Every year, the US festival scene draws in thousands of people of all ages, both nationally and worldwide, who come to listen to some of the best music the world has to offer – and soak up the atmosphere.
But with so many festivals (from music to art, comedy and more) held in the USA every year, it can soon get overwhelming if you’re trying to decide which ones to visit. So, we decided to create the ultimate US festival guide of go-to festivals.
Analyzing a range of factors, including the number of festivals in each state, the cost of an Airbnb, the weather and more, read on to uncover the best states for festivals; as well as the most popular festivals across the USA.
1. Wisconsin
Wisconsin comes in first place, with more monthly searches for festivals than any other state, at 175,820.
With 16 festivals held throughout the year, from Summerfest in downtown Milwaukee, to Blue Ox, which showcases some of the best bluegrass music, and Rock Fest, there are no end of options to choose from. And, with 410 airports to fly into, Wisconsin’s festivals are easily accessible.
2. Nevada
In second place is the desert state of Nevada, rated so highly partly because it has the least rainfall in the US, at just 10.3 inches per year. Nevada also offers good value for money when you’re at a festival, with a bottle of Smirnoff the second cheapest in the states, at $9.49.
Choose from 14 festivals throughout the state, including Burning Man, Electric Daisy Carnival, and Life is Beautiful, which combines amazing music, food, and comedy.
3. Georgia
Georgia comes in third place, with the cheapest bottles of Smirnoff at $8.99, not to mention the sixth most number of monthly searches for festivals, at 64,030. Plus, with average temperatures of 63.5F and 4,661 hours of sunlight a year, you’ll enjoy nice weather, without it being too hot.
Savannah Music Festival and Imagine Festival are a couple of events you can attend, but Atlanta also hosts its own film festival, as well as an ice cream festival, so there’s lots of variety to choose from throughout the year.
4. Mississippi
Mississippi might only host two festivals, but the experience is unforgettable, which is why it places so highly. Crime rates are low, at 12,841 per 100,000 people in 2020, and the average cost of an Airbnb for three nights is $422, making it an affordable place to stay.
So, if you’re looking for a festival that’s chilled and friendly, look no further than Mississippi.
5. Kentucky
Kentucky comes in fifth place, with 4,383 hours of sunlight on average a year, temperatures of 56F, and low crime levels, of 15,159 per 100,000 people.
It’s also an affordable place to be, with a bottle of Smirnoff setting you back by around, $10, and three nights in an Airbnb totalling $372. Popular festivals here include Kentucky State Fair, where you can sample so many rollercoasters and different types of food; and the Kentucky Derby Festival. However, if it’s music you’re after, you can give Louder than Life or Forecastle a go.
6. New Mexico
The weather in New Mexico makes it ideal for an outdoor festival, with average yearly rainfall of 14 inches, and average yearly sunlight of 5,642 hours.
Whilst New Mexico might not offer many music festivals, there are other events you can visit, including the UFO Festival, where you can take part in an Alien Chase Run, watch fire dancers, and attend a foam party; or try the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, which is taking place in October, where you’ll get to see more than 500 hot air balloons in flight.
7. Maryland
Home to 12 festivals, 137 airports, and $10 bottles of Smirnoff, Maryland comes in seventh place for festivalgoers.
Maryland Deathfest is popular with fans of heavy metal and is held in Baltimore every year over Memorial Day Weekend; whereas Moonrise Festival is held in June and is host to some of the best EDM artists.
8. South Carolina
In eighth place is South Carolina, with the cheapest Airbnb rates, at an average of $248 for a three-night stay. Temperatures are pleasant year-round, at 62.4F, making it ideal weather for a festival.
If you’re wondering which ones to give a go, Carolina Country Music Fest is a great place to start. Held at Myrtle Beach, this year, big country names like Morgan Wallen and Miranda Lambert are playing. Alternatively, if you love music and food in equal amounts, then try Fall for Greenville, which takes place every October.
9. Florida
Florida comes in ninth for their festival vibes – after all, they hold 36 every year (with California the only state to host more). Choose from the likes of Gasparilla, which is held in Tampa, to Ultra Music Festival in Miami, which hosts some of the best names in electronic music; and Okeechobee, which is an arts and music festival that’s held over four days.
Getting to these festivals is easy – with 489 airports, it has the third most airports out of all the states; and Florida residents also search for festivals the third most, at around 94,370 a month.
10. Colorado
Rounding off our top 10 is Colorado, with weather conditions ideal for festivals, at around 17 inches of rainfall a year, average temperatures of 45F, and around 4,960 hours of sunshine over the year.
With three nights in an Airbnb likely to set you back by $471, now all that’s left to do is pick which Colorado festival to attend. Telluride focuses predominantly on Bluegrass music, although there are several other genres that attend; or if classical music is more your thing, then the annual Aspen Music Festival could be the ideal option for you.
The most popular festivals in the US
So, now we know which states offer the best festival experiences, which festivals are actually the most popular across the USA?
1. Coachella
Coachella is by far the most popular festival in the USA, with 32 states searching it the most, including Georgia, Hawaii, Washington, New York, and its home state, California.
Situated in Coachella Valley, it’s the place for influencers to see and be seen, with an outfit shot in front of the iconic ferris wheel a non-negotiable. Every year, Coachella pulls in huge names, with 2023’s line-up including BLACKPINK, Frank Ocean, Bad Bunny, and blink-182.
However, Coachella is notorious for its high prices so we wanted to discover the US cities that offer the cheapest breaks, and how much you should be prepared to spend if you want to visit on a budget. Check out what the total cost of visiting Coachella would be – looking at the cost of flights and airport parking across all 50 states, alongside the cost of a ticket for the festival, how much you’d spend while you’re there on a budget, and overnight stays before and after.
2. Boston Calling
With five states searching for it the most, Boston Calling comes in joint second place. Popular with the east coasters (Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont).
Held over three days in May, previous performers have included Metallica, Twenty One Pilots, Eminem, and the Killers; and Alanis Morissette, Foo Fighters, and Niall Horan are all set to perform this year.
3. Lollapalooza
In joint third place is Chicago-based Lollapalooza, with Missouri, Ohio, Iowa, Indiana, and Illinois all searching for it the most. Taking place for four days every August at Grant Park, this year’s line-up includes Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar, and Lana Del Rey.
So, if you’ve been wondering which festivals to attend this year, hopefully this has helped you to decide which tickets to get, and where! Once you’ve booked your flights, don’t forget to sort your airport parking. From Philadelphia to San Francisco and everywhere in between, we help you to uncover the best deals. And, if you want to extend your vacation, then why not browse our range of airport hotel offers?
Methodology
A deep dive was taken into all-things festivalgoers would incorporate into their trip, from clear skies, to the cost of drinks, and more. Data was collected on:
- The number of festivals in each state (large festivals)
- Crime reports in 2021 (last year released)
- Average rain, sun, and temperature across each state all year around
- Cost of accommodation for 3 days in a 3* hotel
- Cost of a bottle of Smirnoff
- Number of airports in each state
- Google search data for “Music Festivals”
Each factor was then normalized and ranked to create the ultimate festival index for 2023.
