Between the stress of mid-semester assignments as well as the tease of warmer weather and longer days, all of us have one thing on our minds: summer. And, as we all know, no summer is complete without music, whether it be finding our “summer anthem” or going to concerts filled with good music and even better company. With the season just around the corner, now is the time to start planning what festivals we might be interested in. Here’s a guide to some of the most popular ones happening this summer, in chronological order.
Ultra Music Festival | March 18 - 20 | Miami, FL | Website + Tickets
The season kicks off with this electronic festival held in downtown Miami featuring artists like Avicii, Miike Snow, Kygo, Martin Garrix, Zedd, The Chainsmokers and nearly 75 others. Although general admission tickets are sold out, you can still purchase VIP tickets for some pocket change of $1,200. (Or, you can check Ticketmaster or StubHub.)
Coachella | April 15 - 17 and April 22 - 24 | Indio, CA | Website + Tickets
The most well known music festival of the season is, of course, Coachella. Because of its popularity, Coachella is hosting two weekends this year, with the same artists performing both weekends on the corresponding day. The 2016 lineup includes: LCD Soundsystem, Ellie Goulding, Guns N’ Roses, Disclosure, A$AP Rocky, Calvin Harris, Sia, the 1975, Of Monsters and Men, Flume and many more.
Stagecoach | April 29 – May 1 | Indio, CA | Website + Tickets
Stagecoach, often referred to as the ‘country cousin’ of Coachella, is held at the same venue as the latter. Stagecoach is one of the only festivals of the season to solely have country music, including headliners like Eric Church, Chris Young, Sam Hunt, Carrie Underwood, The Band Perry, Luke Bryan and Little Big Town.
Boston Calling | May 27 – 29 | Boston, MA | Website + Tickets
Held every spring and fall in City Hall Plaza, Boston Calling brings artists like Robyn, Odesza, HAIM, The Front Bottoms, BØRNS, Sia and Disclosure to the northeast.
The Governors Ball | June 3 – 5 | Randall’s Island Park, NYC | Website + Tickets
With its eclectic spirit that embraces music and art of all varieties, The Governors Ball is the east coast’s version of Coachella — and judging by its lineup this year, it might just upstage the California-based festival. Artists include Kanye West, The Killers, The Strokes, Beck, Death Cab for Cutie, M83, Of Monsters and Men, Two Door Cinema Club, Bloc Party, Miguel, Matt and Kim, Mac Miller, Galantis, Cold War Kids, Years & Years and Misterwives.
Bunbury | June 3 – 5 | Cincinnati, OH | Website + Tickets
Taking place on the bank of the Ohio River is Bunbury, which features artists like The Killers, Ice Cube, HAIM, Of Monsters and Men, Bayside, The Wombats, The Mowgli’s, Grizfolk and more.
Bonnaroo | June 9 – 12 | Manchester, TN | Website + Tickets
A ticket to this four-day music festival not only gives you access to see all the live artists, but also to the general admission campground where you can stay for the duration of the festival, either in a tent or a car (if you additionally purchase an RV pass). The 2016 lineup includes headliners like Pearl Jam, J. Cole, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Tame Impala, X Ambassadors, Third Eye Blind, Chvrches, Miguel, Ellie Goulding and Halsey.
Firefly | June 16 – 19 | Dover, DE | Website + Tickets
Similar to Bonnaroo in its camping style, Firefly is another four-day festival with artists such as blink-182, Mumford & Sons, Kings of Leon, Florence + the Machine, The Neighbourhood, Grouplove, Fitz and the Tantrums, Fetty Wap, Catfish and the Bottlemen, deadmau5 and more. In the simplest of terms: it’s one you can’t miss.
Summerfest | June 29 – July 3 and July 5 – 10 | Milwaukee, WI | Website + Tickets
Known as the world’s largest music festival, Summerfest takes place over the course of 11 days and hosts nearly one million people each year. One by one, announcements are revealing who’s performing this year, confirming that Def Leppard, Selena Gomez, DNCE, Sting & Peter Gabriel, Panic! At The Disco and Weezer will be there.
Lollapalooza | July 28 – 31 | Chicago, IL | Website + Tickets
To celebrate its 25th anniversary, Lollapalooza extended its festival length by an extra day, featuring more than 150 performances over the span of four days. While they haven’t released the official 2016 lineup yet, the Internet is filled with rumors and predictions as to who will be performing.
