A Comprehensive Guide to Every Major Summer Music Festival

You have approximately zero good reasons to not attend a music festival this summer.

Short on cash? There are plenty of affordable festivals to fit even the tightest of budgets. Nothing happening in your neck of woods? With literally hundreds of festivals happening across the US, you'll never really be that far from a viable option. Hate camping, crowds, or the sun? Don't worry -- you'll be able to find festivals that dodge all three.

But with so many great choices, narrowing down your perfect music festival is a dubious, if not completely overwhelming, task. That's why we've put together this comprehensive guide to help you find your dream festival. Whatever you choose, make sure you drink a lot of water.

flaming lips at Nelsonville music fest
Angelo Merendino/Getty Images

Nelsonville Music Festival

Headliners: Ween, They Might Be Giants, Emmylou Harris, Conor Oberst, Jenny Lewis
Camping: Yes

Nelsonville, set in the rolling hills of southeast Ohio, has been called one of the best-kept secrets of the festival scene. The event brings in big names, but still manages to retain a quaint, small-town atmosphere. Nelsonville Music Festival also pledges to be a Zero Waste event, and although it's been around for 13 years, chances are Nelsonville won't remain a secret for much longer.

For fervent fans of rock & roll goofballs Ween, getting to see them perform at all is a blessing. The band went on hiatus in 2012, but reunited last year, and they've been making the festival rounds. Nelsonville has several stages, but their No-Fi Cabin might be the festival's most creative (and endearing) performance space: performers forgo electricity, which is as acoustic as you can get.

Riverfest

Headliners: Wiz Khalifa, Justin Moore, Cage The Elephant, Billy Currington
Camping: Nope

Riverfest, Arkansas's premier music festival since 1977, goes easy on your finances with a shockingly affordable admission cost for three days of music: $40. And given that it's Riverfest's 40th anniversary, you can expect festival organizers to pull out all the stops in 2017. Country music star Justin Moore hails from Arkansas, which makes his appearance at Riverfest all the more special.

Riverfest also kicks off with "Flowing on the River," an evening craft beer and wine tasting event showcasing local breweries and vineyards. Feel free to imbibe as much as you want -- music doesn't start the next day until 6 pm., so you have plenty of time for your hangover to wear off.

Governors Ball

Headliners: Chance the Rapper, Phoenix, Tool, Childish Gambino, Lorde
Camping: Nope

You can thank Governors Ball for kick-starting New York's recent emergence as a first-rate festival city. The festival debuted in 2011 on Governors Island before moving the next year to Randall's Island, where it's been held ever since. Gov Ball also goes hard with its "After Dark" lineup, so you can keep jamming out after the festival ends each night at exclusive shows around NYC. Be wary, though: Gov Ball is cursed by the weather gods. Be sure to snag a poncho and stow away an extra pair of socks in a Ziploc for when your original pair get too soggy.

This year's food lineup is curated by The Infatuation, which means you get to stuff your face with tacos from Tacombi, sweets from Momofuku Milk Bar and so many more.

Bunbury

Headliners: Muse, Wiz Khalifa, G-Eazy, Bassnectar, Pretty Lights Live
Camping: Nope

Taking place over three days on the banks of the Ohio River, Bunbury is a classic Midwest festival with a lineup offering something for everyone. Festival organizers have modified the layout of the grounds this year for a more relaxing, intimate experience. It also champions Midwest artists and bands before they find larger audiences.

Bunbury's Craft Beer Village will be hosted by Braxton Brewing Company from just across the state line in Covington, Kentucky, a welcome respite from the light-beer-all-day scene of many festivals.

Northside Festival

Headliners: Dirty Projectors, Miguel, Kamasi Washington, Thursday
Camping: Nope

Northside is kind of like a scaled-down Brooklyn version of South by Southwest, increasingly pairing music with tech. On the music end, there are a handful of bigger-name acts, but the true strength of the festival lies in its embrace of underground and up-and-coming artists. If you're in the Williamsburg or Greenpoint neighborhoods of Brooklyn during the event, it's difficult not to stumble on a Northside show.

While a badge is the way to go if you want the most access, you can also buy individual tickets to different shows. If you can't fully commit to the total Northside experience, it's great for dabbling as well.
bonnaroo
Mike Cuvelier/Shutterstock.com

Bonnaroo

Headliners: U2, The Weeknd, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Chance the Rapper
Camping: Yes

Now in its 16th year, 'Roo is one of the pioneers of the modern summer festival Renaissance. While it's deviated from its jam band roots, Bonnaroo has also had plenty of time to perfect its secret sauce that makes it a perennial juggernaut. Plus, music goes deep into the wee hours, with a specially curated Late Night lineup to keep you dancing until the sun comes up.

