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Relax in a hammock before sipping a frozen cocktail at the nearest beach club. Then, take a turn at Roller Disco. Be sure to set aside time to catch blockbusters like Lil Nas X, Paramore, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers in the prime location on the main stage.
Next week’s beach party bash kicks off next week on the Gulf Coast near Alabama — just in time for the next Mardi Gras to appease South Louisianans. It’s one of several events in the Southeast that promise top-notch talent, unique experiences and parties that go well beyond standard concerts.
From folk magic around a Texas campfire to epic art and EDM mash-ups outside of Atlanta, this summer offers music lovers plenty of travel-worthy festivals.
Hangouts Festival, May 19-21
Gulf Shores, AL (3+ hour drive)
Scale: 40,000 participants per day
Cost: From $349, three-day admission only
Alabama’s largest music festival stalled on the scene.
“It’s a festival on a big, beautiful beach,” said Reeves Price, vice president of Gulf Coast for AEG Presents, who made his name in Buku. “You can hang out with friends on the sand by the water and see some of the biggest names in rock, pop and dance music.”
Backed by the same company that produces Coachella, expect the same youthful vibe and Tik Tok-worthy aesthetic. In addition to music on six stages, concert-goers can play in the waves, hitch up cabanas, make morels at sunset, and hold weddings in the on-site chapel. VIPs enjoyed the stage-side swimming pool.
Pro Tip: Parking at the beach is nearly impossible. Choose from a $70 weekend shuttle ticket or on-site bike parking.
Kerrville Folk Festival, May 25-June 11
Kerrville, Texas (7.5+ hours by car)
Scale: 30,000 attendees in 18 days
Cost: Daily admission starts at $32
For more than half a century, folk enthusiasts have flocked to the picturesque Texas mountains to participate in this event. Known simply as “Kerrville” by believers, it often attracts genre greats. In headline news for 2023, Tony and Grammy winner Anaïs Mitchell of Broadway’s Hadestown will hit the main stage on May 27.
Workshops on harmonica, ukulele, songwriting and more fill the day. The midnight show on the Moontower Acoustic Stage runs into the wee hours of the morning.
But the festival’s most popular feature remains unscheduled. Many say the campground is the best place in Kerrville, thanks to the intimacy and impromptu bonfire shows of visiting talent.
“It’s like a music village,” said Shannon Holt, who oversees marketing for the festival. “That’s the magic of Kerrville.”
Rock the South, July 20-22
Cullman, AL (5.5+ hour drive)
Scale: about 65,000 pieces in three days
Cost: From $210, three-day admission only
Gulf Coast jams in Panama City Beach may be selling out. But farther afield, the boot-and-belt buckle-clad crowd can enjoy country stars and old-school acts headlined by Tennessee whiskey singer Chris Stapleton on Rock the South.
Dubbed “the biggest party in the South,” the three-day extravaganza was born out of a scene familiar to many Louisianans: recovering from a natural disaster. Tornadoes swept across the state in 2011. Since then, the festival has donated more than $700,000 to the community.
Recent additions to the festival include improvements to the RV and auto camping areas, as well as giant LED screens around the stage. Pro tip: Don’t sleep on top-notch Alabama barbecue from local vendors.
WC Handy Music Festival, July 21-30
Florence, AL (6.5+ hours by car)
Scale: 40,000 visitors in 7 days
Fee: free
Celebrate legendary blues in the “Hit Record Capital of the World” during a week-long extravaganza that turns high streets, restaurants, parks, libraries and more into live music venues.
Spread across four cities collectively known as The Shoals – Florence, Tuscumbia, Muscle Shoals and Sheffield – one of the largest free music festivals in the country features home-grown blues composer and musician William Cleese Named after Handy. But visitors will also find local rock and country performers at more than 200 shows, not to mention plenty of time to party at the fabled FAME and Muscle Shoals recording studios.
Start in charming Florence city center and wind your way from there.
“Usually anywhere you can host a live concert,” says Tyler Dolan, the tourism bureau’s sales manager. “It’s pretty much everywhere.”
Imagine Music Festival, September 14-17
Kingston Downs, Georgia (7+ hours drive)
Scale: 30,000 attendees per day
Cost: $269, three-day pass
Held on 5,000 lush acres along the Etowah River, this event is synonymous with being there.
More than 100 artists captivate concertgoers in styles of house, techno, trance, dubstep and more on four nature-themed stages. Legendary art installations spew fire or radiate lasers as new artwork is created in real time. From yoga and reiki classes to workshops using quantum manifestation to warp reality, powerful self-enrichment programs are combined with afternoon pool parties and other fun.
“We want our guests to leave with an amazingly positive experience that inspires them to use their imaginations and chase their dreams,” said Madeleine Goodhand, owner and president of Imagine.
The remote surroundings of northwest Atlanta make RV or tent camping a smart choice.
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