14 Best Music Festivals in the USA

SXSW, or South by South West, is an annual festival that's held in Austin every March. It covers music, film, interactive media and business events.

Wellness expos, trade shows, networking events and film screenings run concurrently at several venues within Austin, including International Day Stage Austin Convention Center, Brush Square Park and Austin City Hall. SXSW is one of the largest music festivals in the USA, and you can discover more than 2,000 artists from 65 countries performing a variety of genres, from rock, punk, metal to hip-hop, indie and electronic music. Make sure you check out the emerging talent between attending concerts by your favourite music stars.

Ultra Miami is a renowned electronic dance music festival held every March in Miami, Florida, and features top DJs and an array of electronic music genres. Ultra is celebrated in many major cities around the world, but Miami is where the festival first took place back in 1999.

Every summer, around 150,000 electronic music fans gather at Bayfront Park in downtown Miami to catch internationally acclaimed DJs like Diplo, Paul Van Dyk and Tiësto. Expect lots of parties, wild crowds and heart-pumping music well into early morning at this weekend-long music festival.

The iconic Coachella has been drawing a huge crowd of music fans to Empire Polo Club in Indio, California since 1999. At Coachella, you'll find a diverse lineup spanning multiple genres, as well as immersive art installations.

The festival’s past headliners have included world-renowned artists such as Beyoncé, Radiohead, Depeche Mode, Paul McCartney and K-Pop favourites Ateez. If you’re lucky, you also get the chance to spot well-dressed elites and Hollywood celebrities strolling the grounds throughout the day. Coachella typically takes place over the course of 2 weekends in mid-April, so be sure to pack your best festival clothes suitable for the warm weather.

The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival is a great place to enjoy jazz, gospel, blues and world music over the course of 2 weekends. Also called Jazz Fest, the annual showcase takes place at the Fair Grounds Race Course in central New Orleans, and features dozens of concert stages and tents hosting heritage talks, cooking demonstrations and children’s activities.

The city centre hosts several marketplaces in conjunction with the festival, with hundreds of local vendors selling handcrafted clothing, pottery, musical instruments and photographs. Don't miss tasty local delicacies like po-boys, gumbo and beignets at this iconic celebration of music and culture.

Bonnaroo at Great Stage Park features more than 10 stages with an impressive line-up of over 150 musicians from all over the world. For 4 days, you get to enjoy just about any music genre at this annual festival, including gospel, reggae, jazz, Americana, bluegrass, pop and rock.

While waiting in between sets, check out activities such as outdoor yoga, silent disco, art installations, kid-friendly games and parades. You'll also want to drop by the several stages dedicated to stand-up comedy and environmental talks, making Bonnaroo one of the most diverse festivals in the USA.

Governors Ball entertains thousands of New Yorkers and travelling festivalgoers with live music, food trucks, art installations and outdoor games at Randall's Island Park. Since 2011, the weekend-long event has seen big names such as The xx, Beck, Guns N' Roses, Kings of Leon and Outkast.

Thanks to the park’s expansive landscape, Governors Ball offers plenty of breathing space for those who want to relax in between sets. Bring your friends along to enjoy lawn games, human board games and silent discos throughout the day.

San Diego Comic-Con International is one of the most iconic entertainment events in the world. Comic book culture is still the main attraction of the event, as it was when it was founded in 1970. However, the scope has since expanded to include a huge range of popular culture genres, including pop music, Japanese anime, cult TV shows, tabletop gaming and video games.

Amongst the meet and greets, artists' alley visits and special workshops, make time to attend concerts by J-pop stars and symphonies playing recognisable music from your favourite games, TV shows and films.

Rolling Loud Miami is one of the largest hip hop festivals in the world, and part of an international hip-hop festival that takes place in Australia, Europe, Canada, and the U.S. The event, which started in Miami in 2015, continues to bring big-name rap and hip-hop artists to Florida.

Past headliners have included Lil Wayne, Travis Scott, Future, Post Malone, and Kendrick Lamar. There are dozens of world-renowned artists, as well as some surprise guests, on the lineup each year. We recommend purchasing a VIP ticket to experience exclusive areas and the best seats at any of the 4 stages.

Lollapalooza is an incredibly famous annual 4-day music festival in Chicago. While many music genres are showcased, the majority of the estimated 400,000 fans come for alternate rock, heavy metal and punk rock, with some seeking hip hop and EDM.

Founded in 1991, Lollapalooza’s permanent home is Grant Park in Chicago, and the festival features 8 concert stages and over 170 artists. Carnival-style food is served up by some of the city’s finest restaurants throughout the event. Past headliners have included Metallica, Machine Gun Kelly, Kygo, Arctic Monkeys, Green Day and Stray Kids. To keep up to date with the latest concert news and locker reservations, download the official Lollapalooza app.

The Outside Lands Music and Art Festival is one of the largest indie music festivals in the U.S., bringing together over 200,000 music lovers for the second weekend of August since 2008. Headline acts that have hit the stage at Golden Gate Park in the past include Green Day, Post Malone and SZA, and there are fantastic artists visiting each year.

Alongside the music, Outside Lands also showcases food, wine, craft beer and art. There’s certainly plenty to keep you entertained such as night shows, art installations and dance spots, and the atmosphere is very bohemian and friendly. With this being a popular festival, consider carrying your belongings in a bum bag or clear rucksack.

Burning Man is a week-long festival that takes place in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert. Every year, a temporary town is erected to host thousands of festivalgoers, volunteers and artists for the entire duration of the event.

At Burning Man, you can expect quirky art installations, fire shows, music concerts by renowned musicians, wild parties and the burning of a massive wooden effigy. Each year's festival embraces an intriguing theme, like puzzles, mirrors or robots. Note that the location is prone to dust storms, so you might want to bring along goggles and facemasks to protect yourself.

ESSENCE is a 3-day festivity that’s dedicated to African American music and culture in the USA. Held at the Caesars Superdome stadium in New Orleans, ESSENCE offers a variety of activities throughout the festival, including expos and talks on various topics, and art demonstrations. You'll also find hundreds of vendors selling Afrocentric fashion and accessories.

If you enjoy live performances by R&B and hip-hop icons, then you're sure to have fun at ESSENCE. Previous performers at the festival have included Janet Jackson, Snoop Dogg, Missy Elliot, Lauryn Hill and Mary J. Blige. Consider staying in one of the vibrant, surrounding neighbourhoods to explore even more of New Orleans' incredible culture.