When: September 2-5
Where: Salisbury, UK
COVID/Safety Policies: Here

Considering the level of talent that End Of The Road fest books each year, it’s a relatively intimate four-day affair with just 15,000 attendees. The 2021 lineup at idyllic Larmer Tree Gardens is headlined by all independently-signed acts in Hot Chip, King Krule, Stereolab, Johnny Greenwood, Sleaford Mods, and Little Simz.

Art installations are strewn throughout the festival’s four primary stages and the surrounding woods which hold a range of activities within. There’s a film tent, comedy area, large outdoor game room, library, silent disco, and even a healing garden to center yourself throughout the weekend. There are general, family, quiet, and boutique camping options, and End of The Road is still run by the same two friends who started it back in 2006.

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When: September 2-4, 9-11, 16-18
Where: Milwaukee
COVID/Safety Policies: Here

Clocking as many as one million visitors in its peak year, Summerfest takes over Henry Maier Festival Park in Downtown Milwaukee with an eye-popping slate of headliners. Going down across the first three weekends of September, 2021’s main acts include Chance the Rapper, Green Day, Miley Cyrus, Luke Bryan, Jonas Brothers, Megan Thee Stallion, Run The Jewels, Diplo, and comedian Dave Chapelle.

There’s legit something for everyone across a dozen stages including the 23,000 person American Family Insurance Amphitheater, the 10,000 capacity BMO Harris Pavilion, the Miller Lite Oasis with it’s famed long bar, and the new for 2021 state-of-the-art Generac Power Stage. With over 1,000 performers, there’s a lot of different ways to experience Summerfest through multi and single day passes and it all kicks off with the opening night Big Bang Fireworks show.

For more on this festival, check out “Hip To Be Square: Milwaukee’s Summerfest Is The No-Pretense Music Festival For Everybody.”

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When: September 3-5
Where: Napa Valley
COVID/Safety Policies: Here

BottleRock has really nailed the blend of the traditional music festival with a top-notch epicurean experience. Across five stages at the Napa Valley Expo you’ll find legacy headliners in Guns N’ Roses and Foo Fighters, as well as a stellar next tier of contemporary acts like Miley Cyrus, Megan Thee Stallion, and G-Eazy. Elevated food options from noted chefs and restaurants are at every turn, as well as craft beer, cocktails, and a robust wine selection from Napa Valley’s finest vintners.

It all comes together at the Culinary Stage with cooking demos throughout the day that pair culinary stars like Padma Lakshmi, Iron Chef Morimoto, and Andrew Zimmern with musicians and athletes like Questlove, Alice Cooper, Trisha Yearwood, and Marshawn Lynch. And if you’re really feeling like the full wine country experience, there’s even an on-site spa.

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When: September 3-5
Where: New York, NY
COVID/Safety Policies: Here

Now in its 11th rendition, Electric Zoo is stepping up the thematics for the signature EDM fest in New York City. Alesso, Kaskade, and Illenium will be headlining the “supernaturals” themed weekend which organizers have promised will be an “out-of-this-world experience.” It’s a mystical approach to the festival’s cosmic surrounding visual installations and the encouraged cosplay of attendees.

Situated along the East River in between Manhattan, the Bronx, and Queens, the Randall’s Island site has the RFK bridge towering over it. 85,000 people descend upon the fest’s four stages, including the dazzlingly lit main stage that lights up the evening like the sunny summer sky in the daytime.

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When: September 4-5
Where: Philadelphia
COVID/Safety Policies: Here

What better place to celebrate Labor Day Weekend than in the cornerstone of democracy… Okay, you have to admit though, that Ben Franklin Parkway in the cultural heart of Philadelphia is a badass place to soak in a lineup of music personally curated by Jay-Z himself. For its 10th anniversary, the festival has shifted to mainly hip-hop acts with Doja Cat, Kehlani, Young Thug, Roddy Rich, and Megan Thee Stallion on the bill along with headliners Justin Bieber and Lil Baby.

