekend 1 Sold Out

Weekend 2: $599

General Admission + 3-Day Shuttle:

Weekend 1: $779

Weekend 2: $679

VIP

Weekend 1: $1399

Weekend 2: 1199

General Admission 4-Pack: All Sold Out

Picture courtesy of coachella.com

3. Electric Forest (Rothbury, MI) – June 19-22

If you like electronic music, this festival is definitely for you. Electric Forest was founded in 2008 by Pasquale Rotella and Jeremy Stein. The festival is known for its immersive experience, which combines live music, art, and design with the natural beauty of the venue 

GA Camping Wristband: $601.90

GA Camp Higher Love Wristband: $839.19

GA Maplewoods Wristband: $989.66

GA Lucky Lake Wristband: $989.66

Good Life Village Sherwood Court Tent Only: $1077.30

Picture courtesy of electricforest.com

4. Summerfest (Milwaukee, WI) – June 19-21, June 26-28, & July 3-5

Summerfest is an annual music festival held in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Summerfest was founded in the 1960s by then-mayor Henry W. Maier. Summerfest offers a diverse range of music including mainstream pop and rock, but also country, folk, and experimental sounds.

General Admission: $30 (single day)

US Cellular 3-Day Pass: $63 (one general admission per day on three different days of your choice)

US Cellular 9-Day Power Pass: $130 (one admission per day for all nine days of the festival)

Picture courtesy of summerfest.com

5. Hinterland (St. Charles, IA) August 2-4

As an Iowan, I had to include this music festival. Hinterland Music Festival is a multi-day music festival held at the Avenue of the Saints Amphitheater in St. Charles, Iowa, which was first held in 2015. Hinterland used to be strictly folk, but it has ventured into hip-hop, pop, country, indie rock, and alternative.

3-Day General Admission: $300 + fees

3-Day VIP Admission: $720 + fees

3-Day Saints Admission: $1920 + fees

Picture courtesy of hinterlandiowa.com