Have you had difficulty getting tickets for a previous summer music festival? If so, you might want to get started sooner rather than later. After all, tickets are already on sale, and the longer you wait, the higher the price will be. Besides, don’t you have some pent-up energy to unleash after being masked and socially distanced? To get you primed and ready, look at 10 of the best music festivals this summer and who will be on stage.
Note: Please check with your summer musical festival of choice(s) regarding health and safety requirements and additional information. Additionally, age requirements will vary with each event.
Summer Music Festivals for 2022
Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival
Bonnaroo Farm
1560 New Bushy Branch Road
Manchester, TN 37355
www.bonnaroo.com
Dates: June 16-19, 2022
Tickets: 4-Day General Admission Starting at $350
Last year, Bonnaroo had a bit of bad luck, having to cancel their entire summer music festival due to heavy rains caused by Hurricane Ida. But this year, the event is being moved to mid-June, so there is less chance of bad weather. That’s good news for thousands of music fans as they descend upon this farm 65 miles southeast of Nashville. Moreover, a great lineup will be mixed with world-class talent and up-and-coming professionals. Headlining Bonnaroo this year are J Cole, Tool, Stevie Nicks, and Machine Gun Kelly. If that’s not enough, you’ll also see Gryffin, Robert Plant & Allison Krauss. Some familiar names, like Ludacris and Herbie Hancock, will even appear. Don’t overlook the After Hours lineup, either; instead of going back and forth via shuttle, consider camping on the farm.
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CMA Fest
Nissan Stadium
1 Titans Way
Nashville, TN 37213
www.cmafest.com
Dates: June 9-12, 2022
Tickets: Single Night Tickets Start at $82
Nashville will be one of the hottest American cities to visit this summer. For one, you have the Grand Ole Opry and Honky Tonk Row. For another, you have the Country Music Hall of Fame and Musicians Hall of Fame. On the other hand, Music City’s largest summer music festival is the annual CMA Fest. After being canceled for the past two years, this year’s lineup might be the best. For instance, on the first night, headliners like Darius Rucker, Jason Aldean, Keith Urban, and the Zac Brown Band! The following evenings, you’ll see more superstars, like Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Dierks Bentley, and Lady A. With more big names like Alan Jackson, Luke Combs, Carly Pearce, and Kelsea Ballerini, CMA Fest can’t be missed. That’s not to mention Experience Fest and additional music venues like Chevy Riverfront Stage.
ESSENCE Festival of Culture
Caesars Superdome
1500 Sugar Bowl Drive
New Orleans, LA 70112
www.essence.com/essence-festival-2022/
Dates: June 30-July 3, 2022
Tickets: General Admission is FREE with registration; Essence Fest concert tickets start at $60
This year, there won’t be virtual performances at the ESSENCE Festival of Culture in New Orleans. To put it another way, this festival celebrating African American music and culture is expected to draw sell-out crowds. Not only will big-name acts be on hand, but there will also be arts and crafts and plenty of great food. Kevin Hart, Janet Jackson, Minaj, and a rare appearance by the legendary R&B group New Edition are headlining the event. In addition, there are more big names, like The Isley Brothers and The Roots & Friends. If you need more, virtual vendors will also be available. More concert ticket information will appear online through the ESSENCE website in the following weeks.
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Electric Zoo
Randall’s Island Park
20 Randall’s Island Park
New York, NY 10035
Dates: September 2-4, 2022
Tickets: 3-Day Presale General Admission $259.99+$63.06 service fee
You’ll have to wait until Labor Day weekend for New York’s top electronic music festival. On the other hand, if you want to go, get your tickets soon. Indeed, presale tickets are already sold out, and the remaining tickets are on sale now. That’s nothing about who will appear this year on Randall’s Island. For instance, Armin van Buuren, Diplo, and Martin Garrix are among the top artists on billing. That’s nothing; additional big names like AC Slater, Afrojack, DJ Snake, Tchami and, VN, SSA exist. Of course, you’ll also have many choices for great food and drink at the fest. Please note that this event is for attendees 18 years and older. Also, make sure to know how to get there before the show. Despite this, you have options like the ferry, subway, and a shuttle from Brooklyn.
