Top 10 Music Festivals for Millenials
Factoring in location, experience, performers, food, and more, here is a list of the top 10 music festivals for millenials. By no means is this list concrete or unarguable. This list is just an exhaustive of 10 different quality festivals enjoyed year round by the people who create the magical atmosphere.
Experience: If not the biggest, Ultra is definitely one of the best electronic music festivals out there. This festival got its start in 1999 and is held annually in Downtown Miami at Bayfront Park. Ultra Music Festival was founded and named by Russell Faibisch and Alex Omes, after the 1997 Depeche Mode album, "Ultra." The festival was originally one day, before it grew into a two-day event in 2007.
Since the festival is dedicated to only one complex genre of music, there are a series of live headliners, DJ headliners and supporting artists that come together to create the lively atmosphere that is Ultra.
Headliners: Major Lazer, David Guetta, Ice Cube, Hardwell, Afrojack
Experience: Budweiser Made in America Festival is an annual hip hop concert that takes place in the beginning of September every year at Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia, PA. The festival was founded by Jay-Z in 2012, and has been expanding ever since. In addition to the festival's roots in rap music, it now features three different stages. The three stages are called the Rocky Stage, Liberty Stage, and Freedom Tent. The Freedom Tent specializes in electronic music, while the other two stages are designated for hip hop artists and rock bands. The festival also includes carnival games and quality food trucks.
The theme of the festival was stated by the founder himself in a Budweiser "Makers of Tomorrow" commercial. Jay-Z professed, "Through all the lines and things that are put in place to divide each other, all like-minded people gather together. 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 cause the lines and the titles can never keep us apart. This is what we've been. To put that on display for the world is, is just being honest. That's it, that's what it's all about. We are finally living out our creed.”
Headliners: J Cole, Marshmallo, Migos, Solange, Run the Jewels
8) Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival
Experience: Outside Lands is a popular music festival held every August at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, California. The festival mainly sets out to feature legendary rock bands each year, yet always makes sure to include all the other popular genres of music.
The festival places much importance on being eco-friendly, and even educates festival goers with workshops about organic food and farming. In addition to these attractions, Outside Lands has wine sampling activities along with a sports bar/arcade, art attractions and of course — food!
Headliners: Metallica, The Who, Gorillaz, Lorde, Alt-J, Action Bronson
Experience: This music festival is a uniquely Australian festival held every mid-July since 2001. Splendour in the Grass is more so an experience than a concert. The festival dedicates an entire sector to live art and provides you with countless options for quality food. It also has a special "kids’ festival," for toddlers or teens so parents can safely let loose. The three-day adventure manifests a very balanced share of multiple genres.
Headliners: The XX, LCD Soundsystem, Schoolboy Q, Vance Joy, Two Door Cinema Club
6) Governors Ball Music Festival
Experience: Governors Ball is a festival that has grown in every way each year. The multi-day festival takes place in the beginning of June on Randall’s Island in NYC.It is relatively young, getting its start in 2011.
Commonly referred to as ‘Gov Ball,’ the festival is put on by a promotion company located in NYC called Founders Entertainment. Founders Entertainment and makes sure to include games, as well as incredible food trucks all around Randall’s Island to further enhance the Gov Ball experience.
There are four stages, and over 60 artists who perform and come from a multitude of different genres. You’ll find some of your favorite rappers, DJs, drummers, and more all in this three-day adventure that also happens to be located in one of the greatest cities in the world.
Headliners: Chance the Rapper, Flume, Danny Brown, Phoenix, Childish Gambino, Wu-Tang Clan, Marshmello, Cage the Elephant, Mac Demarco, A$AP Ferg and more.
Experience: This highly-regarded music festival is held at a remote, beautiful outdoor amphitheater in George, Washington. This three-four day-festival caters to all music genres, but particularly focuses on bringing intimate rock and indie bands to the forefront. Sasquatch is known for its lovely camping sites and special, wholesome experience.
Headliners: Chance the Rapper, LCD Soundsystem, Twenty One Pilots, Kaytranada, The Shins, Big Gigantic
4) Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival
Experience: This grand festival in Manchester, Tennessee began 15 years ago with a particular focus on rock and jam bands. Since 2002, the festival has grown and expanded horizons by including more genres such as R&B, hip hop, pop, EDM, and metal.
Another enormous festival; there are over 10 stages and 150 performers booked. Bonnaroo even has comedy acts if music isn’t your thing! The four-day festival takes place on a 700-acre farm in the beginning of June. The festival is more like a journey, including limitless options of food and drink, a comedy tent, a cinema tent, disco and most importantly: on-site camping.
Headliners: U2, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Weeknd, Chance the Rapper, Major Lazer, Marshmello, Travis Scott
3) Lollapalooza
Experience: The grandiose festival we know of as Lollapalooza or 'Lolla,’ has been reshaped and resurfaced a great deal after the festival was created in 1991 as a farewell tour for the band, Jane’s Addiction. Based in Grant Park, Chicago, Lolla is one of the largest festivals around, holding 8 stages with over 170 performers from different genres.
Lollapalooza features an art market, as well as the finest Chicago eats at the fairest prices. Perry Ferrell, the William Morris Agency and C3 Presents all work together to form this legendary festival. This team even caters to your kids, providing a place to entertain your children appropriately. Kidzapalooza features conveniences such as baby-changing stations and family-friendly music.
Headliners: Chance the Rapper, The Killers Muse Arcade Fire, The XX, Blink 182, DJ Snake, Alt-J, Cage the Elephant
2) Tomorrowland
Experience: This is the festival that sells 360,000 tickets in under one hour. Since its start in 2005, Tomorrowland has become known as the biggest electronic music festival in the world. The festival takes place in Boom, Belgium during two consecutive weekends, dedicated to the “people of tomorrow.” The obscure island peninsula appears like a fake video game in a dream world. There is on-site camping, great food and drink, tons of entertainment and unforgettable experiences to be had.
Headliners: Deadmau5, Eric Prydz, Axwell Ingrosso, Alesso
1) Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
Experience: Coachella is what we think of when the word festival comes to mind. Why, you might ask? Because this fairytale place filled with eccentric costumes, personalities and great passion really does have everything we can hope for in a multi-day festival. The huge festival that is now 18 years old takes place during two consecutive weekends in the desert of Indio, California at the Empire Polo Club. The enormous fields can hold up to 125,000 people — making this festival incredibly popular among all people including celebrities who can get lost in the crowd.
With such a large demand for a festival in the desert, there must also be enough food to feed Coachella’s guest list every year. There are over 100 different vendors of food located on the empire fields, including everything from Pad-Thai to wood-fired pizza and ice cream. Coachella also offers on-site camping grounds, as well as intricate and pleasant art displayed all around the polo fields for your visual pleasure.
Headliners: Radiohead, Lady Gaga, Kendrick Lamar, DJ Snake, Gucci Mane, Future, Porter Robinson, Lorde, Marshmello, Mac Miller, Dillon Francis and mor