True to the collaborative vibe of the festival, Bonnaroo's SuperJam is a time when different artists at the festival come together for one-of-a-kind performances. It's usually anchored and curated by one artist (Kamasi Washington, Skrillex, Questlove, and Jim James have all led SuperJams), and features a slew of special guests.

CMA Music Festival

Headliners: Blake Shelton, Keith Urban, Miranda Lambert, Brad Paisley, Chris Stapleton
Camping: Nope

Nashville is the home of country music year-round, but the week of CMA Fest offers the highest concentration of star power and live shows. It's a cool opportunity to see some of the bigger names up close, but also check out talent that's on the verge of taking things to the next level.

Kenny Rogers, the 78-year-old country music legend, will make an appearance in the midst of his farewell world tour; catch him one last time when he plays Nissan Stadium. There's also a lot of free programming, so you don't necessarily need to shell out to experience CMA Fest. 
spring awakening festival
Flickr/swimfinfan

Spring Awakening Festival

Headliners: Afrojack, Galantis, Armin van Buuren, Diplo, GRiZ
Camping: Nope

Spring Awakening bills itself as "the Midwest's premier all-electronic music festival." Based on its lineup alone, that's not an oversell. Addams/Medill Park in Chicago will host, supposedly easy to get to from anywhere in Chicago, and Spring Awakening has a reputation as a safe festival.

Be sure to catch Krewella, a duo composed of sisters Yasmine and Jahan Yousaf, who grew up outside of Chicago. Their hometown advantage will add an extra spark to an already hyped performance. The annual DJ Contest gives amateur record-spinners a chance to play the festival. DJs are given a track to remix (this year is ZHU's "Nightcrawler") and online voting narrows things down to 10 finalists, one of whom is rewarded with a lineup slot.

Punk Rock Bowling & Music Festival

Headliners: The Specials, NOFX, Buzzcocks
Camping: Nope

What began as a humble bowling tournament in Las Vegas in 1999 has grown into three separate events, including this one in Jersey. It may seem obvious, but there really isn't another event in the world that combines bowling and legendary punk acts.

The festival partnered with FestDrive to provide roundtrip party buses from Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Philly for only $50. Who cares if there's beach traffic when you can pack a flask and pregame in a party bus?

Firefly

Headliners: The Weeknd, Twenty One Pilots, Muse, Bob Dylan, Kesha
Camping: Yes

In just a few short years, Firefly has become one of the newer go-to festivals thanks in part to compelling headliners and a peerless venue (which they've dubbed "The Woodlands") at the Dover International Speedway. If you want to attend a camping festival on the East Coast with a lineup that skews toward the Spotify generation (and, curiously, Bob Dylan, who probably doesn't know what Spotify is), Firefly is your best bet.

As a bonus, Firefly has a longstanding relationship with Dogfish Head, the Delaware brewery that also happens to make some of the best beer in the world. Just because you're living out of a tent and forgoing showers for a few days doesn't mean you have to drink crappy beer.
Telluride Bluegrass
Telluride Bluegrass

Telluride Bluegrass

Headliners: Jason Mraz, Norah Jones, Dierks Bentley, Brandi Carlile
Camping: Yes

Since 1973, pickers, fiddlers, and folkies have headed to Telluride to check out the best bluegrass musicians and take in scenic mountain views. It's expanded beyond traditional bluegrass, but the emphasis remains on roots music and artists with a high degree of technical skill, like Bela Fleck and Chris Thile at this year's edition. This Americana fan's dream festival takes place at 8,750ft, so you're also likely to get a taste of that Rocky Mountain High.

Telluride is known for loyal festival-goers, called "Festivarians," who have been heading to the festival each year for decades. Camping in close quarters often leads to friendships that renew each year at the festival grounds.

Electric Daisy Carnival

Headliners: Major Lazer, Kygo, Madeon, Tiesto, Flux Pavilion
Camping: Nope

Las Vegas is already one of the EDM capitals of the world, but when EDC comes to town, things get ratcheted up to insane level. In 2015, over 400,000 attendees flooded the Las Vegas International Speedway for the festival, which is known as much for its technicolor installations, elaborate stages and carnival rides as it is for featuring top electronic talent across a wide range of sub-genres. It's like Disney World got hijacked by a bunch of hula-hooping club kids.

Beyond the music, EDC takes art installations very seriously. Gigantic, multi-dimensional sculptures and installations are scattered throughout the festival grounds for your viewing pleasure. 