The fest has carnival rides strewn along the mile-long Parkway as well as the “Made In America culinary experience” with prime food trucks. Founded by Jay-Z, the festival is also a benefit for the ACLU of Pennsylvania and the Arkansas-based REFORM Alliance for criminal and prison justice reform.

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When: September 9-11
Where: Raleigh
COVID/Safety Policies: Here

Across its two primary Downtown stages in Raleigh City Plaza and Moore Square, Hopscotch Festival 2021 has a diverse slate of artists coming to town. Animal Collective and Flying Lotus represent headliners from different, but equally experimental ends of the musical spectrum while Caroline Polacheck’s electro-pop contrasts with the rock and roll of Dr. Dog and Parquet Courts. Then acts like Archers of Loaf and Helado Negro help make up the #rare quarter of the lineup that hails from in-state.

In respect of the times, 2021’s edition is all outdoors and the capacity is limited to 75% of its usual size. There are close to 100 local vendors on-site and as is tradition, venues around the city host day parties throughout the festival weekend.

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When: September 10-12
Where: Chicago
COVID/Safety Policies: Here

When a music festival is put on by one of the most well-respected sources for music criticism and discovery, you can believe that the lineups are always gonna deliver. Pitchfork Fest is indeed all about the music; today’s stars and tomorrow’s risers alike. Held at Union Park in Chicago’s West Loop, Pitchfork Fest 2021 has an all-female artist headlining slate with Phoebe Bridgers, St. Vincent, and Erykah Badu. You can also see an alt-rock legend (Kim Gordon), a reclusive rapper (Jay Electronica), and IDM producers (Kelly Lee Owens, Yaeji) all in the same place.

60,000 people gather for the three-day affair and be sure to bring a tote bag, because there’s a ton of gems to be found at the infamous record fair put on by the Chicago Independent Radio Project (CHIRP) community radio station.

For more on this festival, check out “Pitchfork Music Festival 2021 Is Leading By Example When It Comes To Lineup Gender Equality.”

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When: September 10-12
Where: London, UK
COVID/Safety Policies: Here

There is no hip-hop festival experience in the UK quite like Wireless Fest. The lineup is curated in a way that represents both the biggest rappers in America as well as Europe, and fittingly, the 2021 headliners are Future, Skepta, and Migos.

Hip-hop is universal and Wireless illustrates that. But it doesn’t stop there, because where else can you see D-Block Europe and Lil Uzi Vert on Friday, Meek Mill and AJ Tracey on Sunday, and Rick Ross and Charlie Sloth on Sunday? Held in Finsbury Park since 2014, the 2021 edition will actually take place at Crystal Palace Park.

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When: September 11-12
Where: Manchester, UK
COVID/Safety Policies: Here

If there’s one big difference in Parklife 2021 from years past, it’s in the sheer number of people who’ll be celebrating the two-day affair at Heaton Park. The capacity has been more than doubled to up to 80,000 goers and the insane lineup reflects that. Making his only 2021 appearance in his native UK, rapper Dave is a massive headliner, along with Skepta and Megan Thee Stallion also playing on the main “Parklife Stage.” Meanwhile, titanic names in dance music take over the Valley Stage like Disclosure, Jamie XX, Eric Prydz, and more.

Speaking of stages, Parklife’s eight grandstands sport super elaborate designs, like the palm tree encrusted Palm House and the brutalist Temple Stage. The VIP experience comes with elevated eats at the Street Food Sweep, drinks galore at the Bullseye Bar, and the ultimate party lounge at the Fun House.

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When: September 17-19
Where: Las Vegas
COVID/Safety Policies: Here

iHeartRadio Fest is like if your radio dial actually controlled a concert stage. And in this case, it sorta does. T-Mobile Arena in Downtown Vegas is the grounds for a fairly unbelievable slate of performances from today’s most recognizable stars, wild song premieres, and on-stage collaborations. 2021’s two-night event features Billie Eilish, J.Cole, Coldplay, Khalid, Florida Georgia Line, Weezer, Dua Lipa, Maroon 5… and that’s just for starters.

