Best Music Festivals in the US

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With your ESTA US application travel to the United States has become much easier. Much like travel and learning, music festivals have the power to inspire us. They allow us to experience a different culture, meet interesting people, get acquainted with local artistic traditions while enjoying good music. In the northern hemisphere, the arrival of summer in June means a flood of festivals from a variety of styles to all kinds of people. In the United States, it certainly is no different.

We must never underestimate the potential of the country that gave us Woodstock – the “founding father” of modern festivals – and the Coachella, an object of desire of festival-enthusiasts who seek for an extra-musical experience. Hence, as much as Europe is the all-around favorite festival destination for most people, especially those getting started in this lifestyle, it’s always worth taking a look at the festivals in the United States.

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The Land of Summer Festivals

If you do thorough research, you will find that there are almost 200 festivals in the United States registered (and counting). Still, in such a diverse country it is no surprise to have this immense list of events – although the way to explore and experience these festivals can be somewhat vague at first. Nevertheless, the good news is that they are there and all it takes is to find and filter those who are more your style.

Both the United States and Europe have festivals all year round. However, in the US the season starts a little earlier (May) and lasts longer into October when compared with Europe. This may be due to the less rigorous winter features of some southern regions of the US, where the beginning of autumn is relatively mild and thus allows for these outdoor events to take place. Meanwhile, in Europe, the general lower temperatures are more stringent, forcing the festival season to focus on summertime or retreat to indoor environments.

Another interesting aspect is that, in addition to the climate, festivals in the United States also have geographic peculiarities. Not only do they happen all year round, they are also held throughout the 50 states, with some of them standing out from the rest for economic, cultural, and historical reasons.

That being said, below is a list of the regions in the United States with some of the most interesting and popular summer festivals for you to follow:

California

One of the key aspects of California, the land of the renowned Coachella, is that you can find sun all year round. This, of course, is usually a plus in the world of festivals. The Bottle Rock Napa Valley is one of them. It mixes music and gastronomy. While Lightning in a Bottle lures with electronic music and a more alternative profile. Those are two highlights in May. When it comes to alternative-style festivals with electronic music line-up, other names also stand out. There are Woogie Weekend, Northern Nights, and of course, Nocturnal Wonderland. The San Francisco Outside Lands is one of the big highlights of the region in September.

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Chicago

Chicago is the city of heavy-weight festivals – in every way possible. This is where the Lollapalooza decided to reside after an itinerant beginning around the United States. Plus, Chicago is also home to the respected Pitchfork and two heavy-music festivals. There is the Chicago Open Air, as well as the Riot Fest.

Florida

It is still uncertain if the Europeans or the Americans created the concept of a festival during cruises. However, the fact is that in the US, this type of festival is more popular and has a very well defined address. That address is Florida. The cities of Miami and Orlando are the starting point for these “cruise festival” trips. They usually go to the Caribbean, while January and February are the months of the greatest concentration of events. For those who enjoy rock and hard rock, 70,000 Tons of Metal and Shiprocked Festival are good options.

See also: Miami: a family getaway

Texas

The land of cowboys has festivals scattered throughout the year. But without a doubt, the highlight is the capital, Austin, which receives few but highly rated festivals. The main ones are the respected South By Southeast in March and the Austin City Limits in October. It is also worth mentioning the Levitation – that happens in April and focuses on psychedelic rock. Also the Fun Fun Fest in November, a summer-like indie in the middle of autumn.

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New York

New York certainly is a mainstream tourist destination. However, that is not the case (yet) with the festivals that happen around the city. The Governors Ball is slowly gaining a place in the hearts of outsiders. However, it is still far from being as popular as its west coast counterpart, the Coachella. Speaking of which, the Panorama (created by the Coachella people), is one of the east coast’s up-and-coming festivals. The Electric Zoo and the EDC NY are the options for those into electronic music. Alternatively, a highlight of NY’s festivals is the Afro Punk, which is aimed at celebrating African-American culture through music.

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