Your guide to some of the music festivals returning to the stage this fall
Two of the country’s biggest music festivals – Summerfest in Milwaukee, Wis., and Bonnaroo in Manchester, Tenn. – pushed their typical summer events to September, joining a lineup of music festivals that regularly hold their outdoor events in the fall.
In putting together this year’s list, there are as many regional music fests that are skipping 2021 as there are planned events, but because it was a crowded field that still leaves a variety to choose from.
Summerfest and Bonnaroo are both Labor Day weekend. Closer to Wichita, Rocklahoma in Pryor, Okla., moved from its usual Memorial Day timing to Labor Day weekend. These events launch a season with music festivals every weekend stretching into mid-October.
But you’ll need to plan ahead as many organizers are reporting sellouts with others near sellouts, attributed to a combination of tickets carried over from canceled events and eager fans.
Another item to plan for: Organizers are continually making changes to attendance guidelines, as they are monitoring public health conditions and working with their local health officials to determine ways to safely hold their events.
Lollapalooza drew about 385,000 people to a lakefront park in Chicago the first weekend of August. Attendees had to show proof of vaccination or a recent negative COVID-19 test. Two weeks after the event, health officials released data showing at least 88% of people who attended were vaccinated and 203 cases of COVID-19 were tied to the festival, the Associated Press reported.
Two weeks ago, the Roots N Blues Festival in Columbia, Mo., announced it will require a recent negative COVID-19 test or proof of vaccination to attend the Sept. 24-26 festival. Organizers also urged even those who are vaccinated to get a test before attending the festival that has a special theme this year: Every act is female led, from Grammy-winning headliners Sheryl Crow, Mavis Staples and Brandi Carlile to up-and-coming Tank and The Bangas (nominated for a 2020 Grammy) and all-female mariachi band Flor de Toloache (winners of a Latin Grammy).
Safety practices vary from event to event, and it’s wise to keep an eye on details for any event you plan to attend, as the rules can change between now and when it takes place.
On Thursday, officials with the Walnut Valley Festival held in Winfield, 40 miles south of Wichita, released an update on COVID safety protocols that will be enforced on festival grounds.
Organizers had already announced the 49th annual Walnut Valley Festival would be a hybrid. Appalachian Road Show, 3 Trails West, and The Dillards are among a 30-act lineup and eight acoustic instrument contests that will take place on four stages in person Sept. 15-19. There will also be a livestreaming option to see performers on the main stage if you’re not comfortable coming to the event.
Walnut Valley is not requiring proof of vaccinations or tests, but organizers are encouraging those who plan to attend to get vaccinated and tested before attending.
They’ve created a pre-festival vaccination campaign, hosting vaccination clinics with prizes and planning a raffle for anyone who has taken one of the COVID vaccines, whatever their location, by the end of August. The deadline to enter is Aug. 31 and full details are available at www.wvfest.com/ipicklivemusic.
Walnut Valley also is offering special wristbands for those on grounds who have elected to get vaccinated. Other precautions planned: one-way traffic flow, increased air flow and mandatory mask-wearing in buildings and the area under the grandstand seating where vendor booths are set up; masks required of all staff and workers interacting with the public; masks required to ride the shuttle and encouraged in high-density crowd environments; hand washing and sanitizing stations; on-site testing available each morning.
Folk singer and songwriter John McCutcheon came up with the idea to write a call-to-action song so Walnut Valley and other festivals can happen. McCutcheon, based in Georgia, has performed at 38 of the 48 previous festivals. The lyrics for “Like We Did” remind listeners of our ability to come together to defeat a common enemy as we did during WWII and the terrorist attacks of 9/11.
He created a six-minute video of him playing the song interspersed with clips of musicians from this year’s lineup including Bing Futch, Tom Chapin and Missy Raines supporting the message: Get vaccinated so we can all come together for live music and festivals.
“John wrote that song out of frustration,” said Rex Flottman, media director of the Walnut Valley Association. “He wants the opportunity to go out and see people and share all the new songs he’s written while he’s been stuck at home. He told me that he wanted to convey that if people want to enjoy live performances from artists like him who need to make a living, they need to go a little bit of distance, too. They need help us to be able to do it safely and not risk our health and our well-being trying to provide live music.”
If you’re looking to enjoy your favorite music genre during the cooler fall temps, there’s a festival within driving distance of Wichita nearly every weekend. There are also several in cities with direct flights from Wichita. Watch festivals’ social media channels and websites to keep up with any lineup changes or adjustments to attendance requirements.
Here are a few to consider:
Sept. 2-5, Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, Manchester, Tenn.: Headliners: Foo Fighters, Lizzo, Grand Ole Opry and Tyler, The Creator, bonnaroo.com
Sept. 2-4, 9-11 & 16-18, Summerfest, Milwaukee, Wis.: Headliners include Luke Bryan, Jonas Brothers, Chance the Rapper and Miley Cyrus, summerfest.com.
