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Events · Top 10

The 10 Best Music Festivals in the United States in 2027

By Kory White · Updated Oct 2026 · 5 min read
Coachella
Direct answer

Coachella is the best music festival in the United States for 2027, with Summerfest at #2 and Electric Daisy Carnival Las Vegas at #3. The order is based on published total attendance first, then on peak or daily crowds, then on history.

At a glance

#PickWhenBest for
1CoachellaApril 9-11 & April 16-18, 2027The biggest crowd and the headline lineup of the U.S. festival year
2SummerfestJune 24-26, July 1-3 and July 8-10, 2027Many days of music on the Lake Michigan shore
3Electric Daisy Carnival Las VegasMay 14-16 & 21-23, 2027Dance music on the biggest scale in the country
4Lollapalooza2027 dates not yet announced; 2026 ran July 30 – Aug 2A big festival you can reach by train and stay at a hotel
5Austin City Limits Music Festival2027 dates not yet announced; 2026 ran Oct 2-4 & 9-11An autumn festival with two weekends to choose from
6Outside LandsAugust 6-8, 2027Music plus food and wine in a city park
7StagecoachApril 23-25, 2027Country music on Coachella’s grounds
8Newport Folk FestivalJuly 23-25, 2027Folk and roots music by the harbor, with a long history
9Governors Ball2027 dates not yet announced; 2026 ran June 5-7New York City’s big multi-genre weekend
10Shaky Knees2027 dates not yet announced; 2026 ran Sept 18-20Indie and rock fans in the South

Pick by what you want

Biggest crowd
Coachella
Most days of music
Summerfest
Best for dance music
Electric Daisy Carnival Las Vegas
Best for country
Stagecoach
Best for folk
Newport Folk Festival

The ranking

1

Coachella

Coachella
Photo: Raph_PH / CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Answrs VerdictThe largest U.S. music festival by total attendance.
When: April 9-11 & April 16-18, 2027Where: Empire Polo Club, Indio, CaliforniaCrowd: Around 750,000 visitors across its two weekends in 2025 (six days in total, about 125,000 attendees per day)Founded: 1999

Coachella returns to the Empire Polo Club in Indio on April 9-11 & April 16-18, 2027. Founded in 1999, it drew around 750,000 visitors across its two weekends in 2025, about 125,000 attendees per day over six days.

Go ifThe biggest crowd and the headline lineup of the U.S. festival year
Skip ifYou want a one-weekend festival in a city center
Why #1 over #2: Around 750,000 visitors in 2025 top Summerfest’s roughly 600,000 the same year.
2

Summerfest

Summerfest
Photo: Ryan Dickey from Evanston, IL / Chicago, United States / CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Answrs VerdictMilwaukee’s three-weekend lakefront festival.
When: June 24-26, July 1-3 and July 8-10, 2027Where: Henry Maier Festival Park, Milwaukee, WisconsinCrowd: Roughly 600,000 attendees in 2025, over a nine-day run2026: Summerfest 2026 drew 613,475 attendeesTitle: Known as “The World’s Largest Music Festival”, a title certified by Guinness World Records in 1999

Summerfest fills Henry Maier Festival Park in Milwaukee on June 24-26, July 1-3 and July 8-10, 2027. It drew roughly 600,000 attendees over a nine-day run in 2025, and Summerfest 2026 drew 613,475 attendees. Its “World’s Largest Music Festival” title was certified by Guinness World Records in 1999.

Go ifMany days of music on the Lake Michigan shore
Skip ifYou want one compact weekend
Why #2 over #3: Roughly 600,000 attendees in 2025 beat the around 525,000 EDC Las Vegas drew that year.
3

Electric Daisy Carnival Las Vegas

Electric Daisy Carnival Las Vegas
Answrs VerdictThe world’s largest electronic dance music festival.
When: May 14-16 & 21-23, 2027Where: Las Vegas Motor SpeedwayCrowd: Around 525,000 visitors in three days in 2025Status: The largest electronic dance music festival worldwideIn Las Vegas: Since 2011

EDC Las Vegas has been held in Las Vegas since 2011 and is the largest electronic dance music festival worldwide. It drew around 525,000 visitors in three days in 2025, and in 2027 it runs May 14-16 & 21-23 at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Go ifDance music on the biggest scale in the country
Skip ifYou want rock, folk or country
Why #3 over #4: Around 525,000 visitors in 2025 top Lollapalooza’s about 460,000 the same year.
4

Lollapalooza

Lollapalooza
Answrs VerdictChicago’s four-day festival in Grant Park.
When: 2027 dates not yet announced; 2026 ran July 30 – Aug 2Where: Grant Park, ChicagoCrowd: About 460,000 people over four days in 2025History: Started as a touring event in 1991; settled permanently in Chicago in 2005

Lollapalooza started as a touring event in 1991 and settled permanently in Chicago in 2005. It drew about 460,000 people over four days in Grant Park in 2025; the 2026 festival ran July 30 – Aug 2, and 2027 dates are not yet announced.

Go ifA big festival you can reach by train and stay at a hotel
Skip ifYou want to camp
Why #4 over #5: About 460,000 people in 2025 edge ACL’s total attendance of 450,000 that year.
5

Austin City Limits Music Festival

Austin City Limits Music Festival
Photo: Jack Newton / CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Answrs VerdictAustin’s two-weekend festival in Zilker Park.
When: 2027 dates not yet announced; 2026 ran Oct 2-4 & 9-11Where: Zilker Park, Austin, TexasCrowd: 75,000 attendees per day for six days in 2025, a total attendance of 450,000Founded: 2002

Austin City Limits, founded in 2002, runs over two weekends in Zilker Park. In 2025 it drew 75,000 attendees per day for six days, a total attendance of 450,000. The 2026 festival ran Oct 2-4 & 9-11; 2027 dates are not yet announced.

