The best fall music festivals in the U.S.

Nestled in the hipster haven of Wynwood, III Points presents an eclectic offering of genres across six stages and immersive environments. Showcasing some of the best of pop culture in the lineup each year, find major headliners like The Strokes, Wu Tang Clan, Rufus Du Sol,  Eric Prydz, and Jamie XX as well as more worldly names like Peggy Gou, Khruangbin, and Buscabulla. There will also be an abundance of art with large-scale murals and live graffiti in this creative oasis of a fest.

Rock enthusiasts flock to Atlanta’s Central Park to enjoy more than 60 bands across four stages, and they're greeted with a rather eclectic range of up-and-coming, trending, and world-renowned musicians. This year presents Stevie Nicks, Run the Jewels, The Strokes, St. Vincent, Alice Cooper, Modest Mouse, and Phoebe Bridgers, alongside a deluge of food trucks ranging from southern BBQ to vegetarian-friendly corn dogs.

Formerly known as Austin Psych Fest, Levitation has become one of the key components of the Austin festival scene, celebrating the psychedelic sounds of the ’60s and the evolution of experimental rock. This weekend-long bacchanal is all about boundary-pushing and musical expression. This year welcomes psychedelic soul-funk Chicano Batman, electronic neo-soul Thundercat, garage punk quartet Shannan and the Clams, and indie rock crooner Japanese Breakfast.

In the years since its inaugural weekend back in 2008, Outside Lands has become a signature San Francisco event. Three days of dancing to dozens of bands and yucking it up with A-list comics are punctuated by drinking and dining experiences that put traditional festival food to shame (there is such a thing called “Cheese Lands” here, as well as a “Wine Lands” and Bubble Tea Party in a magical forest). To give you an idea of the eclectic billing acts as varied as Tame Impala, Lizzo, Tyler the Creator, and Rufus du Sol. Do not forget to wear layers, and prepare to get dusty. The bands rock, the fog rolls and it’s a long and awesome weekend.

Desert Daze is your antidote to the typical desert gathering (think a noisier, more indie lineup than Coachella and less dirt than Burning Man). Though it’s close enough to L.A. to go just for the day, the fest caters to campers with easy access to hiking trails and a bazaar of mystics and wanderers. The War on Drugs, Toro y Moi, Kamasi Washington, Japanese Breakfast, and Devendra Banhart top this year’s lineup.

It’s hard to say where that tongue exercise of a title came from, but the Tyler, the Creator–founded hip-hop fest returns—this time at Dodger Stadium—for two days of live tunes, carnival rides, games, food trucks, and more. This year’s lineup will be announced closer to the time, but previous iterations promise much in the way of excellence. 

What started in Miami as a weekend devoted to international art has morphed into an eight-day explosion of all things culture. You’ll still find no shortage of art around town during Basel week, but music has become one of the event’s main draws. This year brings a few changes including Noah Horowitz stepping down after holding his post as director of the Americas and overseer of the Miami Beach iteration for six years, growing it from 77,000 visitors in 2015 to 81,000 in 2019. The fair will also open a day early to invitation-only VIP guests this year to give collectors an additional private viewing day, and also close a day early with the last public viewing day on Saturday rather than the traditional Sunday. The Meridians section, showcasing large-scale installations, too, is open by invitation only on Monday, November 29. The fest is known for last-minute pop-up shows, so keep your eyes peeled for exciting concerts and parties as they’ll be difficult to get into, particularly with limited ticket sales for the main event.