Saturday’s daytime stage has a fan zone at the Area15 entertainment district and is also jam-packed with chart-topping #stars like Olivia Rodrigo, Saweetie, and 24kGoldn. Add in host Ryan Seacrest, live streams on The CW app, and the festival audio broadcast on over 150 iHeartRadio stations around the country, and the whole weekend becomes nothing short of a viral pop culture moment.

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When: September 17-19
Where: Las Vegas
COVID/Safety Policies: Here

Stepping inside the gates of Life is Beautiful, you’re greeted with the immersive art exhibit that the festival’s Downtown Las Vegas footprint has become. And when in 2021 there seems to be more fests in Vegas than ever before, this one towers as the granddaddy of them all. For starters, Billie Eilish, Green Day, and Tame Impala headline a ridiculously comprehensive lineup. Beyond music, there’s also stand-up comedy, TED-style talks with influential people, and the hedonism of House Of Yes filled with performance art, drag shows, burlesque, and no lack of flair.

Mindful food and drink options are offered from more than 70 local Vegas purveyors and a fine dining VIP experience can also be had. But ultimately, Life Is Beautiful successfully celebrates the “beauty” of the world by unifying the grassroots festival notion of PLUR, with the major music festival cachet of a 3-day experience.

For more on this festival, check out “Life Is Beautiful Announces A Slate Of Aftershows With Brittany Howard, Ludacris, and Others.”

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When: September 17-19
Where: Chicago
COVID/Safety Policies: Here

What began as a grassroots punk festival in 2005 has now blossomed into a more all-encompassing one. Look no further than Friday night’s opening headliners at Douglass Park in Smashing Pumpkins, Coheed and Cambria, NOFX, and Lupe Fiasco performing The Cool, for the eclectic, alternative culture ethos of Riot Fest. While other headliners include Run The Jewels, Nine Inch Nails, The Pixies, and Machine Gun Kelly, it’s the legacy punk acts like Rancid, Dropkick Murphys, Circle Jerks, and Devo that stick out as what you can only find here.

There’s a number of after shows with acts like Mr. Bungle, New Found Glory, Simple Plan, and Taking Back Sunday. So while the flavors have grown diverse at Riot Fest, their commitment to being rooted in punk is never in question. (And they already have My Chemical Romance and the original lineup of the Misfits confirmed to headline in 2022.)

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When: September 18-19
Where: Berkeley
COVID/Safety Policies: Here

After clocking more than 4 million views on his two Second Sky live streams during the pandemic, Porter Robinson is making his return to the stage in 2021 with the second edition of the Second Sky Festival. Curated and headlined by Robinson, it features collaborators and like-minded progressive artists like Toro y Moi, Jon Hopkins, Madeon, Jai Wolf, and Jacob Collier. Think of Second Sky as a supercharged concert with all the experiential bells and whistles of a festival.

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When: September 18-19
Where: Concord, CA
COVID/Safety Policies: Here

With 13 Grammy nominations and four wins under her belt in the past three years, H.E.R. has surged as one of the brightest stars in modern R&B. But she’s not resting her laurels on personal accomplishments and is back with the second edition of the Lights On Festival. With a lineup curated by the star, she’ll be joining Erykah Badu as a headliner with a “H.E.R & Friends” set. Being that she’s from the Bay Area, the possibilities for guest appearances are tantalizing. Other acts on the diverse R&B and hip-hop-focused bill include Bryson Tiller, Ari Lennox, Keysha Cole, Ty Dolla $ign, and Masego.

Held at the 12,500 capacity Concord Pavilion, partially seated ticket options range from swank four-person VIP boxes by the stage to the sprawling, sloped GA lawn. In addition to the music, Lights On also features a film screening tent, live art installations, an R&B museum, a guitar lounge, and an arcade.

For more on this festival, check out “H.E.R. Announced The Day-To-Day Schedule For Her Lights On Festival.”

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When: September 18-19
Where: Atlanta
COVID/Safety Policies: Here

Is there a more comprehensive headlining bill of pop stars than Miley Cyrus, Maroon 5, and The Jonas Brothers? Music Midtown’s 2021 lineup lets you know right off the bat that they mean business. If it’s hip-hop you’re after, 21 Savage, Megan Thee Stallion, and Machine Gun Kelly (at least the old stuff) will all be at Piedmont Park to play for over 50,000 people across the fests two warm summer days.

