Ovo Sound (Toronto, Canada)
July 2016 (exact date will be announced in March)
October’s Very Own, a label founded by Drake puts on a festival every year showcasing the artists signed to OVO. Mainly hip hop/rap.
Buku Music and Art Project (New Orleans, La.)
March 11-12, 2016
A variety of hip hop, rappers, alternative and more amidst the New Orleans-Bukulture. As described on their website, “Buku is so much more than music.” And they would be right to say that. This festival not only includes huge art installations but the festival itself comes to life with fire-breathers, stilt walkers, fashion shows, cooking competitions and pop-up performances.
South by South West (Austin, Texas)
March 11-20 2016
SBSW is one of the largest festivals in the world with over 2,000 acts, coming from 62 countries and performing on over 100 stages. This festival guarantees a good time to any kind of music lover.
Ultra (Miami, Fla.)
March 18-20, 2016
Alongside it’s interactive and film components, this festival is for all you EDM lovers. Epitome of Eat.Sleep.Rave.Repeat.
Check out David Guetta’s performance last year:
Pitchfork (Chicago, Ill.)
July 17-19, 2016
A smaller festival mainly showcasing alternative rock, electronica, rap and hip hop music.
HARD Summer (Los Angeles, Calif.)
August 2016
Although this festival didn’t have the best outcome last year, ending with two deaths on Saturday, guests seem to not stay away from this festival with a return of around 60,000 guests a year. Mainly hip hop and EDM.
Austin City Limits (Austin, Texas)
Sept. 30-Oct. 2, and Oct. 7-9, 2016
This festival is one of the first on my list. Last year’s lineup made it actually painful that I couldn’t attend; with Drake, The Strokes, The Weeknd, Disclosure, Alabama Shakes and so many more top artists. Can’t put into words how amazing the vibe seems better than this video can show it:
Tomorrowworld (Atlanta, Ga.)
September 2016
Sort of like the little brother to Tomorrowland (my No. 1 bucket list music festival), which takes place in Belgium. This festival strives to create a whole world for you to escape into.
The people look like this…
The stages look like this…
And when the bass drops…
And then when it drops again…
I mean, enough said.
Made in America (Philadelphia, Pa.)
September 2016
A variety of music from a music festival founded by Jay-Z (In pretty good hands, huh?). Here’s the festival’s theme: “We're more curious than ever. We create music to express ourselves. And when the world relates, ya know, that's beautiful things. We're all trading off each other's culture. So no matter what lines you put—country, indie rock, rap—we're all somehow gonna find a way to come together."
Electric Zoo (New York, N.Y.)
September 2016
The name certainly gives most of the vibe away, but as their website says: “Electric Zoo turns the lush green Randall’s Island Park into every festival-goers dream.”
A dream, why?
Because you can find friends like these:
Just kidding, here are your new friends.
And your DJs look like this...
Aaaaand when the base drops….
Life is Beautiful (Las Vegas, Nev.)
September 2016
In Downtown Las Vegas, experience a range of different artists, street art, food and motivational speakers. (Bill Nye was there one year!)
Voodoo Experience (New Orleans, La.)
October 2016
Taking pride in the voodoo culture of NOLA, "this festival is a musical gumbo stirring together music, art, community, cuisine, and everything else under the sun and above the Louisiana swamps.", as they describe it. And if you don't come for the music, there are art exhibits and a marketplace.
Snowglobe (South Lake Tahoe, Calif.)
Dec. 29-31, 2016
While in the middle of snowy Lake Tahoe, don't get confused if one of the igloos you see has a crazy EDM rave inside of it. It's just Snowglobe.
