5 Summer Music Festivals In Massachusetts You Don’t Want To Miss
At long last, music festivals have returned to Massachusetts, and they're back in full swing. Find the best fests of the season here.
Who needs Coachella when you’ve got stellar music festivals with world-class acts in Boston this summer? Whether you’re looking for a laidback summer vibe or a rowdy rager, Massachusetts has a great selection of festivals to check out this summer. We’ve compiled a lsit of the best ones – plus ticket prices and headlining acts. Party on!
1. Boston Calling: May 27-29
Boston’s biggest music festival, Boston Calling is a huge deal – with multiple stages, a Ferris wheel, and crowds upwards of 40,000 people in years past! While the festival used to be held twice a year in City Plaza, it has since expanded and now takes place at the Harvard Athletic Complex.
When: May 27-29
Where: Harvard Athletic Complex
Tickets: Day tickets will run you $145, while 3-day passes cost $369.
Headliners: Nine Inch Nails, The Strokes, Metallica, Glass Animals, Haim, Modest Mouse, Weezer
2. Solid Sound Festival: May 27-29
Bad news: Solid Sound Festival is the same weekend as Boston Calling. Good news: if smaller crowds and chill music is more your vibe, this is the place for you! Hosted at MASS MoCA, the largest museum of contemporary art in the country, this event is hosted by Wilco in a stunning part of the Berkshire Mountains.
When: May 27-29
Where: 1040 Mass MoCA Way, North Adams, Mass. 01247
Tickets: 3-day passes are $249, single-day passes range from $89 on Friday and Sunday to $149 on Saturday.
Headliners: Japanese Breakfast, Wilco, Sylvan Esso
3. Green River Music Fest
Green River started in 1987 as a ballooning festival, but 35 years later, it’s a multi-day music fest with world-class acts. Hosted at the Franklin County Fairgrounds this year, the festival takes place on over 28 acres of land, with good accessibility and good infrastructure (restrooms, water, parking, etc.). It’s one of the coolest events western Mass. has to offer!
When: June 24-26
Where: Franklin County Fairgrounds, 89 Wisdom Way, Greenfield, MA
Tickets: Weekend passes are $170 (but only $95 for students!), individual passes range from $55 on Friday to $75 on Saturday and Sunday.
Headliners: Lake Street Drive, Father John Misty, Guster
4. Levitate Music Festival
This grassroots music and arts festival is just 30 minutes south of Boston, and it’s got all the coolest folk, rock, and funk bands in the country performing this year. The organizers are a community-oriented surf and skate shop who started the fest as an anniversary party in 2013, but it was such a success that it’s now an annual event.
When: July 8-10
Where: 140 Main Street, Marshfield,MA 02050
Tickets: 3-day passes are $219, one-day passes are $89
Headliners: Jack Johnson, Vulfpeck, Phil Lesh
5. Beach Road Weekend
Beach Road Festival is a three-day festival in Martha’s Vineyard, and it’s the ideal end-of-summer bash in a picturesque location.
When: August 26-28
Where: Veterans Memorial Park in Martha’s Vineyard
Tickets: 3-day passes are sold out, but single-day tickets are coming soon for 150$
Headliners: Beck, Wilco, Avett Brothers, Khruangbin
See also: A Fairytale Rose Garden In Fenway Just Opened For The Season
[featured image: Facebook / Boston Calling]