Firefly
The Woodlands
Dover International Speedway
1131 N. Dupont Highway
Dover, DE 19901
www.fireflyfestival.com
Dates: September 22-25, 2022
Tickets: Weekend General Admission Tier 2 $329
You’ll have to wait until it’s technically past summer for this year’s Firefly Music Festival. However, you might not want to miss this one huge event. Last year’s rain-soaked event featured Billie Eilish, Wiz Khalifa, Megan Thee Stallion, The Killers, and more. However, due to the ongoing Covid situation, they performed in front of a limited audience. This time, concert organizers expect double the number of visitors who will see several top acts. For instance, Halsey and My Chemical Romance will lead the bill on the first two nights. Equally important are the next two nights, with Green Day and Dua Lipa closing out the final evening. Lastly, additional big acts like Weezer, Big Sean, Avril Lavigne, Charli XCX, and Zedd exist. Stay the entire weekend and camp out at the Speedway.
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Governor’s Ball
Citi Field
41 Seaver Way
Queens, NY 11368
www.governorsballmusicfestival.com
Dates: June 10-12, 2022
Tickets: Weekend Single Day General Admission, $129+fees, 3-Day General Admission, $319+fees
The Governor’s Ball is returning to the Citi Field complex for good reason. Although before Covid, an enormous event had always been held at Randall’s Island. Yet obviously, with easy access to the train and subway, Citi Field is far more fan-friendly. Only this time around will the event be held much earlier in June. Nevertheless, you can see high-profile acts like Kid Cudi, Halsey, and J. Cole.
Furthermore, several top performers like Migos, Black Pumas, Flume, and Jack Harlow are on the bill. In all, 70 acts are on the concert lineup, and food and drinks will be available. Single-day and 3-day general admission tickets remain available. On the other hand, organizers say the remaining tickets are limited. Regarding parking, don’t bother; instead, take public transportation.
Lollapalooza Chicago
Grant Park
337 E. Randolph St.
Chicago, IL 60601
www.lollapalooza.com
Dates: July 28-31-2022
Tickets: 4-Day General Admission starting at $350, Single Day Tickets Coming Soon
Despite Covid still lurking about last year, Lollapalooza drew 100,000 music fans daily. You can expect similar crowds this time, albeit in a hopefully safer atmosphere. Whatever the case, this is another summer music festival you should not miss. That’s because of who is slated to appear in Chicago’s Grant Park. In case you haven’t heard, Metallica, Dua Lipa, J. Cole, and Green Day are the headliners. Additional top acts like Machine Gun Kelly, Lil Baby, Kygo, and Doja Cat are equally impressive. Oh, there is one big surprise for older rockers with a special guest appearance from Jane’s Addiction. In all, Lollapalooza Chicago will feature over 170 performances across eight different stages. Don’t forget to try out the food from great Chicago chefs and drink plenty of water.
Pitchfork
Union Park
1501 W. Randolph St.
Chicago, IL 60606
Dates: July 15-17
www.facebook.comPitchforkFestival
Dates: July 15-17, 2022
Tickets: 3-Day General Admission $200+$33.83 service fee
Not nearly as large or as popular as Lollapalooza, Pitchfork still manages to draw enthusiastic crowds. After all, it’s in the heart of summer, among the country’s most affordable summer music festivals. Although this may be true, Pitchfork kicks off less than two weeks before the larger-scale Lollapalooza. Either way, Pitchfork will host great musical acts, like The National, Mitski, and The Roots. Additional artists to look for are Spiritualized, Toro y Moi, and Japanese Breakfast, which have a hectic summer schedule. If you go, take in the beauty of Union Park while also enjoying the gourmet food, arts and crafts. The park is easily accessible via the Chicago L at the Ashland station.