A place for discovery as much as it is to check some serious items off your concert bucket list, more than 30 artists will play across Music Midtown’s four stages. Regional and local food options abound and a ride on the giant Ferris wheel affords spectacular bird’s eye views of the festival and the Midtown skyline.

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When: September 18-19
Where: Asbury Park
COVID/Safety Policies: Here

For decades, Danny Clinch has photographed some of the most iconic names in rock and roll. Now, a lot of them are playing at the festival he created on the beach in New Jersey. The Smashing Pumpkins and Pearl Jam’s first US appearance since 2018 hold the headlining slots for See.Hear.Now’s two days and there are also big folk acts like The Avett Brothers and Lord Huron on the bill.

But the festival’s beachside locale has higher aspirations. Each day, a surf competition called the North Beach Expression Sessions will go down with more than twenty world-class surfing pros riding the waves. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a festival that puts music and surfing on the landscape quite like this and a portion of proceeds from a budding on-site art gallery will benefit Save The Bay and Surfrider Foundation.

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When: September 22-26
Where: Boise
COVID/Safety Policies: Here

Taking place across multiple venues in Downtown Boise, Treefort is kinda like a West Coast SXSW. While the lineup is headed up by Japanese Breakfast, The Marias, Calexico, and Boise’s own Built To Spill, the festival has grown over the past ten years into a multi-disciplinary affair.

Comedyfort has stand-up comedy with 2021 headliners Tom Thakkar and Irene Tu. Filmfort shows independent film screenings. Dragfort has drag shows like the Pink Runway Party and Drag Queen Story. Foodfort showcases local eats, including the Street Eats area that’s built to resemble the night markets from around the world. Alefort is a craft beer haven with cocktails and cider too. And there’s also Artfort, Hackfort, Storyfort, Skatefort, Kidfort, Yogafort, etc. It all goes down across more than 30 venues with over 400 performers.

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When: September 23-26
Where: Dover, Delaware
COVID/Safety Policies: Here

Nestled among the wooded outskirts of a racetrack, Firefly Festival is a massive celebration under the gorgeous Delaware summer sky. The 105-acre footprint in 2021 welcomes headliners Billie Eilish, The Killers, Tame Impala, Lizzo, and a heck of a lot more across over a half dozen stages.

Beyond the Main Stage, there’s the Treehouse for new discoveries and intimate acoustic sets in the woods, the Thicket Silent Disco for your own personal dance party, and The Nest, where DJs spin records from the treetops. There’s a new roller rink on deck this year, a Pride Parade that celebrates community and inclusivity, a hammock lounge to relax, and a drag brunch to turn up. Speaking of which, you’ll also want to try the fest’s official beer, Firefly Ale, made by Delaware’s storied Dogfish Head brewery.

For more on this festival, check out “Firefly Festival Announced Their 2021 Set Times With A Cheeky Nod To Lizzo’s ‘Rumors’.”

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When: September 24-26
Where: New York, NY
COVID/Safety Policies: Here

New York City is America’s most famous melting pot and Governors Ball’s headlining slate of Billie Eilish, A$AP Rocky, Post Malone, and J.Balvin reflects that masterfully. Now after nearly a decade at Randall’s Island, the festival has moved to Citi Field in Queens and is delivering a 360-degree layout with the stages centered on the grounds to prevent sound bleed.

The festival prides itself in an experience that mirrors the diverse sound and culture of New York, so you’ll definitely find the music that New Yorkers are listening to across all genres: Hip-Hop from 21 Savage, Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist, Young Thug and Burna Boy. Indie acts like Phoebe Bridgers and Big Thief. And pop stars like Carly Rae Jepsen and King Princess. All in all, it’s over 70 acts across four stages and NYC-centric food options to boot.

