Festival Frenzy: Okayplayer's Guide To The Best Music Festivals Of Summer 2016
Budding star Anderson .Paak will continue a breakout year with a busy summer at music festivals.
Summer is officially here, and aside from the warm weather, it's music fans' favorite time of the year: festival season. Fans around the country will be rounding up their friends, family, and fellow music lovers to get their tickets and see their favorite artists hit the stage. Starting this weekend, the festivals will be on full swing. The Roots Picnic in Philly will highlight Saturday's lineup of shows, and the rest of the summer will bring festivals around the country to Chicago, New Orleans, Brooklyn, Seattle, Los Angeles and other cities.
Some of the festivals will see artists capitalize from the love their 2015-2016 releases have received. Kendrick Lamar will continue his To Pimp A Butterfly and untitled unmastered. victory lap with performances at Essence Music Festival, Panorama and FYF Fest, and Future will continue his reign at Roots Picnic, Lollapalooza and Hot 97's Summer Jam. The Internet, Kaytranada, Thundercat, and Skepta are also among the hundreds of artists who will appear at this summer's festivals.
So if you're feeling a little overwhelmed by the shear amount of options. Worry no longer. We've got you covered. Here's a complete festival guide, month by month, for you to plan your summers accordingly. Which ones are you looking forward to the most? Let us know in the comments!
Roots Picnic
Who: Usher, Future, Leon Bridges, The Roots, Blood Orange, Kehlani, Kaytranada, Swizz Beatz, Jidenna, Ibeyi, DMX, Metro Boomin, Migos, Lil Dicky, Lolawolf, Willow Smith, Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals, Everyday People feat. DJ Moma, Lil Uzi Vert, Rich Medina, Tish Hyman, Paris Monster, Good Morrow, Jodie Abacus
When: Saturday, June 4
Where: Festival Pier, Philadelphia, Pa.
Tickets:Ticketmaster
Blaze N Glory
Who: Nas, Dilated Peoples, Stephen Marley
When: Saturday, June 4
Where: San Manuel Amphitheater, San Bernadino, Calif.
Tickets:Ticketmaster
Governor's Ball
Who: Kanye West, Flying Lotus, De La Soul, Joey Bada$$, Action Bronson, Big Grams
When: Friday, June 3 - Sunday, June 5
Where: Randall's Island Park, New York City
Tickets:Eventbrite
Free Press Summer Fest
Who: Collegegrove (Lil Wayne and 2 Chainz), Mac Miller, Leon Bridges, Big Grams, Jaime XX
When: Saturday, June 4
Where: Eleanor Tinsley Park, Houston, Tx.
Tickets:FPSF
We Love Green
Who: LCD Soundsystem, Diplo, Dam-Funk, James Blake
When: Saturday, June 4 - Sunday, June 5
Where: Paris, France
Tickets:WeLoveGreen
Northside Festival
Who: Questlove, Peanut Butter Wolf, SAMIYAM, Brian Wilson
When: June 6 - 12
Where: Brooklyn, NY
Tickets: Eventbrite
Bonnaroo
Who: Miguel, Vince Staples, Tyler The Creator, GoldLink, Allen Stone, The Internet
When: June 9-12
Where: Manchester, TN
Tickets: Bonnaroo
North By Northeast
Who: Ghostface Killah, Schoolboy Q, Shamir, Kamasi Washington
When: June 13 - 19
Where: Toronto, ON
Tickets: NXNE
Firefly Music Festival
Who: Earth, Wind & Fire, A$AP Rocky, Disclosure, Tame Impala, D.R.A.M
When: June, 16 - 19
Where: Dover, DE
Tickets:Firefly
Electric Forest
Who: Egyptian Lover, Baauer, AlunaGeorge, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Soul Clap
When: June 23 - 26
Where: Rothbury, Michigan
Tickets: Electric Forest
Summerfest
Who: Common, The Roots, Kool & The Gang, Morris Day & The Time, Bobby Rush, Femi Kuti
When: June 29 - July 3, July 5 - 10
Where: Milwaukee, WI
Tickets: Summerfest
Montreal Jazz Festival
Who: Bilal, Miss Lauryn Hill, Jamie Woods, Brian Wilson, Danny Brown, Gregory Porter, Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five, Robert Glasper, Son Little
When: June 29 - July 9
Where: Montreal, Quebec
Tickets: Montreal Jazz Festival
Essence Festival
Who: Kendrick Lamar, Digable Planets, Estelle, The Brand New Heavies, Andra Day, Little Simz, Charlie Wilson, Maxwell, Kehlani
When: June 30 - July 3
Where: New Orleans, LA
Tickets: Essence
Mamby On the Beach
Who: Lupe Fiasco, Kaytranada, Santigold, Chromeo, Mayer Hawthorne
When: July 2-3
Where: Chicago, IL
Tickets: Flavorus
Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival
Who: Nas & The Soul Rebels, Talib Kweli, Rapsody
When: July 13 -16
Where: Brooklyn, NY
Tickets: Eventbrite
Forecastle Festival
Who: Ben Harper, Alabama Shakes, Hudson Mohawke, Glass Animals, Gary Clark Jr., Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Washed Out
When: July 15 - 17
Where: Louisville, KY
Tickets: Forecastle
Pitchfork Festival
Who: Anderson .Paak, BJ The Chicago Kid, Beach House, Blood Orange, Mick Jenkins, NAO, Sun Ra Arkestra, FKA twigs
When: July 15 - 17
Where: Chicago, IL
Tickets: Pitchfork
Panorama Music Festival
Who: Kaytranada, Kendrick Lamar, Madlib, Anderson . Paak, A$AP Rocky, Blood Orange, Run The Jewels, Schoolboy Q, Tokimonsta
When: July 22 -24
Where: New York City, NY
Tickets: Panorama
Lollapalooza
Who: J. Cole, Danny Brown, Hiatus Kaiyote, Future, Mr. Carmack, A$AP Ferg, Vic Mensa, Bryson Tiller
When: July 28 - 31
Where: Chicago, IL
Tickets: Lollapalooza
Outside Lands Music Festival
Who: Chance The Rapper, Hiatus Kaiyote, J. Cole, Lionel Richie, Radiohead
When: August 5 - 7
Where: San Francisco, CA
Tickets: Outside Lands
Pickathon Music Festival
Who: Beach House, Mac DeMarco, King Sunny Ade, Ibeyi, Dan Deacon, BADBADNOTGOOD, Golden Rules, Adia Victoria, Open Mike Eagle
When: August 5 - 7
Where: Happy Valley, OR
Tickets: Brown Paper Tickets
FYF Festival
Who: Grace Jones, Blood Orange, Kamaiyah, Charles Bradley, Young Thug, Rae Sremmurd
When: August 27 - 28
Where: Los Angeles, CA
Tickets: AEG
Afropunk Festival
Who: Janelle Monae, Flying Lotus, George Clinton & Parliament-Funkadelic, Earl Sweatshirt, Saul Williams, Thundercat, Sango
When: August 27 - 28
Where: Brooklyn, NY
Tickets: Afropunk