Sleep Under The Stars, Then Catch The Set
Getting to listen to live music is all the more fun when you’re sleeping and partying all in the same place. The best ones also build a real community around camping, with after-hours hangouts, pop-up art, and late-night music that rewards people who don’t sprint back to a hotel. If you want a summer trip where the campsite is part of the story, these 20 festivals belong on your shortlist.
1. Bonnaroo
Bonnaroo in Manchester, Tennessee, is famous for turning a giant farm into a temporary neighborhood where camping is the default, not an add-on. The campgrounds stay active well after the main stages quiet down, so the night doesn’t end when the headliner does.
2. Electric Forest
Electric Forest in Rothbury, Michigan, leans into camping culture with wooded paths, late-night sets, and plenty of reasons to wander between stages. The camp areas feel like mini communities, and you quickly learn which neighbors packed extra tarps and which ones forgot.
FifthLegend from Eagan, Minnesota, United States of America on Wikimedia
3. Lightning In A Bottle
Lightning in a Bottle is built around camping, art installations, and a full-day rhythm that includes more than just concerts. The grounds encourage slow exploration, and you’ll notice how many people plan for comfort, not just outfit photos.
4. Coachella
Coachella’s camping turns a polished festival into a more immersive weekend, especially when you commit to staying on-site instead of commuting from the desert towns nearby. The campground has its own energy, and the early hours can be surprisingly calm compared to the main gates later in the day.
5. Desert Daze
Desert Daze has a loyal following because it pairs genre-bending music with on-site camping that makes the whole weekend feel cohesive. Days tend to drift between sets and lakeside downtime, and it’s easy to settle into a slower pace. If you like festivals where the campground conversation matters as much as the lineup, this one delivers.
6. High Sierra Music Festival
High Sierra Music Festival has long been known as a camping-first event, with late-night music and a friendly, repeat-visitor crowd. The campground becomes part of the schedule, since you can dip out for a rest and still make it back without missing much. This is a comfortable choice for people who want a festival weekend that still feels manageable.
7. Pickathon
Pickathon in Happy Valley, Oregon, is a summer festival where camping is baked into the identity, and the setting makes it feel grounded rather than chaotic. The grounds encourage you to wander through smaller stages and pause for food without feeling like you’re falling behind.
8. Shambhala Music Festival
Shambhala in British Columbia is a camping-heavy electronic festival where the on-site experience is part of the commitment. The days can run late, and the campground becomes a necessary reset point, not just a place to store your sleeping bag.
9. Bass Coast
Bass Coast in British Columbia blends camping with art-forward programming, and it has a reputation for being thoughtfully organized without turning stiff. You’ll notice people treating their camps like home, with shade structures that look planned and meals that aren’t just chips.
Bass Coast Festival official on Wikimedia
10. Telluride Bluegrass Festival
Telluride Bluegrass Festival is a classic mountain-town event where camping becomes part of the tradition for many attendees. Sleeping in a tent after a full day of bluegrass hits differently when the air cools off, and the town quiets down. The setting encourages earlier mornings, slower meals, and a steady flow into the next day’s music.
11. FloydFest
FloydFest in Virginia has a strong camping culture that makes the weekend feel like a full trip, not a series of concerts. The setting in the Blue Ridge encourages downtime, and you’ll see plenty of people prioritizing comfort over trying to do everything at once.
12. Peach Music Festival
Peach Music Festival in Pennsylvania is known for its camp-friendly setup and a schedule that keeps people on the mountain for days. Camping brings the weekend together, since you can shift from stage time to rest time without fighting traffic.
13. Summerfest At The Gorge Campgrounds
Events at The Gorge in Washington often pair big-name lineups with camping that turns the weekend into an all-in commitment. The location encourages you to plan for sun, wind, and long views that make even downtime feel scenic.
Daniel from Calgary, Canada on Wikimedia
14. Burning Man
Burning Man in Nevada lands at the edge of summer and runs like a temporary city built on camping, shared effort, and late-night exploration. You’re not booking a room and ordering room service, and that’s the whole point, since your camp becomes your home and your contribution.
15. Glastonbury Festival
Glastonbury in England is camping-forward in a way that feels historic, since most people stay on-site and treat it like a full week in the fields. The campground energy is constant, from early-morning movement to late-night wandering between stages.
16. Roskilde Festival
Roskilde in Denmark is famous for its large camping areas that function like their own town, complete with social zones and long-running traditions. The camping culture is part of why people return, since you’re not just seeing music, you’re living inside a shared experience for days.
17. Tomorrowland
Tomorrowland in Belgium has a major on-site camping component through DreamVille, and it’s built to keep people in the festival orbit around the clock. The production level is high, and camping helps you stay in that world without the stop-and-start of daily travel.
18. Sziget Festival
Sziget in Budapest is a multi-day event on an island, and camping is one of the classic ways people commit to the full experience. The layout makes it easy to drift between music, art, and downtime without leaving the grounds.
19. Fuji Rock Festival
Fuji Rock in Japan is known for pairing mountain scenery with camping options that keep the weekend feeling contained. The setting encourages comfortable layers and a slower approach, since weather and terrain can shape your day.
Jmills74 at English Wikipedia on Wikimedia
20. Boom Festival
Boom Festival in Portugal is a camping-centered gathering that blends music with workshops and art, and it’s designed for people who want the full immersion. The days are long, and the campsite becomes a real anchor point between programs.
