New York City
July 28-31
The folks behind the Coachella Music and Arts Festival launched this NYC-based music festival last year and they are making an impression. This year’s Panorama Festival headliners include Frank Ocean, Tame Impala, Nine Inch Nails, and A Tribe Called Quest, all who will make Randall’s Island Park the place to be in July.
To buy tickets: ticketmaster.com
With a little bit of work, you can turn a casual appearance at a music festival into a full-blown vacation. Whether you want to listen to jazz greats in the heart of Montreal, dance the night away in South Africa, or discover your new favorite band in the outskirts of Washington State, there’s a music festival for fans of every genre and every type of traveler. Hit the festival for a long weekend or tack on a day or two to your trip to wander the streets of Barcelona, Marrakech, or Palm Springs and make it a proper getaway.
Ahead: 14 music festivals well worth the miles it takes to get there.
Ultra South Africa Music Festival
Cape Town, South Africa
Feb 24-25
This EDM extravaganza brings in some of the biggest electronic music talent around the globe to transform Cape Town’s Stadium into a giant dance party. They are bringing in David Guetta, Martin Garrix, DJ Snake, and many more artists sure to bring fans from around the world. This year the party is just too big for one town and the action is spilling over to Johannesburg for a second night of dance music-fueled festivities.
To buy tickets: ultrasouthafrica.com
Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
Indio, California
April 14-16 and April 21-23
Coachella continues its run as the premiere music festival with its jaw-dropping line-up of headliners including Beyoncé (maybe you’ve heard of her?), Radiohead, and Kendrick Lamar. Those acts top off three days of incredible music, art, and merry-making under the desert sun. Camp on the festival grounds or book a room at one of the local resorts that run busses to the sites. To make it a real Southern California vacation, tack on a few days before the music festival to kick back in Palm Springs or visit nearby Joshua Tree National Park.
To buy tickets: stubhub.com
Sasquatch
Quincy, WA
May 26-28
Head to the wilds of Washington State for this perennial music festival. Set against the stunning backdrop of Eastern Washington’s gorgeous landscape, it’s worth the three-hour trek from Seattle to camp out at the site and watch the sunset behind your favorite bands. It was announced late last year that Frank Ocean was headlining Sasquatch, and he is being joined by Chance the Rapper, Twenty One Pilots, The Shins, Bomba Estereo, Big Freedia and comedians including Fred Armisen and SNL’s Sasheer Zamata.
To buy tickets: ticketmaster.com
MoogFest
Durham, NC
May 18-21
It’s the 11th year of this boutique festival dedicated to celebrating the art of the Moog synthesizer. This isn’t just a weeklong seminar for tech geeks and audiophiles, though. It’s an incredibly unique festival that combines music, art, and technology with once-in-a-lifetime collaborations. This year Nick Zinner of the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s and multi-instrumentalist Haxan Cloak will work together on a four-hour performance, plus Stranger Things composers Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein of SURVIVE will play highlights from their score for the Netflix hit.
To buy tickets: stubhub.com
Primavera Sound
Barcelona, Spain
May 31-June 4
Barcelona has always been a top vacation destination and for music fans, Primavera Sound only adds to the allure. This year’s line-up includes The Zombies, Arcade Fire, Solange, Bon Iver, and many more. Thanks to the strength of the line-up (and the festival’s reputation) the event usually sells out quickly. However, many of the packages that include accommodations, festival tickets, and transportation are still available.
To buy tickets: stubhub.com
Bonnaroo
Manchester, TN
June 8-11
Camp out under the stars with 60,000 of your closest friends at the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival. This year’s line-up includes U2 making their first-ever festival appearance, performing their seminal album, The Joshua Tree, in its entirety. If that’s not enough of a reason to tempt you to Tennessee, the rest of the bill may seal the deal: The Weeknd, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Chance the Rapper, Lorde, Major Lazer, and many more.
