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Add these to your summer bucket list ASAP.
As soon as the weather gets warmer, festival season heats up across the United States. So make the most of that long summer vacation and keep your kids entertained at the best summer festivals in every state. These exciting affairs showcase the best music, food, and art across the country, including concerts with scenic views, DIY art exhibits, and every kind of carnival food imaginable. From internationally acclaimed music festivals like Summerfest and Banaroo, to beloved small-town festivals showcasing summertime flowers and local crops, these are warm weather events that you won’t want to miss. Whether you’re exploring the cultural offerings of a new state, or looking for a family adventure closer to home, check out some of the can’t-miss summer festivals from coast to coast.
June 15, 2019
Home of the "original" blueberry ice cream (made especially for the festival), you’ll want to check out this festival's car show, live entertainment, food, and more
Attend the Alabama Blueberry Festival
June 22, 2019
Grab your shades and head downtown for Anchorage’s Summer Solstice Festival featuring live music, kids' games, and demonstrations. Plus, watch a friendly competition between Alaska’s first responders dubbed the Hero Games.
Attend the Downtown Summer Solstice Festival
July 4-6
Nestled amongst the northern Arizona pine trees is three days of art, music, and kid-friendly activities. The nearby city of Flagstaff fills with visitors to enjoy the city’s holiday weekend activities like an independence parade and notable firework display.
Attend the Flagstaff Festival in the Pines
July 25-27
Grammy award-winning artists and nationally elected officials travel to Arkansas for this celebration. Hosted at the “Home of the World’s Sweetest Watermelons,” this event showcases its namesake complete with a watermelon parade, auction, 5K, and feast.
Attend the Cave City Watermelon Festival
May 25-27
Head to the shore of Hermosa Beach, Los Angeles to welcome in summer with the largest arts and crafts fair in Southern California. The annual Memorial Day Weekend Fiesta Hermosa festival features 300 artisans, two live music stages, a kiddie carnival, food, and a beer garden.
Attend the Fiesta Hermosa
July 13-14
Hot air balloons and rodeos seem like an unlikely duo, but the combination makes for a great festival. Watch as pilots take to the sky in giant, technicolored hot-air balloons, and demonstrate their skills in a series of rodeo-style competitions above scenic Bald Eagle Lake. The spectacular outdoor festival continues throughout the weekend with art in the park and movies on the mountain.
Attend the Hot Air Balloon Rodeo
July 4-14
Sailfest draws more than 300,000 visitors to the New London waterfront district for free entertainment on two stages, 200-plus food and craft vendors, amusement rides, and a major fireworks show. You can even buy a ticket for a harbor cruise and watch the festivities from the water.
Attend the Salifest
July 18-27
Between carnival games, ice skating, livestock competitions, and deep fried desserts, this fair maximizes on fun. It’s celebrated annually, and includes a promotional kid’s day with special contests.
Attend the Delaware State Fair
May 31-June 1; June 3
This pirate bonanza for “landlubbers and swabbies” (seafaring amateurs and experts) of all ages features two days of pirate-themed carnival games, costume contests, and reenactments.
Attend the Billy Bowlegs Pirate Festival
May 25-26
One of the country’s largest, free, outdoor jazz festivals, this music-filled weekend showcases the local and national talent that makes the city a celebrated music capital. It’s the culmination of a month-long jazz event, and features three stages of live-music, artisan and food vendors, and a kid zone. All you have to do is show up, sit down, and enjoy!
Attend the Atlanta Jazz Festival
July 21
Experience America’s largest ukulele festival in world-famous Waikiki, Oahu. The festival includes a lineup of international musicians, ukulele lessons, and children activity booths, and culminates in a performance from a 600-piece ukulele band.
Attend the Ukelele Festival
June 12-15
Join the 86-year-long tradition where 50,000 people of all ages gather in the small town of Emmett, Idaho for this free community festival that’s packed with concerts, parades, and a carnival. This is all in addition to special “cherry-tastic” events like a cherry pit spit contest, and cherry pie and wine bake-off and tasting. Yum!
Attend the Emmett Cherry Festival
August 8-11
60,000 visitors consume over 50 tons of sweet corn during this festival weekend, in addition to enjoying carnival rides, flea markets, and live music. The festival culminates in a free Del Monte Sweet Corn giveaway.
Attend the Mendota Sweet Corn Festival
June 14-15
Follow the scent of meatballs, spaghetti, and fried ravioli to the annual Italian Street Festival in Indianapolis. For two nights, the streets of Indy Little Italy are filled with a traditional procession, live music, dancing, midway style rides, and, of course, food vendors.