Mountain Jam

Headliners: Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, Steve Miller Band, The String Cheese Incident
Camping: Yup

If you're looking for a no-frills, classic camping festival in an idyllic setting, Mountain Jam will give you what you want. It's kind of like the Goldilocks of festivals: big (but not too big), established (but not too established), and easily accessible (but still tucked away). It's also super family-friendly, with a lineup that caters to different generations of music fans.  

Some camping festivals can turn out to be overwhelming if your campsite is too far from the festival grounds. But the farthest you'll have to walk at Mountain Jam is 10 minutes, as the campsites are closely clustered by the festival stages.

Monterey International Pop Festival

Headliners: Jack Johnson, Leon Bridges, Father John Misty, Regina Spektor
Camping: Nope

Monterey Pop in 1967 is not only one of the most famous festivals, but a seminal moment in music history. It kicked off the Summer of Love, featuring the first American performances by the Jimi Hendrix Experience and The Who, as well game-changing sets from Janis Joplin, Otis Redding, Jefferson Airplane and more. Exactly 50 years to the day, this iteration of Monterey Pop will pay homage to the festival's legacy.

Lou Adler, one of the festival's original organizers, is back on board, plus Grateful Dead's Phil Lesh and Eric Burdon & The Animals, who were a part of 1967's lineup. The event's eye toward the past, without turning the event into a over-the-top nostalgia fest, is tasteful.
eaux claires festival
Mike Diskin

Eaux Claires

Headliners: Bon Iver, Wilco, Chance the Rapper, Paul Simon, Danny Brown
Camping: Yes

Eaux Claires is the brainchild of Bon Iver's Justin Vernon and The National's Aaron Dessner. Now in its third year, Eaux Claires has been called "the anti-music-festival festival" that cares less about individual performances and more about creating opportunities for musicians of the diverse lineup to collaborate.

The festival's "less is more" attitude means fewer schedule conflicts, which is a typical festival headache. Fewer acts on the bill also means more space for spontaneous collaborations and guest appearances.

Electric Forest

Headliners: The String Cheese Incident, Bassnectar, Odesza, Flume, My Morning Jacket
Camping: Yup

Since its resurrection in 2011, the festival has slowly progressed from best-kept secret to one of the most sought-out camping festival experiences. It's set in a serene forest (so many camping festivals are at fairgrounds or farms), and is known for impromptu, unsanctioned performances by musicians and performance artists throughout the grounds. For the first time, Electric Forest will be held over two weekends in 2017 with two slightly different lineups.

Electric Forest has a curated events series where artists and music collectives are tasked with curating their own stages at the festival. It's a way to democratize the performance spaces and open up the lineup to new configurations.

Mamby on the Beach

Headliners: MGMT, Local Natives, Misterwives, Walk The Moon, Flying Lotus
Camping: Nope

Mamby on the Beach combines the metropolitan comforts of an urban city with the laid-back vibes of a beach party. Taking place on Oakwood Beach in Chicago, Mamby makes a case for joining the ranks of the best new festivals by offering attendees a lineup heavy on up-and-comers. It also keeps the party going by organizing after-shows in Chicago. It's a festival you can comfortably navigate in flip-flops, but then find your way into a cozy hotel bed at the end of the night.

Mamby does its part to shine a spotlight on local talent, and this year's lineup features a good deal of Chicago artists. Saba, BJ The Chicago Kid, and Sir the Baptist will all turn out loyal hometown crowds.

Arroyo Seco Weekend

Headliners: Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Mumford & Sons, Alabama Shakes, Weezer
Camping: Nope

Goldenvoice, the company best known for putting on Coachella, Stagecoach, and Panorama, is behind the more low-key Arroyo Seco Weekend. This one's less about flower crowns and selfies, and more about a relaxing weekend of performances by classic rock, soul, and jam bands. Even better, the food lineup brings together top Southern California chefs, breweries, and vineyards. You're going to be very, very happy here.

Summerfest

Headliners: Red Hot Chili Peppers, Paul Simon, The Chainsmokers, Luke Bryan
Camping: Nope

When it comes to bang for the buck, there is no better festival than Milwaukee's Summerfest. For just $90, you have access to 11 days of music. Plus, you have the option to attend any single day for only $20. That would be impressive even with a lower-caliber lineup. But Summerfest routinely books some of the biggest names, making it possible for you to have a major festival experience even if you're broke.

This year is the 50th anniversary of Summerfest, so in addition to the lineup, you can check out an exhibit that offers an in-depth look at the history of the event.

