As a certified music lover and crazy person, naturally, I have flown all over the world for some of my favorite artists. I’ve gone through every festival experience you can imagine; from being hunched over a barricade for 10 hours in a torrential downpour so fervent that it penetrated every layer of clothing and made my phone unusable, to being crammed shoulder-to-shoulder and drenched in sweat in a record-breaking crowd of over 80,000 people in the Chicago midday summer heat, to being sprawled out on the grass at 3am in Barcelona after hours on my feet with a torn ACL. All that to say, I’m qualified to speak on the subject. In no particular order, here’s every festival I’ve been to and whether or not I think it’s worth it for you to go too.
Governor’s Ball - Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Queens, NY
The Governor’s Ball, colloquially known as Govball, is every tri-state area high school teen’s Coachella. I remember being a freshman in high school saving up all my money and begging my parents to let me take Friday off of school to go see Billie Eilish and Khalid, praying one would make a surprise appearance at the other’s set to join forces and sing lovely. Since then, I’ve been several more times, and have only fond memories, but then again I have lucked out and been absent for some of the more poorly-handled rain days. For what it’s worth, Govball is a great festival for the average concertgoer. They are very good at securing up-and-comers at the perfect time during their rise to stardom – the 2024 Govball lineup featured early afternoon sets from Chappell Roan and Sabrina Carpenter just as Good Luck, Babe! and Espresso were becoming global hits. Govball places huge emphasis on their food and drink selection as well, bringing many of New York City’s most popular spots right to the festival. Though I have heard complaints about the crowd being a little younger and less mature, the festival is what you make of it. As I said, for the average concertgoer who plans to enjoy some high-quality NYC food and catch some rising stars’ sets from the back of the crowd, it’s a great time. If you’re planning to be a little more hardcore and be knee-deep in the crowds for the headlining sets, get ready to be standing next to someone who may have Geometry homework due the next morning.
Lollapalooza - Grant Park, Chicago, IL
I’ve been to Lollapalooza twice, and I can safely say that it is one of my absolute favorite festivals I’ve been to. But that comes with a large caveat – I’ve got the stamina for it. Lollapalooza is a four-day long ordeal in the dead of Chicago summer, and is located at Grant Park, which is, end-to-end, about a mile long. Not only that, but it draws daily crowds of over 100,000 concertgoers, which can make the journey from one stage to another quite difficult and crowded. The temperatures can reach up to 100 degrees Fahrenheit and the days are long, your feet will be killing you and your head will be heavy, but it’s a small price to pay for getting to see more live music in a single weekend than most people see in a lifetime. And speaking of prices to pay, Lollapalooza can chalk up to over $400 for a ticket, which may seem pricey at first, until you consider how many sets you’re getting for your money. At four days long, if you catch five sets a day, you’re getting 20 concerts for $20 each. Lollapalooza also provides something for anyone. Aside from the 10+ headliners spanning across all genres and age demographics, they’ve got Perry’s, a strictly EDM and dance stage, a kids stage called Kidzapalooza, and a plethora of aftershows all over the city if you missed one of your faves during the day. All in all, Lollapalooza is not for the faint of heart, but if you can handle it, it’ll be the most concentrated dose of live music you’ll ever experience. My advice: get some good insoles for your shoes, start doing some more cardio in the gym beforehand to prepare your body, get some friends together, and get ready to have one of the craziest weekends of your life.
Coachella - Coachella Valley, Palm Springs, CA
I always thought Emma Chamberlain was being dramatic about it being overrated until I went and saw it for myself. Let me be clear before I get into my rating that a large part of my dissatisfaction with Coachella is due to the fact that I went in 2023, Weekend 2, solely for Frank Ocean, and I found out ON MY PLANE that he cancelled. However, I’m really a glass-half-full kind of guy, so I made every effort to still enjoy my time and make the most of the experience.
The main issue with Coachella is that it’s extremely expensive. You’re paying upwards of $700 for a ticket for just three days, you’re paying (depending on where you live) hundreds of dollars for a flight, hundreds more for a hotel, $100 for a shuttle, or even more for Ubers, and about $50/day inside the festival on food to sustain you throughout the day. On top of that, the dust is really no joke. Again, I thought that everyone was being dramatic when I heard them complain about it, until I experienced it for myself and was quickly humbled. By the end of the weekend, I was carrying a full box of tissues around the festival with me, and was barely able to fall asleep at night. It also takes a great deal of endurance to be walking miles around the grounds in the dry desert heat, likely in an outfit on which you prioritized aesthetics rather than comfort. Now, the positives – everyone will be extremely jealous of you and your Instagram photos will be amazing. If that’s the kind of thing you care about. I’d be lying if I said I don’t look back through my Coachella Instagram posts at least once a week. Coachella also has the capability to pull artists that you can’t just catch at any other festival, which could make all the effort worth it. A lot of the criticisms I have seen swirling around in online spaces regarding Coachella have been calling it an “influencer breeding ground” and accusing the crowds of not being there for the music. Though I did just say one of my favorite things about Coachella was posting on Instagram, ultimately I was there for the music, and I felt as though most of the crowd was too. I wouldn’t completely rule out going again, but I would definitely recommend other festivals over this one.
