It’s looking like 2024 is going to be a fun-filled summer of incredible outdoor concerts. Which music festival is on your travel bucket list?
From inaugural festivals scheduled for 2024 to old favourites with lots of big names, this year’s summer music round-up is looking hot! Whether you want to kick-off the season with music-loving New Yorkers at the Governors Ball, take in some bluegrass vibes on the riverside in southern Colorado, or somewhere in between, there’s a music festival ready for you this summer.
Looking for music festivals in the USA summer?
Let’s make this a summer for gig-tripping, where music fans from around the world join together to see some of their favourite bands do what they do best. Whether you’re travelling from Vancouver Island or the shores of Halifax, these thrilling outdoor concerts will sure be worth the trip. Here’s a look at the top music festivals in the USA for summer 2024.
Governors Ball Music Festival
Head into the sounds of summer at one of NYC’s biggest music festivals
Flushing Meadows Corona Park,
Queens, New York City
June 7-9, 2024
Held at Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens, the much-anticipated annual Governor’s Ball is New York’s summer kick-off concert. Get ready for three full days of music from some of the top artists around the world. What’s in store at Governor’s Ball 2024? This year’s headliners include Post Malone, The Killers, SZA, and more. Also booked for this year’s festival is Renee Rapp, Labrinth, Stephen Sanchez, Alex G, Canada’s own Carly Rae Jepsen, and lots of other outstanding performers from today’s music industry.
What’s a trip to New York without tapping into your inner foodie? Save a bit of that festival budget to sample some of the best NYC eats at the food vendors on-site. Some of the top Queens Night Market vendors will be there, not to mention other iconic New York restaurants. Highlights include Cafe Habana, Gotham Burger Social Club, Flaming Wok, Hebros Gyros, Magnolia Bakery, Mao’s Bao, and Twisted Potato.
Tickets start at $169 USD for a 1-Day General Admission pass (don’t worry, no hidden fees).
Pitchfork Music Festival
One weekend, one iconic summer music festival
Union Park, Chicago
July 19-21, 2024
The Windy City takes its warm weather months seriously, so its no doubt that some of the biggest summer music festivals in the USA are held in sweet home Chicago. Every year, Pitchfork is hosted at Union Park, which is located just west of Chicago’s downtown core. Bring your refillable water bottle to use at the free water stations, comfortable walking shoes, and that good ol’ festival spirit for an unforgettable weekend of amazing music.
This year’s Pitchfork Music Festival kicks off on Friday, July 19th, with headliners the Black Pumas, Jai Paul, and 100 Gecs. Closing out the festival on Sunday are Alanis Morissette, Brittany Howard, Muna, Grandmaster Flash, and so many other great acts that will grace the stage for one of the country’s most treasured music festivals.
1-Day tickets start at $119 USD (plus service fee).
Lollapalooza
Great music, great views, can’t lose
Grant Park, Chicago
August 1-4, 2024
Chicago summer music festival number two is none other than Lollapalooza. For 4 days during the first weekend of August, this year’s fest is ready to go with 8 stages and over 170 bands from across the globe. Lollapalooza will be held in the heart of downtown on the grounds of Grant Park, where you can expect some amazing views of the Chicago skyline while taking in the sounds of some of your favourite bands.
Gathering music fans since 2006, Lollapalooza is where you come to see your alternative and indie rock favourites from around the world. The 2024 lineup is certainly one for the books, as the festival kicks off with headliners Tyler the Creator and Hozier. Expect epic performances from The Killers (headlining on Saturday), Blink 182, Two Door Cinema Club, Deftones, Josiah and the Bonnevilles, and many, many more.
1-Day tickets (General Admission) start at $149 USD (no fees).
Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival
Live music and art in the heart of the Music City State
Manchester, Tennessee
June 13-16, 2024
Hello, Manchester (Tennessee), home of one of the summer’s biggest outdoor music festivals in the USA. Make the trip out to Tennessee this summer to experience 4 days of amazing energy and great talent, all on a beautiful 700-acre farm in the heart of The Music City State.
This year’s Bonnaroo will definitely be one of the hottest outdoor concerts of the summer, with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pretty Lights, Fred Again, Post Malone, and Fisher as the festival headliners. And that’s only the beginning, folks. Other performers include Khruangbin, Cigarettes After Sex, Cage the Elephant, Megan Thee Stallion, Interpol, and Jon Batiste, among so many other fantastic artists.
1-Day GA tickets start at $174. You can also purchase camping accommodations if you’re planning to stay overnight.