ESSENCE Festival

Headliners: Diana Ross, John Legend, Mary J. Blige, Chance the Rapper, Chaka Khan
Camping: Nope

Organized by the popular women's magazine, ESSENCE Festival is a "party with a purpose" that's been around since 1994. If you're a fan of R&B, soul, hip-hop, or gospel music, there aren't many better festivals you could attend. 

Music is just one piece of the puzzle at ESSENCE Festival. Attendees can also check out the Path to Power Conference focusing on entrepreneurship as well as ESSENCE's Beauty & Style Expo.

Camp Bisco

Headliners: The Disco Biscuits, Bassnectar, Pretty Lights Live, Griz, Lotus
Camping: Yes

Bisco is for weirdos, and that's a compliment. The festival is hosted by The Disco Biscuits, a jam band in the vein of Phish, with a fiercely loyal fan-base to boot. Since the first Camp Bisco in 1999, the festival has transformed into a sprawling, multi-day event celebrating jamming, raving, and fringe genres. It's locked down an impressive lineup this year. but the focus is on the Biscuits, who are scheduled to play six sets across the weekend.

Montage Mountain, the festival's home, includes a waterpark with wave pool you can chill in while listening to music, as well as water slides and a lazy river. That means you can cool off while you jam out.

Pitchfork Music Festival

Headliners: LCD Soundsystem, A Tribe Called Quest, Solange, Dirty Projectors, PJ Harvey
Camping: Nope

It makes sense that a media property with the reputation of Pitchfork can attract big names, but its festival is also relatively affordable, running south of $200 for a three-day pass. Like other Chicago-based festivals, you can keep things rolling downtown after a full day of music at the festival.

Pitchfork is bringing it with its headliners this year, but a smart undercard is its truest asset. NYC singer-songwriter Mitski's music packs an emotional wallop. Plus, since she's bound to blow up, you'll be able to say you saw her before she got really popular, which is a rite of passage for Pitchfork fans.

Forecastle

Headliners: LCD Soundsystem, Odesza, Weezer, Cage the Elephant, Sturgill Simpson
Camping: Nope

Thousands upon thousands of music fans have ventured to Louisville each summer for Forecastle since it first debuted as a small community festival in 2002. Now produced by AC Entertainment (which also produce Bonnaroo, Sloss, and Big Ears), Forecastle has become one of the most popular festivals in the country. A big piece of that is Louisville's central location and Forecastle's bridging of urban amenities and scenic venue set along the Ohio River. Adding to the feel-good nature of the festival is Forecastle's showcase for environmental activism and emphasis on sustainability.

Oh, and don't forget the bourbon. Forecastle is partnering for the fifth year in a row with the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Together, they offer the Bourbon Lodge, a rickhouse meets Prohibition-era speakeasy allowing guests to sample craft bourbon from distilleries all across Kentucky.

Sloss

Headliners: Alabama Shakes, Widespread Panic, Odesza, Sturgill Simpson
Camping: Nope

This festival, which debuted in 2015, honors Birmingham's heritage as an iron city by hosting two days of music inside Sloss Furnaces National Landmark. It also boasts an amazing, Southern-tinged lineup and is in close proximity to downtown Birmingham, which is slowly but surely becoming one of America's most fun cities to explore.

There are few, if any, summer music festivals that advertise "live iron pouring demonstrations." So if you've always wanted to see iron poured, here's your chance.

Karoondinha (CANCELED)

Headliners: Chance the Rapper, Paramore, John Legend, Porter Robinson, Odesza
Camping: Yes

Major music festivals like Lollapalooza and Bonnaroo usually share something more than just imposing lineups: names that are fun to say out loud. Enter Karoondinha, a festival debuting in 2017 at Penn's Cave & Wildlife Park, the country's only all-water cavern and wildlife park. Karoondinha's greatest asset might be its charming locale featuring 1,600 sprawling acres of nature untouched by development. For a brand-new festival, Karoondinha has pulled in an eclectic inaugural lineup stocked with big names. You might want to hop on board while it's still under the radar.

Karoondinha will offer festival-goers the opportunity to see the park's ancient water cave in a special boat tour. There aren't many festivals where you can casually take an underground boat ride if you get bored of the music.

FYF Fest

Headliners: Frank Ocean, Bjork, Missy Elliott, Nine Inch Nails
Camping: Nope

Another festival from the organizers of Coachella, FYF boasts one of the best lineups of 2017. While FYF (which stands for "Fuck Yeah Fest") began as a showcase of punk bands, it's evolved over the years to become more diverse. If you snoozed on getting Coachella tickets in April, or you're not a fan of the West Coast camping festivals, you'll have a blast at FYF.

