California Festivals

All across the Country we look forward to spring and summer for many reasons. I feel blessed to call California home. Something that brings out the masses quite literally, is the plethora of music-driven festivals dotting our Nation throughout the year. This post focuses on the array of happenings that will take place right here in beautiful California. The Golden State is boundless in its ability to captivate. Below is just a small sample of the festivals catching my eyes, and ears, with a handful of selections. Click the links for full lineups and details. Whether or not we all attend is another story. Spring has been gorgeous thus far, here's to summer's steady approach, and its chance to up the ante.

Enjoy the warm months,

Bottle Rock | May 30-June 1 | Napa Valley CA
*TV On the Radio, *The Black Angels, Weezer, De La Soul, Ben Sollee, Thee Oh Sees, & Outkast (I'm not so sure after Coachella)

Sierra Nevada World Music | June 20-22 | Boonville CA
*Seun Kuti, Sly & *Robbie, Barrington Levy, Ozomatli

Kate Wolf | June 27-29 | Laytonville CA
*Garth Hudson w/ his sister Maud, *The Wood Brothers, Playing for Change Band, Poor Man's Whiskey (Allman Brothers & Old and In the Way), Patchy Sanders, Anne & Pete Sibley

High Sierra | July 3-6 | Quincy CA
*STS9, *Darkwave, *Thao & the Get Down Stay Down, *Carolina Chocolate Drops, Lord Huron, Trampled By Turtles, Hard Working Americans, The Budos Band, Widespread Panic, The Del McCoury Band & the Travelin' McCoury's

Reggae on the River | July 31-August 3 | Humboldt Co. CA
*Alpha Blondy & the Solar System, *Third World, Jimmy Cliff, Israel Vibration

Outside Lands | August 8-10 | Golden Gate Park | SF
*Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, *Ray Lamontagne, *Lykke Li, *Jenny Lewis, *Phosphorescent, The Killers, Macklemore, Death Cab for Cutie, *Flaming Lips, Spoon, Atmosphere, Tegan & Sara, Haim, Chromeo, Local Natives, Tycho, Nicki Bluhm, Dum Dum Girls

First City | August 23-24 | Monterey CA
*Best Coast, *Beck, The National, Phantogram, Tokyo Police Club, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Dawes

Russian River Jazz & Blues | September 20-21 | Guernville CA
Gary Clark Jr., Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Roy Rogers & the Delta Rhythm Kings,

Treasure Island | October 18-19 | San Francisco Bay
Save the date, the line up has yet to be revealed. Those with an * are my must sees.

eightychoices.