The best summer music festivals in Texas

Part food festival, part multi-day music festival, Hot Luck celebrates the best of both spheres with a killer lineup of music and chefs. For the music portion of the event, it's a choose-your-own adventure, with acts spread out across multiple venues on Thursday through Sunday (tickets can be bought for each individual show). Catch DJ Questlove, Okkervil River, Galactic, Girlpool, Blackillac and others. May 24-27: Austin

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A musical marathon the likes of which few can either dream up (or handle), the Kerrville Folk Festival is 18 days of musical performances from some of the best singer-songwriters Texas and the country has to offer. Nightly concerts. Workshops and seminars. Outdoor activities. Whether you’re picking and choosing individual shows or you’re in it for the long haul, the Kerrville Folk Festival is heaven on earth for fans of the songwriting craft. May 24-Jun 10: Kerrville, TX

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This festival, located in the heart of El Paso, is a two-day party dedicated to national acts and the best in local emerging artists. You’ll find everything here from EDM to metal, making for a wildly eclectic weekend of music and revelry. This year’s lineup includes heavy hitters like Martin Garrix, Lil Wayne and At the Drive In, along with smaller acts like Cry Baby, Mikey Cloud and Gila Monster. May 26, 27: El Paso

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Willie Nelson’s annual 4th of July Picnic has been one of the state’s biggest and best Independence Day celebrations for decades. Hosted by the Red Headed Stranger himself, the Picnic attracts the best and brightest in country music, all handpicked so that they embody Willie’s outlaw spirit and troubadour sensibilities. Jul 4: Del Valle

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A surefire way to survive 100 degrees: a river and plenty of beer. Float Fest, which began in 2014 and now attracts upwards of 10,000 attendees each year, is a two-day musical festival at which partygoers spend mornings drifting down the San Marcos River with a cooler before enjoying a lineup of all-star acts: Bassnectar, Run the Jewels, Lil Wayne on Saturday; Tame Impala, Snoop Dogg, Glass Animals on Sunday (to name a few). Camping is available on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. July 21, 22: San Marcos

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It might take a solid day’s drive to get there, but the Big Bend area offers some of the most magical scenery Texas has to offer, which is just the icing on the cake for this mid-desert festival. Celebrating the indie spirit of Texas musicians, Viva Big Bend is a showcase of emerging and established artists from across the spectrum of Texas music. You’ll find no national names here, but that’s part of the draw. It doesn’t get much more Texas than this. Jul 26-29: Big Bend (Alpine, Marfa, Ft. Davis and Marathon).

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New on the festival circuit, Waterloo Music Fest is a three-day jam and camping event held at Carson Creek Ranch. The main draw here is The String Cheese Incident, who'll be performing all three nights, but festival goers can also enjoy sets from Joe Russo's Almost Dead, Railroad Eart, The Motet and more. Both camping and glamping options are available. Sep 7-9: Carson Creek Ranch

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Dubbed the Trans-Pecos Festival of Music + Love, this fest held at El Cosmica in Marfa is a magical weekend of live music, workshops, sandlot baseball and meeting kindred spirits. The lineup has yet to be announced, but last year's acts included Lee Ann Womack, Wilco, Hurray for the Riff Raff and Ron Gallo, among others. Sep 20-23: Marfa

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Ready to rock? Nine Inch Nails is headlining the 2018 River City Rockfest, an annual rock mecca for those looking to head bang and mosh. Primus, Stone Temple Pilots, Bush and Chevelle are among the successful acts shredding it at the AT&T Center. Head down to San Antonio early to make a day of it. Sep 22: San Antonio

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Sure, ACL is technically in the fall, but the high-’90s temps that usually befall us during this time still make it feel like summer. Spread out over two weekends, the fest is a marathon act of bouncing between multiple stages as some of the biggest acts perform well into the night. The lineup this year includes Paul McCartney, Childish Gambino, Metallica, Odesza and a slew of other big name acts, along with local acts like Sweet Spirit and Golden Dawn Arkestra. Break out that fanny pack. Oct 5-7, Oct 12-14: Zilker Park

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