Where to go for music: 15 music festivals in 2026

The music season is planned months in advance, not weeks. Tickets for major festivals sell out within days, and accommodation near the venues gets more expensive as the dates approach. We have rounded up the 2026 season festivals worth traveling for: from indie rock by the Mediterranean to drum and bass in Czechia. For each event you will find the venue, the crowd vibe, and the honest catches. Dates and lineups are updated every year, so check the festival's official website before buying a ticket.

Ad: this article contains affiliate links, we earn a commission if you book through them, at no extra cost to you.

Festival season 2026: what you need to know

💡 In short:

• Festival dates and lineups are announced several months in advance, and tickets and accommodation sell out even earlier.
• Venues and dates change from year to year, so check them on the official website before buying.
• Dates, venues, and main lineups: 09/2026, according to official festival websites

The 2026 season turned out uneven. Sónar in Barcelona has already passed, with its next date announced for June 17-19, 2027 (Sónar dates). The other venues are returning on their usual schedule.

1. Primavera Sound in Barcelona

© Canaan · CC BY-SAPhoto: Canaan, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0), Wikimedia Commons

The flagship of indie rock and experimental music in southern Europe. The main venue sits in Parc del Fòrum right by the sea, but concerts take place all over the city. Some performances on city stages are free to attend, so even without a ticket you can catch several shows. The same brand also runs in Porto, Portugal, so double-check the city when buying a ticket.

• Where: Parc del Fòrum, Barcelona
• When: annually in early June
• The catch: the Porto edition is easy to confuse with the Barcelona one, and a Barcelona ticket is not valid there.

Look for accommodation well before the festival dates: Barcelona hotels on Trip.com.

2. Governors ball in New York

A city festival on the lawns of Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens. The lineup is built on contrasts: hip-hop, electronic, and indie rock all share the same day. The venue is an easy subway ride from Manhattan, so you can look for accommodation in the center of the metropolis. In the evening the stage shifts into a nighttime program with DJs.

• Where: Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Queens, New York
• When: annually in June

3. Sónar and OFFSónar in Barcelona

The heart of electronic music and digital art. Beyond concerts, the festival hosts the Sónar+D conference on technology, climate, and artificial intelligence. The official venue cannot fit everyone who wants to attend, so OFFSónar runs parallel parties across the city. The next edition is scheduled for June 17-19, 2027 (calendar on the Sónar website).

© Nachetere · CC BY-SAPhoto: Nachetere, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0), Wikimedia Commons

• Where: Barcelona, Spain
• When: annually in June

4. Glastonbury in Somerset

© Czampal · CC BY-SAPhoto: Czampal, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0), Wikimedia Commons

One of the oldest and largest festivals in the world. The value here is not only in the headliners: the grounds are scattered with a labyrinth of hidden bars, small stages, and early-morning DJ sets. At night the Block9 area turns into one of the country's most vibrant clubs. The crowd comes from all over the world, and many create their own entertainment right in the tent campsite.

• Where: Pilton, Somerset, England
• When: annually in late June
• The catch: the festival is not taking place in 2026, with the next edition planned for 2027 (festival page).

5. Montreux Jazz Festival

© Quejaytee · CC BY-SAPhoto: Quejaytee, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0), Wikimedia Commons

A jazz festival on the shores of Lake Geneva. Two weeks of concerts take place across several stages, including Auditorium Stravinski and Montreux Jazz Lab. World-class stars perform on these stages, yet the atmosphere remains intimate. You will hear both genre classics and bold experiments here.

• Where: Montreux, Switzerland
• When: annually from late June to mid-July

Accommodation for the festival dates gets booked well in advance: hotels in Montreux on Trip.com.

6. Pitchfork music festival in Chicago

© swimfinfan from Chicago · CC BY-SAPhoto: swimfinfan from Chicago, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0), Wikimedia Commons

A festival in Chicago's Union Park, curated by the music publication Pitchfork. You may not recognize most of the names on the lineup, but the selection is usually impeccable. The grounds feature several stages and a temporary market with food, records, and artisan goods. The easiest way to get there is by bike: free parking is provided for them. In the fall, the same festival takes place in Berlin, Paris, and London.

• Where: Union Park, Chicago, USA
• When: in July, but the Chicago edition has been on hold since 2025

7. Let It Roll in Czechia

© Tiia Monto · CC BY-SAPhoto: Tiia Monto, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0), Wikimedia Commons

The world's largest drum and bass festival. It emerged on the Czech dance scene back in the early 2000s and has grown into an event that draws fans of the genre from across the globe. The program is built on fast tempos and dense sound, and the crowd is fiercely loyal. For many fans of the genre, this is the main trip of the year.

• Where: Czechia, near Prague
• When: every year in early August

8. Lollapalooza in Chicago

A four-day giant in Grant Park on the shore of Lake Michigan. Every evening features two headliners, and more than a hundred artists perform across several stages in total. The program blends pop, rap, electronic music, and indie rock. In 2026, the festival will run from July 30 to August 2 (official website). Besides Chicago, the brand holds its editions in Stockholm, Paris, and Berlin.

• Where: Grant Park, Chicago, USA
• When: every year in late July or early August

Accommodation near the lake gets snapped up fast: hotels in Chicago on Trip.com.