Float Fest

Headliners: Zedd, Weezer, Passion Pit, Cage the Elephant, MGMT
Camping: Yes

Float Fest is exactly what it sounds like: a music festival framed around a lazy river. Festival-goers start up river and then literally float about 2 1/2 miles back to Cool River Ranch. Once you get there, you're directed up the hill to the concert gates. 

The floating portion of the event encourages you to BYOB. In other words, heaven is real and it's called Float Fest.
newport folk festival
Douglas Mason/Getty Images Entertainment

Newport Folk Festival

Headliners: Fleet Foxes, Wilco, John Prine, The Avett Brothers, The Head and the Heart
Camping: Nope

Music festivals as we know them can trace their roots back to Newport Folk Festival, one of the longest-running festivals, having debuted in 1959. Newport is a smaller event than many other major festivals, capping attendance around 10,000. That means things feel less overwhelming and claustrophobic, and attendees can be as close to the music as they want to be. Festival-goers typically span several generations, which leads to a courteous environment that's much more about the music than partying.

Ahead of Chuck Berry's passing in March 2017, Newport was working with the Berry family to throw together a celebration of Chuck's 90th birthday at the festival. Instead, the festival will feature a tribute to Berry's life that will no doubt include performances from various artists on the lineup.

Newport Folk is in Fort Adams, which is right on the water, so you can chill in a boat (and bring your own beer) while taking in the music.

Watershed

Headliners: Chris Stapleton, Darius Rucker, Luke Bryan, Maddie and Tae
Camping: Yes

Washington state's Watershed transforms the the picture-perfect setting of The Gorge into a country-lover's paradise. It's also one of the best collections of country talent to offer a camping experience. 

The festival runs late into the night with performances at the "Next From Nashville" stage. Next From Nashville acts as a festival showcase for budding talent that might one day find themselves playing Watershed's massive main stage.

Panorama

Headliners: Frank Ocean, Solange, A Tribe Called Quest, Tame Impala, alt-J
Camping: Nope

For years, Governors Ball reigned supreme as the Big Kahuna in The Big Apple. Then Goldenvoice, which produces Coachella, announced it was working on an East Coast Coachella, dubbed Panorama. Holding Panorama at Randall's Island, the same venue as Gov Ball, was a power move that started a rivalry.

While Panorama was a moderate success in 2016, its first year, it still has a long way to go to become the dominant force in NYC. But with more buzz surrounding its lineup, and Goldenvoice's track record and expertise to back it, 2017 might be a turning point for the new festival. One key factor: Australian band Tame Impala has no other advertised performances in 2017, meaning Panorama could be the only chance you get to see them live this year.
lollapalooza
Shea Flynn

Lollapalooza

Headliners: Chance the Rapper, The Killers, Muse, Arcade Fire, The XX, Lorde
Camping: Nope

Lollapalooza is one of those "bucket list" festivals that people travel to from around the world. That's because it often features a top-notch lineup and goes down in the festival-friendly city of Lollapalooza. Plus, it's fun to say.

Chow Town, Lollapalooza's food showcase, shines the spotlight on delicious local purveyors. It's being curated this year by Chicago's own Graham Elliot.

Pickathon

Headliners: Charles Bradley, Dinosaur Jr., Drive-By Truckers, Deer Tick
Camping: Yes

If you love hugging trees as much as you love high-quality roots music, you might want to check out Oregon's Pickathon. The festival has been a pioneer with its approach to sustainability, setting an example with environment-friendly decisions like banning plastic and eliminating single-use cups, bottles, dishes, and utensils. It also consciously caps its maximum attendance to keep things intimate and community-oriented.

Pickathon also goes out of its way to be a family-friendly festival. Teens coming with their families get 50% off the regular ticket price, and kids under 12 years old get in for free. Pickathon estimates that roughly one in eight festival attendees is a toddler, kid, or teenager.
outside lands
Flickr/Thomas Hawk

Outside Lands

Headliners: Metallica, The Who, Gorillaz, Lorde, A Tribe Called Quest
Camping: Nope

Now celebrating its 10th year, Outside Lands takes place annually in the halcyon Golden Gate Park. It's the largest independent festival in America, as more festivals get snatched up by Live Nation and AEG. That independent streak is preserved in its varied lineup, with several offerings you won't be able to find at any other festival in America.

This year, you can catch septuagenarians The Who, and the neighborhood surrounding Golden Gate Park is filled with music history. Grab coffee in the Haight-Ashbury district before moseying your way through the park to a day filled with music at Outside Lands. And when the fest wraps up each day at 10pm, San Francisco is your oyster with a bevy of nightlife options (and nice hotels if you'd rather just snooze and prepare for tomorrow).