Attend the Italian Street Festival
August 8-18
Nothing compares to this midwestern expo, complete with a hands-on farm exhibit for kids, a 1,500-foot-long Ye Old Mill canal ride, and 82 varieties of food on a stick. Here, you’ll find all the state fair fixings you need, and some you didn’t — like a life-size cow sculpted out of 600 lbs. of Iowa butter.
Attend the Iowa State Fair
July 19-20
Honoring the life and legacy of renowned female aviatrix in her hometown of Atchison, Kansas, this festival is held annually during Earhart’s birthday month, and includes aerobatic performances, airport tours, and more in her honor. Visitors also celebrate with a dazzling fireworks show and live-music concert on the banks of the Missouri River.
Attend the Amelia Earhart Festival
June 6-9
Featuring international brass band musicians, the Great American Brass Band Festival lives up to its name. This four-day festival includes annual favorites like a hot air balloon race, and an outdoor market where festival goers can sample treats from around the world.
Attend The Great American Brass Band Festival
August 2-4
Nothing is more New Orleans than the Satchmo Summerfest; a weekend long birthday celebration in honor of the city’s unofficial patron saint, Louis Armstrong. In true NOLA fashion, festival-goers and jazz musicians alike take to the streets for four days of music, cajun food, and educational events in honor of Satchmo —Armstrong’s childhood nickname — himself.
Attend the Satchmo Summerfest
July 31-August 4
Indulge in a traditional lobster dinner, lobster rolls, lobster mac n’ cheese, lobster stuffed risotto balls, and lobster wontons at this internationally-celebrated festival in heart of Maine. There’s even a coronation of the Maine sea goddess and an international lobster crate race.
Attend the Maine Lobster Festival
July 19-21
Artscape, the largest free arts festival in the United States, features art in every sense of the word: an artisan market with over 150 vendors, as well as dance, theater, stand up comedy, and live music performances. In addition to art, this festival is a city-wide celebration in Baltimore, complete with events across the city and a menu of local fare.
Attend Artscape
July 9-14
This tri-annual festival welcomes thousands of dealers and hundred of thousands of visitors every summer for what amounts to a giant treasure hunt. After sorting through an eclectic mix of vintage furniture, jewelry, and kitchenware, enjoy a home cooked-style meal at one of the town’s quaint, New England restaurants.
Attend the Brimfield Antique Show
June 7-16
On Mackinac Island, summer begins with the scent of lilac. Participate in 10 days of zany festivities, from the coronation of the Lilac Festival Queen to the dog and pony parade. There are no cars allowed on the island, so take in the festival events by foot, bike, or horse-drawn carriage.
Attend the Mackinac Island Lilac Festival
August 22-September 2
Affectionately nicknamed “The Great Minnesota Get-Together,” this fair is actually one of the best attended expositions in the world, attracting roughly 1.8 million people each year. Complete with livestock competitions, carnival rides, and nearly 300 vendors serving deep-fried fare, it’s truly one sweet get-together.
Attend the Minnesota State Fair
June 5-9
Musicians and fans alike honor Elvis Presley’s musical legacy in the streets of his hometown with a carnival midway, parade, and, of course great gospel and rock music.
Attend the Tulepo Elvis Festival
July 14-28
Adventurous audiences meet adventurous artists in this this 14-day explosion of unjuried, uncensored performers and creators from several regions — local, national and international. It’s the biggest celebration of arts and culture in the Kansas City metropolitan region.
Attend the Kansas City Fringe Festival
June 25-28
Take part in a celebration of country music and Montana culture. State-inspired special events — like cider pressing and horseshoeing — set this weekend of music and crafts apart from the rest. Plus, a portion of the festival profits go to the Red Ants Pants Foundation, which seeks to empower women and working family farms and ranches, especially in rural communities.
Attend the Red Ants Pants Festival
June 12-22
Complete with a full-on midway, nightly country concerts, and a Miss Rodeo Nebraska competition, this 10-day festival is all about the best Nebraska has to offer.
Attend the NEBRASKAland Days
July 12-14
Ever seen a live mural painting marathon or witnessed a fire festival? For a weekend in July, these interactive art experiences, and more, are possible at Reno Artfest. View 60-plus artists tents displaying original pieces, or delve into your own artistic pursuits in the “cre8tive zone” at this festival of creativity and imagination.
Attend the Reno Artfest
June 20-22
An astounding 200 tons of imported sand gets transformed into enormous works of art by the best pros in sand sculpture at this invitation-only competition. Watch as they’re built or check out the finished products that are lit in the evening.
Attend the Hampton Beach Master Sand Sculpting Classic
Picture an endless supply of ribs, chicken, brisket and pork, all masterfully marinated and smoked for hours to the point of perfection. Now go taste it at the New Jersey State Barbecue Championship.
Attend the New Jersey State Barbecue Championship