Rolling Loud
Hard Rock Stadium
347 Don Shula Drive
Miami Gardens, FL 33056
www.facebook.com/RollingLoudFest
Dates: July 22-24, 2022
Tickets: 3-Day General Admission from $349
If you want tickets for Rolling Loud 2022, you need to act fast. On the other hand, you can place a deposit on tickets that you can pay for later on. Besides, a general admission deposit is just $9.99, while VIP deposits are $19.95. Furthermore, this will be the year’s top summer event for those musical genres if you like rap and hip-hop. Mega-stars Kanye West (Ye), Future, and Kendrick Lamar are leading the list of musical artists. That’s nothing; there are accompanying stars like Playboi Carti, Lil Durk, Da Baby, Gucci Mane, Kodak Black, and Li l Baby. If you need transportation over to the Hard Rock Stadium, Rolling Loud is offering shuttles for an additional fee.
Summerfest
American Family Insurance Amphitheater
100 N. Harbor Drive
Milwaukee, WI 53202
www.summerfest.com
Dates: June 23-25, June 30-July 2, July 7-8, 2022
Tickets: Single-day festival Passes (no admission to featured concerts) are $25, 3-day passes are $60, and lawn seats for Amphitheater concerts start at approximately $66.
It’s no longer the world’s largest music festival, but Summerfest is a massive event. In fact, by drawing an estimated 900,000 fans, it’s still the most significant music fest in the U.S. Moreover, it’s held over not one, not two, but three weekends. To that end, Summerfest is bringing some huge names to the music business. Jason Aldean, Justin Beiber, Lil Wayne, Wiz Khalifa, and Wu-Tang Clan will be on the opening weekend. Next are Machine Gun Kelly, Halsey, and an act to be named later. Not to be outdone, the final weekend will have Thomas Rhett, Backstreet Boys, and British rocker Rod Stewart. If that’s not enough, Avril Lavigne, John Fogerty, The Black Crowes, and Steve Aoki also appear. Throw in Ann Wilson of Heart, Steve Miller Band, the Commodores, and Boyz II Men, and you get the idea. Paid parking is available, although the best way to Summerfest may be to use the Hop Streetcar.
Bonus Choice
Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival
Golden Gate Park
1232 John F. Kennedy Drive
San Francisco, CA 94121
www.sfoutsidelands.com
Dates: August 5-7, 2022
Tickets: More Information To Follow
The lineup for this year’s Outside Lands summer music festival has yet to be announced. Despite all this, the Eager Beaver 3-Day Tickets are already sold out. Fans will scoop up the remaining tickets as fast as possible upon release. In contrast, high-end tickets, like Ken Fulk’s Golden Gate Club, may also sell out at $4,495. Whatever the case may be, Outside Lands is the Bay Area’s top summer music festival and is the place to be. Last year’s event featured acts like Nelly, Tyler the Creator, Tame Impala, and Lizzo. Of course, there will be gourmet food, plenty of drinks, creative art, and other surprises. If this will be your first time at the festival, don’t bother finding a place to park. Ride sharing can also be problematic,, so consider taking the San Francisco Muni bus 5 Fulton.
Related: America’s Best Spring Music Festivals 2022
About The Author
Randy Yagi is an award-winning freelance writer who served as the National Travel Writer for CBS from 2012 to 2019. More than 900 of his stories still appear in syndication across 23 CBS websites, including CBS New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and San Francisco. During his peak years with CBS, Randy had a reported digital audience reach of 489 million and 5.5 million monthly visitors. Additionally, his stories have appeared in the Daily Meal, CBSNews.com, CBS Radio, Engadget, NBC.com, NJ.com, and Radio.com. He earned a Media Fellowship from Stanford University in 2012.