Moonrise

Headliners: Afrojack, Madeon, Yellow Claw, Run the Jewels, Porter Robinson
Camping: Nope

Moonrise returns this August to Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore for its fourth installment. They've only announced Phase One of their lineup so far, but it's already jam-packed with top EDM and rap acts. Moonrise is still on the smaller side in terms of attendance, which makes for a more intimate experience. And like other city-adjacent festivals, Pimlico is only a few minutes outside of downtown Baltimore.

Travelers' Rest

Headliners: The Decemberists, Belle and Sebastian, Sylvan Esso
Camping: Nope

Montana is downright beautiful in August, which is probably why beloved indie band The Decemberists decided to host their own festival there. It's the first ever Travelers' Fest, so you get to say, "I went to the first one, that one was way better than it is now" when all your friends hop on the bandwagon in a few years. If you respect The Decemberists, you'll probably respect the bands that they respect and decided to curate for the lineup.

By partnering with Big Sky Brewing, the festival will feature a slew of tasty craft brews. Sounds like a relaxing weekend all around.

Lockn'

Headliners: The Avett Brothers, The String Cheese Incident, Widespread Panic, Gov't Mule, Phil Lesh & Bob Weir
Camping: Yup

Lockn' retains the hippie spirit that made music festivals great in the '60s and '70s. The lineup each year has steered heavily toward jam bands, but there's another tie that binds Lockn' performers together: an appreciation of technical skill with actual musical instruments. Extended jams are welcome here as the festival celebrates its fifth year this summer.

Lockn' saves you the trouble of narrowing down scheduling conflicts by offering two side-by-side main stages. It's a refreshing reprieve from choice overload that plagues other festivals.

Afropunk

Headliners: Gary Clark Jr., Michael Kiwanuka, Kaytranada, SZA, Soul II Soul
Camping: Nope

Afropunk has expanded to Paris, London, Johannesburg, and Atlanta, but the flagship will always be Brooklyn. It's a two-day celebration of black culture featuring a wide range of genres and styles. It also prides itself on inclusiveness with a simple set of rules: "No Sexism, No Racism, No Ableism, No Ageism, No Homophobia, No Fatphobia, No Transphobia, and finally, No Hatefulness."

In line with its social mission, Afropunk developed a volunteer organization called the Afropunk Army. The festival offers volunteers the opportunity to "earn" tickets by participating in various service events focusing on social justice.
Electric Zoo Festival
Electric Zoo Festival

Electric Zoo

Headliners: DJ Snake, deadmau5 & Eric Prydz, Above & Beyond, Zedd
Camping: Nope

Electric Zoo, which has been going strong since 2009, veers away from the other NYC festivals by offering an unabashedly EDM lineup. This year's theme is "The 6th Boro," aiming to create a new neighborhood in tribute to the city's "urban jungle." Plus, it takes place over Labor Day Weekend, so you'll have a little extra time to unwind after the festivities.

EDM festivals have pioneered the artist-hosted stage, and Electric Zoo will feature two this year: the "Dada Land Compound" stage from Swedish duo Dada Life and the "Off the Deep End" stage from JAUZ.

Bumbershoot

Headliners: Flume, Lorde, Odesza, Weezer, Big Sean
Camping: Nope

The festival that would be later known as Bumbershoot debuted in 1971 as the Mayor's Arts Festival as way to revive local spirits amid an economic recession. It adopted its current name in 1973, and after years of ups and downs, became a perennial Labor Day tradition in Seattle. The name is a nod to the city's famous rainy weather, as well as a symbol of the festival's mission: "to be an umbrella for all of the arts."

It's not just music, either. Bumbershoot has long been known for its lineup featuring artists, comedians, and multidisciplinary performers.

Made in America

Headliners: Jay Z, J. Cole, The Chainsmokers, Kaskade, Migos, Solange
Camping: Nope

The newest music mogul power move is to organize your own festival. So leave it to hip-hop's most prolific businessman, Jay Z, to dream up Made in America, which debuted in 2012. It's a tribute to Shawn Carter's eclectic musical taste that's heavy on rising stars in hip-hop, but also features top-40 darlings like The Chainsmokers and EDM superstars like Kaskade and Marshmello.

There's a lot of crossover on this year's lineup in terms of features, so you can expect a bunch of guest appearances. And with Jay and Solange slated to perform, perhaps you'll get to see Beyoncé, too?

Ohana

Headliners: Social Distortion, Eddie Vedder, Jack Johnson
Camping: Nope

California's Ohana sounds like three days in paradise. The festival successfully debuted last year at Doheny State Park, and festival-goers can enjoy performances beside the Pacific Ocean, just steps from the sandy beach. All in all, the vibes feel mellow and perfectly paired with a lineup featuring both old favorites and newcomers.

