When: August 13 – 15 and August 20 – 22
Where: Rosarito Beach, Mexico
COVID/Safety Policies: Here

Baja Beach fest has grown immensely since its first sold-out edition in 2018. Now for 2021, the festival on Rosarito Beach added a third day and a second-weekend edition. The most recognizable names in reggaeton and musica Latina will take the Baja stage like headliners J.Balvin, Anuel AA and Ozuna, plus Karol G, Farruko, Becky G, and lots more.

Just an hour from the U.S. border, Rosarito Beach offers a fantastic daytime setting for the feet-in-the-sand festival and at night, elaborate stage lights and pyrotechnics give rise to an explosive dance party. “The Village” offers food, drink, and interactive experiences and with the increased interest in the festival, organizers have promised even more new art installations, activities, and surprises for 2021.

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When: August 20-22
Where: Las Vegas
COVID/Safety Policies: Here

With a full takeover of the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, Psycho Las Vegas totally bucks the trend of the conventional festival experience. Heck, you can crash in a posh hotel room upstairs (with your very own bathroom!), then venture down to one of the four stages — one at the Daylight Beach Club, another at the House of Blues, one on the casino floor, and the Michelob Ultra Arena main stage — and see one of the 70+ acts that skew towards heavy metal, but now feature much more.

This year’s headliners include Danzig, the Norwegian black metal of Emperor, and more metal from Down. Venture further through the lineup and things get eclectic with The Flaming Lips, Thievery Corporation, and GZA joining Cannibal Corpse and Ty Segall. There’s even a Thursday night pre-party where the Daylight Beach Club turns into a full-blown mosh pool.

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When: August 20-22
Where: Chicago
COVID/Safety Policies: Here

What started as a grassroots Chicago hip-hop festival showcasing mostly rising Soundcloud rappers, now has A$AP Rocky, Lil Baby, and Lil Uzi Vert headlining the 2021 edition. Put on by local independent promoter SPKRBX alongside videographer and festival founder Cole Bennett of the influential Lyrical Lemonade hip-hop blog, Summer Smash’s lineup is littered with big-name hip-hop, but still has the curatorial charm to yield the next big thing.

It takes place in the 218-acre Douglass Park, playing host to more than 80 artists and upwards of 30,000 young hip-hop heads per day.

For more on this festival, check out “Lyrical Lemonade’s Summer Smash Festival Proved To Be The Next Great Hip-Hop Event.”

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When: August 22
Where: East Rutherford
COVID/Safety Policies: Here

Going strong since 1994, the Hot 97 Summer Jam is basically a New York hip-hop institution at this point. Curated by the stalwart NYC Hot 97 radio station, the 2021 edition features big-time hip-hop acts like Migos, Meek Mill, Saweetie, and closing out the festival, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie.

Summer Jam features the Festival Village in the MetLife Stadium parking lot as the heartbeat of the day with activations and programming led by legendary Hot97 personality Peter Rosenberg. But it’s inside at the Stadium Stage where things really go off and this year’s icing on the cake: A Swizz Beats-led tribute to DMX. Plus a portion of ticket sales benefits the Hip Hop Has Heart Foundation for local community programs.

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When: August 27
Where: London
COVID/Safety Policies: Here

Typically a 10-day affair across two weekends in Victoria Park, 2021’s All Points East Festival has totally juiced up its lone weekend with talent. London Grammar and Jorja Smith headline Friday, with Jaime XX and Kano taking the reins on Saturday. Field Day links up with All Points East for the Sunday programming with a stacked electronic bill led by Bicep and then Foals and Bombay Bicycle Club lead the charge for Monday’s bank holiday slate.

The celebration keeps going into the following week with the free community programming known as “In The Neighbourhood” with street food, pop-up bars, an outdoor cinema, free music, and loads more. Funfair rides are everywhere throughout the week and are a great way to take in the East London sites from above.

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When: August 27-29
Where: Reading and Leads, UK
COVID/Safety Policies: Here

Reading & Leeds likely represent the most impressive festival duality out there. It’s actually two separate sites about 200 miles from each other and they share the same 3-day lineup just on different days. So when Stormzy, Catfish and the Bottlemen, Post Malone, Disclosure, Liam Gallagher, and Biffy Clyro headline Friday to Sunday at Richfield Avenue in Reading, they’ll headline in reverse order at the Branham Park venue at Leeds. Same goes for the other hundred acts across eight stages on the bill. Pretty cool, right?

The Reading festival is actually the oldest popular music fest in the world with its origins dating back to 1955. Between the two fests which include camping for all attendees, 105,000 lucky people at each site revel in the UK summer splendor each day.

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When: August 28-29
Where: Columbus
COVID/Safety Policies: Here

WonderBus’s mission is to shine a light on mental health and suicide prevention issues through music and the event is actually a benefit for The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center’s Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Health. It takes place on the massive Lawn at CAS along the edge of the Olentangy River, a sprawling green site that is meant to be explored.

And exploring is exactly what you’ll want to do at WonderBus, weaving about from the artisan villa, local Columbus food options, and three stages. The 2021 headlining slate features Wilco’s only Ohio appearance of the year, Kesha, Grouplove, and AJR. Now in only its second edition, WonderBus is carving out a uniquely altruistic niche in the festival circuit, to say the least.

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When: August 28-29
Where: Lexington
COVID/Safety Policies: Here

Railbird Fest could easily rest its laurels on a stacked lineup for the festival’s second year with headliners in My Morning Jacket, Dave Matthews Band, Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit, and Leon Bridges. But it’s a commitment to an identity of music, bourbon, and horse racing that really sets the festival at The Grounds at Keeneland stables apart.

There are three folk- and rock and roll-leaning stages of tunes across two days. But there’s also curated bourbon experiences in The Rickhouse, betting on horse racing simulcasts in the air-conditioned lounge inside Lucky Day Plaza, and culinary and cocktail demos — with plenty to sample — at Sip & Savor.

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