9. Newport jazz festival in Newport

Several days of pure jazz on open-air stages at Fort Adams State Park in Rhode Island. The lineup alternates between genre legends and new names, and between concerts you'll hear guitar solos, experimental jazz, and New Orleans influences. The program spans both veterans and young artists, so you'll hear the full spectrum of the genre.

© Todd Van Hoosear · CC BY-SAPhoto: Todd Van Hoosear, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0), Wikimedia Commons

• Where: Fort Adams State Park, Newport, Rhode Island, USA
• When: every year in early August

10. Outside lands in San Francisco

© Tuxyso · CC BY-SAPhoto: Tuxyso, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0), Wikimedia Commons

A festival in Golden Gate Park with winding paths and gardens. Besides music, there is a wine tasting tent and stands with local eco products. In a separate Soma Tent area, house music plays and DJs perform all day long. Parked bicycles and a relaxed crowd set the tone for the whole event. It is easy to get there by public transit, leaving the car at home.

• Where: Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, USA
• When: annually in August

11. Oktoberfest in Munich

© High Contrast · CC BYPhoto: High Contrast, CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/de/deed.en), Wikimedia Commons

The largest folk festival in the world on the Theresienwiese meadow. It is not only about beer: there is food, brass bands, fairground rides, and Bavarian traditions. In 2026, the 191st Oktoberfest will take place from September 19 to October 4 (official website).

• Where: Theresienwiese, Munich, Germany
• When: annually from mid-September to early October (in 2026: September 19 - October 4)

Accommodation in Munich for these dates is booked months in advance: Munich hotels on Trip.com.

12. Unsound in Krakow

A festival of contemporary and experimental music that first appeared back in the early 2000s. Venues are scattered across Krakow, and each year the program gets its own theme. The organizers actively work with artificial intelligence and unconventional sound. The lineup is announced late, so tickets are often bought blind.

• Where: Krakow, Poland
• When: annually in October

13. Power Trip in Indio

© Raph_PH · CC BYPhoto: Raph_PH, CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), Wikimedia Commons

A heavy rock and metal festival at the Empire Polo Club. Over three days, several bands play classics of the genre, and the evenings are divided among major acts on the scene. The venue sits in the middle of the desert, so heat and dust are part of the program. The crowd here is niche but devoted.

• Where: Empire Polo Club, Indio, California, USA
• When: held once, in October 2023
• The catch: the genre is narrow, only heavy rock and metal are played here.

14. Club to Club in Turin

© Luca Galli · CC BYPhoto: Luca Galli, CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), Wikimedia Commons

A northern Italian festival of cross-genre aesthetics. It runs alongside Artissima, the city's contemporary art fair. Avant-garde sound spreads across many venues, and the main location is an old hangar at the Fiat Lingotto Fiere plant. The sound and lighting are designed so that even familiar artists sound spectacular.

• Where: Lingotto Fiere, Turin, Italy
• When: annually in November

Evening concerts are complemented by daytime walks around the city: Turin tours on GetYourGuide.

15. Le Guess Who? in Utrecht

A festival in the Dutch student city of Utrecht, where musicians from a wide range of genres come together. Performances take place not only in clubs but also in churches, warehouses, and galleries. The lineup and curators are announced late, but the program always turns out unexpected. It is easy to discover artists here that you had never heard of before.

© Sebastiaan ter Burg from Utrecht, The Netherlands · CC BYPhoto: Sebastiaan ter Burg from Utrecht, The Netherlands, CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), Wikimedia Commons

• Where: Utrecht, Netherlands
• When: annually in November

⁉️🤔 Frequently asked questions

When is the best time to buy music festival tickets?

For major festivals, tickets are released in waves several months before the date, and the first batches are the cheapest. Follow the festival's official website and newsletter, because announcements often come suddenly. Accommodation should be booked right after buying a ticket.

Why is Glastonbury not happening in 2026?

The organizers regularly give the festival a year off to let the land in Pilton rest. So plans and tickets should be moved to the next season.

How do the festivals in Barcelona differ?

Primavera Sound focuses on indie rock and guitar music by the sea, and some concerts there are free. Sónar is built on electronic music, digital art, and the Sónar+D conference about technology. Both take place in June, so in any given year you will have to choose one.

How to get to the festival and where to stay?

First choose the venue, then look for accommodation near it or on a direct metro or train line. During festival days, hotel prices rise and available rooms disappear quickly. Hotels on Trip.com will help you compare options in advance.

Is it worth going to a festival for a single headliner?

Usually not. The program of major festivals is built on dozens of artists, and one evening rarely justifies the whole trip. Look at the overall lineup and the atmosphere: at Glastonbury, Outside Lands, and Le Guess Who? the value is in the environment, not in one name.

In short: what to book

If you are going for indie rock, get Primavera Sound in Barcelona. For electronic music and digital art, head to Sónar. For jazz, choose between Montreux Jazz Festival and Newport Jazz Festival. For a beer atmosphere, Oktoberfest works well; for experimental music, keep Unsound in mind. Accommodation and tours are easy to book in advance: hotels on Trip.com and tours on GetYourGuide.