Coachella Valley Music and Arts Annual Festival
Dates: April 12-14 and April 19-21
Price: Sold out on official website
Location: Indio, Calif.
Notable Acts: Red Hot Chili Peppers, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Stone Roses
Pros: Sure to bring out a great crowd. Plus you have options since they hold the festival over two weekends with the same lineup.
Cons: If you don’t feel like camping, hotels are pretty expensive in addition to the high ticket cost.
Lollapalooza
Dates: August 2-4
Price: Early bird tickets are $200 (not on sale yet), regular passes are $235
Location: Chicago, Ill.
Notable Acts: Mumford and Sons, Phoenix, Vampire Weekend
Pros: They don’t charge a service fee so the price you see is the price of you pay
Cons: No camping options, so you’ll have to stay in a hotel
Hangout Music Festival
Dates: May 17-19
Price: $229
Location: Gulf Shores, Ala.
Notable Acts: Tom Petty, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, Stevie Wonder
Pros: You’re on the beach.
Cons: You’re on the beach — sand gets in everything.
Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival
Dates: June 13-16
Price: $269
Location: Manchester, Tenn.
Notable Acts: Paul McCartney, Mumford and Sons, Kendrick Lamar
Pros: Options for lodging are camping only. They have tents available if you don’t have your own, and if you get there early enough, it’s a short walk to inside the festival gates.
Cons: Zero showering. The only shower option available is often filthy and crowded. Not worth it. Just suck it up.
New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival
Dates: April 26-28, May 2-5
Price: Single day tickets run approximately $50 until May 1
Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
Notable Acts: Fleetwood Mac, Black Keys, Dave Matthews Band, Frank Ocean
Pros:. Known for the great food and emphasis on Louisiana culture
Cons: They have been known to run out of water in past years. The crowds have gotten large, so access to the stages is limited.
Wakarusa Music Festival
Dates: May 30-June 2
Price: $169
Location: Mulberry Mountain. Ozark, Ark.
Notable Acts: Zeds Dead, Yonder Mountain String Band, Black Crowes, STS9
Pros: Combines outdoors with a musical festival. The Ozark Highlands Trail is on Mulberry Mountain and you can hike or swim when taking a break from the shows.
Cons: It’s Wakarusa’s 10 year Anniversary. No cons here!
