The best music festivals in the U.S.
Who can forget Woodstock in 1969? That’s where, in the US, it all began with outdoor music festivals, and now they’re everywhere! It ranges from Coachella to intimate gatherings for that genre-specific music, so there’s something for every taste throughout the year.
1. SXSW | Austin, TX
When:
March 8–16, 2024
Launched in 1987, SXSW has mushroomed into a behemoth event bringing in revenues, influence, and sheer tonnage of entertainment to Austin. More than 280,000 attendees in 2019 attended the 10-day bash. Today it plays an important role in the national entertainment landscape.
SXSW offers something for everyone with its various sections:
- Music: Hear over 2,000 bands performing live all around Austin.
- Film: Catch screenings of hot new movies, attend panels, and participate in workshops.
- Comedy: A week of side-splitting routines featuring both established and up-and-coming comedians.
- Interactive: This ever-more-popular section features talks, panels, a pitch competition, and the SXSW Accelerator program.
2. Big Ears: A Genre-Bending Musical Feast
When:
March 21–24, 2024
Forget labels! Big Ears is one with the spirit of open-minded exploration into music. Classical masterpieces and bold indie rock, electrifying jazz, and headbanging metal caved into the mixture of the right atmosphere for a whole lot of different eccentricities in this vibrant musical celebrating head-bumping.
For four days, Knoxville turns out to be the heaven for all music lovers. Dream of the great concert halls, small clubs, and even churches filled with some vibrant pulsations of sounds coming alive in them. Knoxville offers Big Ears that makes everything possible, providing you with this unforgettable musical sojourn with everything located right at your walking distance.
3. Ultra Music Festival
When:
March 22-24, 2024
Calling All Ultranauts: Ultra Music Festival Heats Up Miami
Miami gets electric for three days at Ultra Music Festival, one of the most credible EDM events in the world. The highlight of House, Techno, and Pulses of Energies: the fantastic extravaganza where music lovers from all over the world, popularly known as “Ultranauts”, throng downtown Miami for a great non-stop party. This year, headliners include Calvin Harris, Afrojack, Black Tiger Sex Machine, David Guetta, and Zeds Dead, ensuring an unforgettable dance experience.
4. Coachella | Indio, CA
When:
April 12–14 and 19-21, 2024
Coachella: Desert Oasis of Music Bliss
With well over 100,000 music fans arriving each weekend, the Empire Polo Club in Indio is transformed into a musical Mecca. Whether camping under the stars or rolling in in style from resorts nearby, festival-goers come for one thing: the magic of a perfectly-curated lineup under the vast desert sky. Fancy food options and after-parties steal a bit of the headlines, but at its heart, Coachella lives for the relaxed desert vibes and euphoric atmosphere that only a world-class music festival can create.
5. Jazz & Heritage Festival | New Orleans, LA
When:
April 25–May 5, 2024
A New Orleans Tradition: Jazz Fest Goes Beyond the Genre
New Orleans’ Jazz Fest is also one of the largest music festivals in the country, whose origin goes back to 1970 and whose performances take place every year up to now. Close to half a million people attend what has become known as a musical gumbo: a lively mix of jazz, blues, rock, and roots music.
Forget the tired old headliners! Jazz Fest is bolder, brasher, and more different each year, with legends on every turn. This year is another genre-bending masterpiece: Foo Fighters, Chris Stapleton, The Killers, Hozier, and Earth, Wind & Fire – all within earshot of Preservation Hall and the music of Mahalia Jackson’s lineal descendants. No other festival does it.