Sea.Hear.Now - Asbury Park, NJ
Sea.Hear.Now is a smaller festival located on the beach in Asbury Park, NJ, during the best time of the year to be at the Jersey Shore: mid-September. The weather is not too hot and not too cold, the sunsets are beautiful, and the waves are divine. The festival manages to curate the most perfect lineups that blend headlining slots filled by rock & roll greats, with days filled by amazing upcoming indie and alternative bands. I went in 2022 and was able to catch headlining sets from Stevie Nicks and Green Day, as well as Cage the Elephant, the Backseat Lovers, Peach Pit, and more. The crowds are always fairly relaxed, as the lineups always tend to draw an older crowd, but that isn’t to say there won’t be your fair share of kids there as well to experience the artists whose music they grew up hearing their parents play in the car. If you look up past lineups from this festival, you’ll also notice a section titled Surf. Something that makes Sea.Hear.Now incredibly unique is that it’s located directly on the beach, thus they are able to hold surfing competitions in the water adjacent to the festival grounds. This festival is only two days long and brings a much more relaxed atmosphere, both through their lineups and their crowds, and thus is a great option for a more casual concertgoer who may not have the stamina for the dust of Coachella, the length of Lollapalooza, or the heat of, well, both. Moreover, if you’re a classic rock and alternative music lover, this festival’s lineups will probably closely resemble your yearly Spotify wrapped. I would absolutely recommend giving it a try, especially if you’re a Jersey Shore local.
Primavera Sound - Parc del Forum, Barcelona, ES
Despite having given great reviews to several of the aforementioned festivals, Primavera has definitely been my favorite one I’ve attended. To have the same experience, you’ll have to travel across the Atlantic and shell out a decent amount of money on lodging (unless you’re reading this from Europe, in which case… can I come stay with you?) but it would absolutely be worth your troubles. Unlike American festivals that take place in the heat of the daytime, Primavera doesn’t start to ramp up until the sun begins to set. Moreover, while American festivals save their headlining acts until the end of the day and dismiss everyone all at once, Primavera is structured so the headliners perform at around midnight, while other sets continue well into the night. This staggers foot traffic entering and leaving the festival, and allows you some downtime to rest as the festival stretches late into the night. Primavera is definitely for the night owls, as you’ll likely end up staying there until 2, 3, or even 4 in the morning, but it’s far more favorable – you’ll sacrifice some sleep for the chance to explore the city during the day and experience some of your favorite artists at night. Something else that makes the festival so unique is that the two main stages are located directly adjacent to one another, so if you’re camping out in the crowd, you won’t have to spend an hour waiting in between sets like you typically would at any other festival. In 2024, I planted myself directly in between both stages, and was able to see back-to-back sets from Ethel Cain, Omar Apollo, Troye Sivan, and Lana Del Rey, all with no more than 5 minutes of break in between. If you’re looking for a unique festival experience, and a reason to travel to Europe, I would definitely recommend giving Primavera a try. And while you’re in Barcelona, you can try some incredible seafood and see some stunning Gaudían architecture.
Big Culture & Arts Festival - Gainesville, FL
Big Culture & Arts Festival is exactly what it says on the tin, a massive celebration of local culture, though that feels like an understatement. I was fortunate enough to be on the media team for this festival last year, as well as a model in the festival’s surprise pop-up fashion show that showcased 20+ local designers and their work. It truly is a labor of love working to celebrate the bountiful music culture of an underappreciated small town, but they aren't just keeping it local. The lineups have gained worldwide renown lately, bringing in heavy hitters like The Alchemist, Zack Fox, and Earl Sweatshirt. Big is small but mighty, and Gainesville is definitely worth the trip if you can make it happen. It’s packed with artistic expression of all kinds, draws in an incredibly diverse crowd of people, and will undoubtedly introduce you to some of your new favorite underground artists.
Honorable Mention: Hangout Festival - Gulf Shores, AL
Rest in peace to an amazing festival, and likely the only time I’ll set foot in the state of Alabama. This festival is no longer happening, but I wanted to give it a nod regardless. It’s the only other festival I’ve been to that is on the beach, and has pulled some amazing lineups in the past. The crowds were also incredibly chill, and I was able to get a spot on the barricade for headlining sets each day from SZA, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Calvin Harris. Quite a unique spread of performers, great weather, and surprisingly great vibes considering the usual demographic of individuals that you’d expect from Alabama. Also shoutout to my beautiful friends Zoë and Claire, whom I met in the crowd at Govball, and then stayed in touch and traveled to Alabama a year later to stay with and go to this festival with. A true testament to the power of festivals – they bring together people who would never have met otherwise and give them a chance to become a part of each other's lives.