Hopscotch

Headliners: Solange, Run the Jewels, Future Islands, Big Boi, Angel Olsen
Camping: Nope

Hopscotch takes over downtown Raleigh with shows spread out across the city's clubs and performance spaces -- most of Hopscotch's venues are pretty close together, which means less time trekking between shows and more time enjoying the music. It's similar to SXSW, but it's less overwhelming and less geared toward music industry people. It's one of the most tasteful lineups, from top to bottom, that you can see live in 2017.

KAABOO

Headliners: Red Hot Chili Peppers, P!nk, Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, Muse
Camping: Nope

More like KAABOO-M, amirite? Sorry. San Diego's KAABOO advertises itself as "everything a typical music festival is not," and while you can't be exactly sure what that means, it definitely piques your interest. The festival seems keen on providing a comfortable experience, from their "anti-dirt" promise to their climate-controlled seating areas to their ban on port-a-potties in favor of "flush facilities."

Music is only the beginning. KAABOO also features extensively curated lineups of chefs, comedians, artists, and "indulgences," though presumably that doesn't mean relics sold by the Catholic Church.

Riot Fest

Headliners: Nine Inch Nails, Queens of the Stone Age, Jawbreaker, New Order
Camping: Nope

Chicago has so many other festivals. Why would you want to check out Riot Fest? First off, it's a punk festival, and even the artists that wouldn't traditionally fall in that genre share punk's edgy, head-banging ethos. Riot Fest also features a slew of carnival rides, reinforcing the weekend's escapist mentality.

You might notice that the lineup is on the more aggressive end of the spectrum, but Riot Fest is also for the kids. The festival believes "exposing kids to awesome music is super important," so children under age 5 are admitted with a ticket-holding adult for free.
the meadows
Taylor Hill

The Meadows

Headliners: Jay Z, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Gorillaz, Future, Bassnectar
Camping: Nope

The Meadows joins Panorama as a potential challenger to Gov Ball's NYC dominance. In fact, festival organizers claim that Kanye West's rained-out set at Gov Ball 2016 inspired them to launch The Meadows. The festival takes place at Citi Field in Queen's Flushing Meadows Corona Park, a change-up from the other two Randall's Island-set fests.

Like Governors Ball (since the two are produced by the same company), The Meadows takes advantage of NYC's vibrant food culture with a custom lineup built by The Infatuation.

Grand Point North

Headliners: Grace Potter, Trey Anastasio Band, Dawes
Camping: Nope

Rock goddess Grace Potter hosts and headlines her own festival in her home state of Vermont. And while Potter is no doubt the huge draw, she's surrounded herself with contemporaries and soon-to-be-big acts. With many of the artists having a penchant for collaboration, it wouldn't be out of the question to see a lot of crossovers and guest appearances.

The festival will also feature Grand Point Local, a food program of local Vermont purveyors, and Grand Point Weird, an art installation curated by Grace Potter's sister, Charlotte Potter.

Life is Beautiful

Headliners: Chance the Rapper, Muse, Lorde, Gorillaz
Camping: Nope

Away from the clogged Strip, Life is Beautiful takes over 18 blocks of downtown Las Vegas on the city's second-most-famous street: Fremont. It distinguishes itself from EDC by offering more genres (though there is plenty of EDM as well).

And it gets weirder when The Science Guy himself, Bill Nye, shows up at the festival as part of its IDEAS Series. He made a surprise appearance at the festival in 2015, but he's officially on the lineup this year.

Pilgrimage

Headliners: Justin Timberlake, The Avett Brothers, Gary Clark Jr.
Camping: Nope

Pilgrimage kicked off two years ago at The Park at Harlinsdale, a century-old horse farm in Franklin, Tennessee. The goal was to mirror the sonic diversity and community spirit of New Orleans Jazz Festival, but with a distinct focus on the culture of Middle Tennessee. Franklin is only 20 minutes from Nashville, and features its own charming downtown for guests to explore at the end of each day. Pilgrimage encourages performers to "crank it down" and deliver acoustic performances specifically tailored for the event.

It'll be interesting to see Justin Timberlake, who has a very sparse 2017 when it comes to concerts, in that context. Adding to the acoustic-first vibe, the festival's performances wrap up each evening at 8pm to make it more accessible families and to give festival attendees a chance to head downtown.