To buy tickets: ticketmaster.com
Roskilde Festival
Roskilde, Denmark
June 24-July 1
People from around the world have been flocking to Roskilde since 1971. This monster festival features nine stages with 175 acts. This year’s highlights include Foo Fighters, Arcade Fire, The Weeknd, Blink 182, and The Lumineers, with a healthy mix of up-and-coming Danish, Swedish, and Norwegian act supporting the big-name stars. There will be food, maker booths, street art, and more. Not only is the non-profit Roskilde a massive party, but it also donates all its profits to charities. That means you can have fun while giving back to communities at the same time.
To buy tickets: stubhub.com
Montreal Jazz Festival
Montreal, Canada
June 28-July 8
B.B. King, Tony Bennett, and Diana Krall have all praised the long-running Montreal Jazz Festival and it’s hard to argue. The festival is known for its innovative line-ups and diverse programming that includes jazz, R&B, soul, and funk artists, as well as those that defy genre.
To buy tickets: stubhub.com
Essence Music Festival
New Orleans, LA
June 29-July 2
New Orleans has always been almost synonymous with music and there’s no better place to experience the charms of the Big Easy than at the Essence Music Festival. This year’s iteration includes a star-studded line-up that includes heavy hitters like Diana Ross, John Legend, Mary J. Blige, Solange, and Chaka Khan. If you’re looking for another excuse to visit NOLA, plan a trip for the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, which kicks off April 28.
To buy tickets: ticketmaster.com
Panorama Festival
New York City
July 28-31
The folks behind the Coachella Music and Arts Festival launched this NYC-based music festival last year and they are making an impression. This year’s Panorama Festival headliners include Frank Ocean, Tame Impala, Nine Inch Nails, and A Tribe Called Quest, all who will make Randall’s Island Park the place to be in July.
To buy tickets: ticketmaster.com
Sziget Festival
Budapest, Hungary
August 9-16
Sziget, one of Europe’s largest music and culture festivals, takes its name from Óbudai-sziget, the island in the middle of the Danube where the festival is held each year. The seven-day long concert and cultural event has something for everyone with a line-up that spans across genres. The full roster of artists is still TBD, but crowd pleasers like Major Lazer, Mac DeMarco, Bad Religion, and Vince Staples have already been announced for this year’s show. Festivalgoers can either camp on the island where the festival is staged, or stay in one of Budapest’s many hotels.
To buy tickets: stubhub.com
Flow Festival
Helsinki, Finland
August 11-13
If you’ve ever wanted to explore Helsinki, Flow Festival takes you to the heart the city. This eco-conscious festival reuses an old power plant and turns it into the site of a three-day party with all the fixings including, a killer soundtrack, incredible food and drink, and a chilled-out vibe. While the full line-up hasn’t been announced yet, Lana Del Rey, The xx, Aphex Twin, London Grammar, Vince Staples, and Flume have been already been confirmed.
To buy tickets: flowfestival.com
Oasis Festival
Marrakech, Morocco
September 15-17
Set against the dramatic backdrop of the Oukaimeden Mountains with the Saharan desert, this festival may be the most Instagram-worthy of them all. The line-up is heavily geared towards electronic music fans, but even those who prefer jazz to EDM will find a lot to love at Oasis Festival. In addition to the opportunity to explore Marrakech, the festival has an on-site souk, yoga classes, henna artists, a champagne bar, and food vendors with a Moroccan twist. When visiting the festival, keep in mind that many hotels offer package deals that include rooms, festival tickets, and a ride to the showgrounds.
To buy tickets: theoasisfest.com
Le Guess Who?
Utrecht, Netherlands
November 9-12
Each November, Utrecht, the Dutch college town an hour from Amsterdam, transforms into a citywide music festival. Le Guess Who? is known for featuring an eclectic mix of rising talent, legendary performers, and established stars. The 2017 line-up isn't out yet, but in the past they’ve hosted everyone from Wilco to Annette Peacock (Google her!) to Kamasi Washington and Savages.
To buy tickets: stubhub.com