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When: September 25-26
Where: Atlanta
COVID/Safety Policies: Here

A diverse cultural event that was founded first as a celebration of the Black punk experience, Afropunk Atlanta 2021 goes down at the all-outdoor Atlantic Station Pinnacle Lot in Midtown. This year’s headlining artists include Wale, Smino, Rico Nasty, and an intriguing set from the Atlanta staple Dungeon Family’s KP The Great & Friends.

As its mission, Afropunk seeks a redefinition of the urban experience with “the punk principles of DIY aesthetics, radical thought, and social nonconformity” and the festival is a non-judgmental, welcoming affair. All tickets are GA, because “Everyone is a VIP in Atlanta.”

Beyond music, Solution Sessions feature curated talks in a “social salon” environment, held each day in the Gold Lounge Area. The SpinThrift Market showcases a community of makers and artists selling wares and crafts and also the Activism Row, which sees grassroots and non-profit organizations educating and informing folks on civic engagement.

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When: September 25
Where: Northampton, NY
COVID/Safety Policies: Here

Considering the pandemic didn’t afford Slowthai an opportunity to play a proper grand release show for his sophomore album TYRON, the UK rapper decided to throw a festival in his hometown instead. Joining Slowthai on the bill that he curated are a crop of the UK’s best emerging talent in Idles, Beabadoobee, Shygirl, Pa Salieu, Greentea Peng, Ethan P. Flynn, Izzie Gibbs, and Easy Life.

When he announced the fest, Slowthai said: “Happyland with happy folk. The place where we can laugh and joke. The place you can be yourself without judgment, expectations and impressions of someone else.” The all-day festival is produced in conjunction with Goldenvoice at the Northampton Cricket Grounds.

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When: September 25-26
Where: San Diego
COVID/Safety Policies: Here

With its vast stretch of grassy lawns and adjacent fountains to cool off in the Southern California summer sunshine, Waterfront Park is a very cool venue for this affair. Launched in 2015, CRSSD Festival is a one-of-a-kind 21-and-over festival displaying a wide range of electronic music in the Downtown park setting.

Kaytranada and ZHU are headlining the main Ocean View Stage, along with Flying Lotus, Boys Noize, and Tiga & Hudson Mohawke’s LOVE MINUS ZERO superduo. The techno-focused City Steps stage features ANNA and a rare West Coast appearance from Sven Väth, while the Palms Stage is house heavy with Moodymann, Carl Craig, Todd Terry, and 박혜진 Park Hye Jin throwing down.

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When: September 25-26
Where: Accord, NY
COVID/Safety Policies: Here

What was once a festival on the California coast in Big Sur, Woodsist Fest now embarks on its second iteration in the bucolic Arrowhead Farm Brewery landscape in New York’s Hudson Valley. Led and curated by folk-rock band Woods and their Woodsist imprint, 2021 is a two-day affair headlined by Yo La Tengo, Parquet Courts, Kevin Morby, and Kurt Vile. The festival also explores global folk with Laraaji’s swing zither strings and Sessa’s Brazilian tunes.

The fest features two stages, craft beer from the on-site brewery and food from a carefully chosen crop of Hudson-Valley food vendors. As the event continues to grow, Woodsist has promised “More music, more food, more space, more of everything.”

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When: September 25-26
Where: Nashville
COVID/Safety Policies: Here

Roughly 20 miles outside of Nashville, Franklin Park at Harlinsdale was a 19th-century horse farm and it’s the perfect location for Pilgrimage’s all-encompassing festival with the spirit of the South. In 2021, Dave Matthews Band, The Black Keys, Maren Morris, and Cage The Elephant lead a stellar lineup of rock, Roots, Americana, and more.

The festival has five stages, including the Americana Music Triangle Experience, which features stories and performances about the musical heritage of many of the fest’s performers like Robert Finley and Valerie June. There’s a comedy showcase headed up by Steve Byrne and Josh Wolf, the Craft Beer Hall with a shaded beer garden, the Makers Village marketplace, Art Barn, programming for kids, and the Farm to Turntable Food Truck Park with 16 of Nashville and Franklin’s food trucks serving up BBQ and more.

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