Fall Music Festivals to Get on Your Radar

2024-07-24

A young woman dancing at a fall music festival amid a sunset.

Here are some great fall music festivals to get on your radar – Author: Cat Badra, Photo via Krists Luhaers

Even though the summertime is known for its great music festivals, that doesn’t mean you should overlook fall music festivals. Autumn is a great time to head to a music festival, especially because the weather can be more scorching than some of the hot, sizzling summer fests. I personally enjoy going to fall music festivals more than summer ones, because there’s something cool and crisp in the air, and the music just seems more alive. In that spirit, here are some fall music festivals to get on your radar. I hope this list opens up your fall travel schedule to some exciting new possibilities.

Fall Music Festivals to Get on Your Radar

BluesFest Michigan

BluesFest Michigan is an open-air festival in the picturesque Old Town of Lansing, Michigan. The event features different styles of blues and brings in both new talent and veterans. This year’s event is set for Sept. 18 through 21. Performers are still pending, but they never disappoint. The Michigan Institute for Contemporary Arts runs this festival, along with JazzFest, which takes place from July 31 through Aug. 4 in Old Town, Lansing.

Goldrush Music Festival

Goldrush Music Festival is set for the Phoenix Raceway in Avondale, Arizona, from October 4 through 5. Headliners include Alesso, The Chainsmokers, Slander and Black Tiger Sex Machine, and other acts, such as Ganja White Night, will also be there. Recent additions to the lineup include &Friends, Alix Perez, ANATTA, Andruss, San Pacho, Nealson, Sound Rush and more.

Lost Lands Festival

Lost Lands Festival returns this year, offering three days of bass music. The 7th annual event will take place at Legend Valley in Thornville, Ohio, on Sept. 20 through 22. Apashe, Boogie T, Deathpact, Dirt Monkey, DJ Snake, Excision, Level Up, Levity, Mersiv, Subtronics, Zeds Dead and more will all take the stage at the event.

Louder than Life

Louder than Life festival will feature a Slayer reunion, as well as headliners Slipknot, Motley Crue and Korn. The four-day festival is set for Sept. 26 to 29 at the Highland Festival Grounds at Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, Kentucky. Other performers include Judas Priest, Disturbed, Five Finger Death Punch, Evanescence, Falling in Reverse, Mastodon, Clutch, Breaking Benjamin, The Offspring, Staind, Till Lindemann, In This Moment, Chevelle, Dropkick Murphys, Halestorm, Gojira, Sum 41, Three 6 Mafia, Seether, Tom Morello, Anthrax, Highly Suspect, Body Count, Spiritbox, Sevendust, Poppy, Filter, Eagles of Death Metal, Juliette Lewis and the Licks, Marky Ramone Plays the Ramones Classics, PUP, Helmet, Soul Glo, Show Me the Body, HEALTH and more.

Riot Fest

This year’s Riot Fest take place from Sept. 20 through 22 in Bridgeview, Illinois, near Chicago. Expect more than 90 bands to perform over three days, including headline sets from Fall Out Boy, Beck, Slayer and Pavement. Of course, one of the big draws this year is the reunion of Slayer. This one caught people off guard, including me. It really seemed like Slayer were done for good, but they’re back with a few reunion gigs this year.

Have a festival that you want highlighted in Audio Ink Radio publications? Contact editor Anne Erickson at anne@audioinkradio.com.

Cat Badra
Latest posts by Cat Badra (see all)
Posted by Cat Badra | Features, Metal, Music, Rock