We’re now in the full swing of summer festival season. It’s safe to assume that every single person you’ve ever met is partying right now — dancing on the lawn to your favorite band, drinking designer cocktails, or gorging themselves on fancy quesadillas while you toil away at an office. Seriously. Everyone you know.
If your itinerary is looking a little lacking this month, it’s time to plan an adventure. Nothing says summer like hitting the road with your best friends, venturing to new places you’ve never been, and partying until you can’t party anymore.
Check out our list below and get ready to hit the road for summer’s hottest month!
Taste of Chicago — July 10-14
Okay, so this one is a bit short notice but if you live in Chicago or are within reasonable driving range, consider hitting up Taste of Chicago this week. Featuring 82 restaurants, 24 pop-up spots, and 17 food different food trucks, Taste of Chicago is sure to have some perfect summer eats that are both Instagram-worthy and delicious.
Festival-goers will be treated to free concerts from the lawn at the Petrillo Music Shell from big names like Courtney Barnett, De La Soul, and Bilal and have the option of purchasing tickets for a closer look.
Admission is free, which gives you more to spend on the eats!
Bass Coast — Vancouver, July 12-15
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Ravers and lover’s of booming sine-waves will be treated to a forest-based destination festival in British Columbia — Bass Coast. With a lineup featuring Madam X, Alix Perez, Fracture, and Shanti Celeste, Bass Coast celebrates all things bass by bringing some of the most renowned techno, d&b, and house artists and combines their low frequency rumbling with yoga, meditation, and pop-up cafes.
Cruise through elaborate tent villages where vendors will be selling goods and dancing the night away.
Under The Big Sky — Montana, July 13-14
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Whitefish, Northern Montana’s Big Sky Festival debuts this year with a lineup featuring Band of Horses, Nathaniel Rateliff, and Jenny Lewis, and promises a little something for any guitar lover with their mix of Americana, folk, and alt-country acts.
The music and arts festival is located just a short 30 miles away from Glacier National Park, so if country-leaning acts just aren’t your vibe, turn it into a camping trip and enjoy some summer hiking with your friends.
Tickets to Under The Big Sky are still available, pick them up here.
Solace Tour In San Luis Obispo — California, July 18th
While not exactly a “festival,” indie dance trio RÜFÜS DU SOL will kick of their Solace Tour at Avila Beach which gives anyone living in Las Vegas, Northern and Southern California an excuse to trek to beautiful San Luis Obispo. Kick off your weekend early with RÜFÜS DU SOL on Thursday, and then hit Pismo beach, a favorite amongst surfers, sunbathers, and volleyball enthusiasts.
If you’re looking for a bit more action than the beach (you animal) then rent some ATVs and hit the nearby Oceano Dunes (pictured above), which houses sand dunes that reach as high as 100 feet. Oceano is also great for hiking, horseback riding, and camping.
Kick off your San Luis Obispo summer road trip with RÜFÜS DU SOL’s Solace Tour tickets.
Pitchfork Music Festival, Chicago — July 19-21
We’re headed back to the Chi!
Pitchfork’s annual Music Festival is kicking off at Union Park on July 19th with headlining sets from Haim, Mavis Staples, Charli XCX, and The legendary Isley Brothers for a three-night festival so packed with music we’re just going to go ahead and call it the festival of the year (don’t hold us to that, the competition is tight).
Seriously, Pitchfork might be packing a better overall lineup than even Coachella. If you’re a snob about the corporatization of summer music festivals (you should be) you’ll be happy to know that Pitchfork is still independently run and as such, ticket prices aren’t that out of hand, with VIP experiences costing about the price of an average GA pass to Coachella.
Pick up tickets here, single day, and three-day passes are still available.
Oregon Brewers Festival — July 24-27
Venture to Tom McCall Waterfront Park and delve deep into the world of Oregon-based breweries at the 32nd Annual Oregon Brewers Festival. Featuring 101 products from 93 breweries and eight cider houses, the Oregon Brewers Festival is one of the country’s longest-running beer festivals and a must-visit for craft-brew enthusiasts.
While the Oregon Brewers Festival hasn’t listed any big-name performers, the four-day festival is free to enter. Which means you’ll have more money to spend on craft brews — get drunk enough and now your friends are just as fun to watch as Vampire Weekend or Tyler the Creator.
Find out more about the Oregon Brewers Festivals here.
Mo Pop Festival, Detroit — July 27-28
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Hop in a car and take a trip to Detroit’s West Riverfront Park for Mo Pop Festival. Tame Impala, Vampire Weekend, Kali Uchis, and Lizzo are some of the big names headlining this two-day fest in the Motor City. Unfortunately, weekend and single day passes are sold out, but two and four-person hotel packages are still available, and that’ll score you weekend passes, and a room at Trumbull & Porter.
This is a great deal if you’re coming from out of town making this a perfect road trip option for a group of friends who love indie rock and hip-hop.
Check out the hotel packages for Mo Pop here.
EDITOR’S PICK: Festival d’été de Québec — July 4 to July 14
I’ve been to lots of fests but I truly don’t think I’ve ever experienced one that is so deeply and organically tied to the city that it’s based in as this one. Festival d’été de Québec is wildly popular with locals, insanely affordable ($115 for 11 days), and literally loaded with stars — Diplo, Mariah Carey, Lil Pump, Imagine Dragons, Logic, 21 Pilots, alt-J, Slipnot, and… checks notes… Lynyrd Skynyrd are all on the bill this year.
The quaint, community atmosphere of this festival is what makes it such a perfect road trip destination. It’s not just a music festival, it’s a travel experience. Go because you love music and also because you’re keen to see a slice of French-speaking Canada.