Bourbon & Beyond

Headliners: Stevie Nicks, Eddie Vedder, Steve Miller Band
Camping: Yes

This festival's motto is "For our love of bourbon. For our love of Kentucky." Sold! Bourbon & Beyond features a tastefully curated bourbon lineup, including guest distilleries, bourbon workshops, and secret distilleries. It's right in the heart of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, so you have the chance to check out the pinnacle of bourbon festivals. You'll get to sip alongside a top-notch blues and classic rock lineup, which pair very nicely with Kentucky's signature spirit.  

Part of the "Beyond" in the festival's name alludes to its lineup of chefs. You're not heading to a carnival-style food court fest when you head to Bourbon & Beyond. Instead, you'll have the opportunity to sample fare from celebrity chefs like Tom Colicchio, Carla Hall, Amanda Freitag, and more.

Everything else

If, for some reason, none of the above festivals satisfy your summer music cravings, here's everything else going down: 

Purple Hatter's Ball (Live Oak, FL, June 2-4)
Roots Picnic (Philadelphia, PA, June 3)
Free Press Summerfest (Houston, TX, June 3-4)
Blue Ox (Eau Claire, WI, June 8-10)
Carolina Country (Myrtle Beach, SC, June 8-11)
Disc Jam (Stephentown, NY, June 8-11)
Live 105 BFD (Mountain View, CA, June 10)
LaureLive (Russell & Chester Township, OH, June 10-11)
Country Jam (Grand Junction, CO, June 15-18)
4 Peaks (Bend, OR, June 15-18)
Vans Warped Tour (Multiple cities, June 16-August 6)
Country Summer (Santa Rosa, CA, June 16-18)
What The Festival (Wolf Run Ranch, OR, June 16-19)
ROMP Fest (Owensboro, KY, June 21-24)
Country Fest (Cadott, WI, Jun 22-25)
Kate Wolf Music Festival (Laytonville, CA, June 22-25)
Paradiso (George, WA, June 23-24)
Solid Sound Festival (North Adams, MA, June 23-25)
Bonanza Campout (Heber, UT, June 23-25)
High Sierra (Quincy, CA, June 29-July 2)
80/35 (Des Moines, IA, July 7-8)
RIDE Festival (Telluride, CO, July 8-9)
Levitate Festival (Marshfield, MA, July 8-9)
Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival (Brooklyn, NY, July 10-16)
Rock Fest Wisconsin (Cadott, WI, July 13-15)
Northwest String Summit (North Plains, OR, July 13-16)
Great South Bay (Patchogue, NY, July 13-16)
Chicago Open Air (Bridgeview, IL, July 14-16)
Country Jam USA (Eau Claire, WI, July 20-22)
Country Thunder Wisconsin (Twin Lakes, WI, July 20-23)
GrassRoots Fest (Trumansburg, NY, July 20-23)
Capitol Hill Block Party (Seattle, WA, July 21-23)
OZY Fest (New York, NY, July 22)
FloydFest (Floyd, VA, July 26-30)
XPoNential Music Festival (Camden, NJ, July 28-30)
RockyGrass (Lyons, CO, July 28-30)
Mountain Home (Elmore County, ID, July 29-30)
Mo Pop (Detroit, MI, July 29-30)
Musikfest (Bethlehem, PA, August 4-13)
Hinterland (Saint Charles, IA, August 4-5)
ARISE (Loveland, CO, August 4-6)
Oregon Jamboree (Sweet Home, OR, August 4-6)
Hard Summer (Fontana, CA, August 5-6)
The Peach (Scranton, PA, August 10-13)
Summer Set (Somerset, WI, August 11-13)
Elements Fest (New York, NY, August 12-13)
Oregon Eclipse (Big Summit Prairie, OR, August 17-23)
515 Alive (Des Moines, IA, August 18-19)
Psycho Las Vegas (Las Vegas, NV, August 18-20)
Maha (Omaha, NE, August 19)
Project Pabst (Portland, OR, August 26-27)
Burning Man (Black Rock Desert, NV, August 27-September 4)
Breakaway (Columbus, OH, September 1-2)
North Coast (Chicago, IL, September 1-3)
Bass Center (Hampton, VA, September 1-3)
Dancefestopia (Kansas City, MO, September 7-10)
Middle Waves (Fort Wayne, IN, September 15-16)
Telluride Blues (Telluride, CO, September 15-17)
FreshGrass (North Adams, MA, September 15-17)
Cayuga Sound (Ithaca, NY, September 22-23)
Imagine (Hampton, GA, September 22-24)
LouFest (St. Louis, MO, September 9-10)

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Spencer Dukoff is a writer who's spent a LOT of time looking at music festival lineups recently. Follow him @SpencerDukoff