Go ifAn autumn festival with two weekends to choose from
Skip ifYou want a summer date
Why #5 over #6: A total attendance of 450,000 in 2025 is more than the over 200,000 Outside Lands drew in 2026.
6

Outside Lands

Outside Lands
Answrs VerdictSan Francisco’s three days in Golden Gate Park.
When: August 6-8, 2027Where: Golden Gate Park, San FranciscoCrowd: Over 200,000 people in 2026, with roughly 75,000 attendees per dayFounded: 2008Beyond music: A music, art, food, wine, beer and cannabis festival

Outside Lands, founded in 2008, is a music, art, food, wine, beer and cannabis festival in Golden Gate Park. It drew over 200,000 people in 2026, with roughly 75,000 attendees per day, and returns August 6-8, 2027.

Go ifMusic plus food and wine in a city park
Skip ifYou want warm summer weather
Why #6 over #7: Outside Lands published a three-day total of over 200,000 for 2026, while Stagecoach’s latest published figure is a record peak of 80,000 in 2019.
7

Stagecoach

Stagecoach
Answrs VerdictThe world’s biggest country music festival.
When: April 23-25, 2027Where: Empire Polo Club, Indio, CaliforniaCrowd: A record peak of 80,000 in 2019Status: The largest and highest-grossing country music festival in the worldFirst held: 2007

Stagecoach, first held in 2007, is the largest and highest-grossing country music festival in the world. It set a record peak of 80,000 in 2019 and returns to the Empire Polo Club in Indio on April 23-25, 2027.

Go ifCountry music on Coachella’s grounds
Skip ifYou want a mix of genres
Why #7 over #8: A record peak of 80,000 is far above the more than 10,000 a day Newport Folk expected in 2026.
8

Newport Folk Festival

Newport Folk Festival
Photo: Weekly Dig / CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Answrs VerdictAmerica’s historic folk festival at Fort Adams.
When: July 23-25, 2027Where: Fort Adams State Park, Newport, Rhode IslandCrowd: More than 10,000 people expected each day of the sold-out 2026 festivalSince: 1959

The Newport Folk Festival has run since 1959 and is staged at Fort Adams State Park. More than 10,000 people were expected each day of the sold-out 2026 festival, and the 2027 festival is set for July 23-25, 2027.

Go ifFolk and roots music by the harbor, with a long history
Skip ifYou want a giant crowd and big production
Why #8 over #9: Newport Folk published a daily crowd of more than 10,000 for 2026; Governors Ball publishes no attendance figure.
9

Governors Ball

Governors Ball
Answrs VerdictNew York’s three-day festival by the Unisphere.
When: 2027 dates not yet announced; 2026 ran June 5-7Where: Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Queens, New York CityLaunched: 2011Genres: Rock, electronic, hip-hop, indie, Americana, pop and folk

Governors Ball, launched in 2011, mixes rock, electronic, hip-hop, indie, Americana, pop and folk at Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens. The 2026 festival ran June 5-7; 2027 dates are not yet announced.

Go ifNew York City’s big multi-genre weekend
Skip ifYou need a published crowd figure or 2027 dates now
Why #9 over #10: Launched in 2011, it has a longer record than Shaky Knees, founded in 2013.
10

Shaky Knees

Shaky Knees
Answrs VerdictAtlanta’s indie and rock festival in Piedmont Park.
When: 2027 dates not yet announced; 2026 ran Sept 18-20Where: Piedmont Park, Atlanta, GeorgiaFounded: 2013, by Tim Sweetwood2026: Sold out

Shaky Knees, founded in 2013 by Tim Sweetwood, sold out its 2026 festival at Piedmont Park in Atlanta on Sept 18-20. 2027 dates are not yet announced.

Go ifIndie and rock fans in the South
Skip ifYou want pop or dance headliners

How we ranked these

We ranked each festival on its latest published total attendance first, then on a published peak or daily crowd where no total is out, then on history. Dates come from each festival’s own site; where 2027 dates are not out yet, we say so and give the 2026 dates. Bonnaroo is left off because it is taking 2027 off. Facts are taken from each maker's own published information; check the official site before you buy.

Questions people ask

What is the biggest music festival in the US?

Coachella. It drew around 750,000 visitors across its two weekends in 2025, about 125,000 attendees per day, the largest total of any U.S. music festival.

When is Coachella 2027?

April 9-11 & April 16-18, 2027, at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California.

When is Summerfest 2027?

June 24-26, July 1-3 and July 8-10, 2027, at Henry Maier Festival Park in Milwaukee.

When is EDC Las Vegas 2027?

May 14-16 & 21-23, 2027, at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Latest published total attendance (people) at a glance

Outside Lands200,000 people
Austin City Limits Music Festival450,000 people
Lollapalooza460,000 people
Electric Daisy Carnival Las Vegas525,000 people
Summerfest600,000 people
Coachella750,000 people
Latest published total attendance (people), as published by each maker. Picks without a published figure are left off.

Official sites

Sources

Prices, specs and availability change; confirm on the official site before you buy.