Summerfest in Milwaukee
Summer sounds and Midwest vibes
Downtown Milwaukee
June 20-22, June 27-29, July 4-6, 2024
Ring in the summer season this year with three jam-packed weekends of live shows at Summerfest in Milwaukee, one of the USA’s longest-running outdoor music festivals. Spread out over 9 days, Summerfest has so much going on that you’re bound to find an artist that you love. This festival has room for everyone, from country, r&b, hip-hop, alternative, 90s, folk, indie rock, and beyond – it’s true Americana at its finest.
The 2024 lineup is seriously too long to list each and every highlight, but some performers that might just catch your eye include Metric, Gin Blossoms, Lily Rose, Sleator Kinney, Keith Urban, Goo Goo Dolls, En Vogue, and Dawes.
Summerfest is one of the more affordable USA music festivals on the list, with General Admission tickets starting at $28.
Rhythms on the Rio
A summer music festival for a worthy cause
Del Norte, Colorado
August 2-4, 2024
Experience Colorado at its most beautiful at the Rhythms on the Rio music festival, an intimate music festival where you can make the most of the great outdoors during the peak of summer. The festival is located along the Rio Grande in Del Norte, Colorado, less than a four-hour drive south of Denver. Summer road trip, perhaps?
Rhythms on the Rio features everything from bluegrass artists to retro-soul to funk, to some of the best new artists in the country music scene. All 3-day festival passes include camping access on-site, so profitez-en and make this festival experience an unforgettable long weekend of music and camping.
General admission tickets start at only $25. A portion of your festival ticket purchase will go towards the South Fork Music Association, which directly supports children’s music education in Southern Colorado’s San Luis Valley.
Electric Forest
Feel the forest vibrations at Michigan’s most-anticipated music festival
Rothbury, Michigan
June 20-23, 2024
EDM fans fear not, because this year’s Electric Forest music festival is going to be an epic one. Located in Sherhood Forest in the small town of Rothbury, Michigan, this part of the country comes alive for one long weekend festival in June, where music fans and artists jam under the summer sky.
This year’s lineup isn’t finalized yet, but so far you can expect lots of big names like Everything Always, Pretty Lights, Ludacris, Nelly Furtado, John Summit, and Brandi Cyrus, There’s also going to be a silent disco, daily yoga, and other fun curated events throughout the weekend.
Camping is available on-site with the purchase of a General Admission Weekend Camping Wristband, so make this festival your first summer camping experience of 2024!
Essence Music Festival
Summer beats in the Big Easy
New Orleans, Louisiana
July 4-7, 2024
Celebrating it’s 30th year, Essence Music Festival is prepping to welcome music lovers for an unforgettable 4th of July long weekend. Dubbed as ‘the party with a purpose’, Essence Music Festival has been going strong since it’s inauguration in 1995. With so many big names gracing the Essence stages year after year, this is definitely one of the top music festivals in the USA.
The 2024 lineup is yet to be announced, but expect some great performances for the festival’s 30th anniversary. Throughout the years, performers have been some of the biggest artists in the American r&b, soul, funk, and hip-hop world, including Lauryn Hill, Rihanna, Charlie Wilson, Janet Jackson, and Beyonce, just to name a few. Along with ticketed shows, festival-goers can attend Essence Festival of Culture events free of charge at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in Downtown New Orleans. You can check the Essence website for the latest updates on the 2024 festival.
Minnesota Yacht Club
Big vibes for indie music fans
Harriet Regional Park, St. Paul, Minnesota
July 19-20, 2024
Two days, two stages, and 20 amazing artists are scheduled for the first year of the Minnesota Yacht Club Festival. Set at the Harriet Regional Park in St. Paul along the Mississippi River, this inaugural summer music festival is kicking off with some big acts. Festival headliners are none other than Gwen Stefani, Alanis Morissette, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Rock fans will love the rest of the festival lineup, which includes the Black Crowes, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, The Head and the Heart, The Offspring, Soul Asylum, and many more.
The festival is also planned so that there won’t be any overlapping sets, so no need to worry about missing out on any of your favourite musicians!
1-Day General Admission tickets start at $135 (no fees).
The Capitol Groove
Indie rock fans unite
Bushnell Park, Hartford, Connecticut
June 29-30, 2024
Indie rock fan? This is the summer music festival for you. On the last weekend of June, pack your bags and get ready for a weekend of your favourite artists at The Capitol Groove Music Festival in Hartford, Connecticut. Some top artists set to grace the stage are My Morning Jacket, Dispatch, Trampled by Turtles, The Revivalists, and Trevor Hall.
Have a couple more vacation days to spare? Turn this adventure into a long weekend getaway on the East Coast, and pair your festival-ling in Hartford with a two-day trip to Boston or New York City. Hartford is just a two-hour drive away from either city, so there’s always the option to find the best flight deal to Boston or NYC and then take a little road trip to enjoy the festival.
General Admission tickets start at $119.
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