Sept. 3-4, ICT Fest, Wichita: Free all-ages event with 40+ performances across genres scheduled at City Skate Park and Naftzger Park, along with late-night 21-and-older concerts at Kirby’s, ictfest.com
Sept. 3-5, Rocklahoma, Pryor, Okla.: Headliners include Rob Zombie, Slipknot and limpbizkit, rocklahoma.com
Sept. 9-12, Dancefestopia, La Cygne, Kan.: Electronic music and camping fest south of Kansas City with 150+ artists on four stages, including headliners Griz, Zeds Dead and Rezz, dancefestopia.com
Sept. 10-11, Bluegrass & Chili Festival, Wagoner, Okla.: Headliners include Rhonda Vincent & The Rage, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Edgar Loudermilk Band among others, bluegrasschilifest.com
Sept. 11, Crossroads Music Fest, Kansas City: Two outdoor venues in Crossroads and two outdoor venues in West Bottoms, more than 30 acts including The Freedom Affair, Arquesta Del SolSoul and Deshica Rage with Jessica Paige & Kadesh Flow, cmfkc.com
Sept. 15-19, Walnut Valley Festival, Winfield, Kan.: Headliners include Appalachian Road Show, 3 Trails West, John McCutcheon and The Dillards, wvfest.com
Sept. 16-19, Riot Fest, Chicago: Headliners include Morrissey, The Smashing Pumpkins, Slipknot and Run the Jewels, riotfest.org
Sept. 17-19, Born & Raised Festival, Pryor, Okla.: Headliners include ZZ Top and Cody Jinks, bornandraisedfestival.com
Sept. 17-18, Shipyard Music Festival, Cape Girardeau, Mo.: Headliners include Son Volt, The Wild Feathers and Southern Avenue, shipyardfest.com
Sept. 17-19, Telluride Blues & Brews Festival, Telluride, Colo.: Headliners include Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Taj Mahal Quartet and Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, tellurideblues.com
Sept. 17-19, World Food & Music Festival, Des Moines, Iowa: Headliners include The Original Wailers and the Dick Danger Band, dsmpartnership.com/worldfoodandmusicfestival
Sept. 17-19, Life is Beautiful Music and Art Festival, Las Vegas, Nev.: Headliners include Billie Eilish, Green Day, Tame Impala, lifeisbeautiful.com
Sept. 17-18, iHeartRadio Music Festival, Las Vegas, Nev.: Headliners include Cheap Trick, Maroon 5 and Dua Lipa, iheart.com/music-festival
Sept. 22-25, AmericanaFest, Nashville: Headliners include Brandy Clark, Rodney Crowell and Allison Russell, americanamusic.org/about-americanafest
Sept. 23-26, Louder Than Life Festival, Louisville, Ky.: Headliners include Korn, Metallica and Disturbed, louderthanlifefestival.com
Sept. 24-26, Roots N Blues Festival, Columbia, Mo.: Headliners include Brandi Carlile, Sheryl Crow and Mavis Staples, rootsnbluesfestival.com
Sept. 25-26, Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival, Franklin, Tenn.: Headliners include Dave Matthews Band, The Black Keys and Maren Morris and Cage the Elephant, pilgrimagefestival.com
Sept. 30-Oct. 2, Oklahoma’s International Bluegrass Festival, Guthrie, Okla.: Headliners include The Dillards, Mountain Smoke and Steelwind, oibf.com
Oct. 1-3 and 8-10, Austin City Limits Festival, Austin, Texas: Headliners include George Strait, Miley Cyrus, Billie Eilish, Duran Duran and Tyler, The Creator, aclfestival.com
Oct. 1-3, Mempho Music Festival, Memphis, Tenn.: Headliners include Widespread Panic, The Avett Brothers and Billy Strings, memphofest.com
Oct. 2, Southwest Iowa Band Jamboree, Clarinda, Iowa: More than 50 schools from Iowa, Missouri and Nebraska are judged in parade and field marching in a daylong competition, clarinda.org/band-jamboree
Oct. 6-9, King Biscuit Blues Festival, Helena, Ark.: Headliners include Allman Betts, Mavis Staples and Fabulous Thunderbirds with Kim Wilson, kingbiscuitfestival.com
Oct. 7-9, Banjo Fest, Oklahoma City: Expect performances, Hall of Fame inductions, the Bricktown Banjo Bash and Banjo Fest in Concert, the weekend’s final event, features the Krüger Brothers and others performing at the Hudiburg Chevrolet Performing Arts Center in Midwest City, americanbanjomuseum.com
Oct. 7-10, Hillberry Music Festival, Eureka Springs, Ark.: Headliners include Railroad Earth, Sam Bush, The Infamous Stringdusters and Leftover Salmon, hillberryfestival.com