Summer just doesn’t make sense without food trucks, outdoor concerts, free performances, and hoards of travelers looking for a place to camp out. Whether you depart with a backpack or arrive first class, there’s a festival out there for you this summer, and here’s just a few of the best from May to September.
Cannes Film Festival
This year, while the star-studded red carpets of the exclusive Grand Théâtre Lumière will only be open to badge holders and invitees, the festival will pay tribute to the 50th anniversary of the James Bond films by airing celebrated classics like Doctor No, Diamonds Are Forever, and From Russia With Love on an outdoor stage that’s open and free for all. See if you can spot some celebrities at the screenings of Wes Anderson’s newest flick Moonrise Kingdom or Walter Salles’ take on Jack Kerouac’s memoir On the Road.
Cannes, France, May 16-27, www.festival-cannes.fr/en
Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival
Since the festival already has its own Ben & Jerry’s ice cream flavor, there’s no need to explain how hugely popular it is. Spanning 700 acres of Tennessee wilderness, Bonnaroo opens its floodgates every year to 80,000 campers and offers them music, art, and comedy on over ten stages. This year’s headliners include old favorites like Radiohead, Phish and The Beach Boys, and newer artists like Bon Iver, Skrillex and comedian Aziz Ansari. There’s a “Broo’ers Fest” beer tent with over 20 breweries, a cinema tent, “Kidz Jam”, and a “Big Ass Water Slide” for when the temps get out of whack.
Manchester, Tennessee, June 7-10, www.bonnaroo.com
Rathaus Film Festival
The official program still hasn’t been released, but the Rathaus Film Festival is open to all, is free, and doesn’t even require a reservation. Thinking about a European backpacking trip this summer? Feel free to make an impromptu stop in Vienna, where during the months of July and August, the city will be taken over by a frenzy of cinema, Viennese food stands, and … opera?
Vienna, Austria, June 30-Sept 2, www.wienvienna.com/rathaus-film-festival-2012
Taste of Chicago
Every year since 1980, the lakefront of Chicago’s Grant Park has been home to the world’s largest food festival. Thanks to the explosive popularity of cooking reality shows and the Food Network, the 2012 lineup is sure to be huge (but has yet to be determined). You’ll see over 300 menu items from over 70 restaurants and vendors, all the while being entertained by free outdoor concerts from Death Cab for Cutie, Jennifer Hudson, Raphael Saadiq and more!
Chicago, Illinois, July 11-15, www.explorechicago.org
Reggae Sumfest
Though the official lineup hasn’t been released yet, last year’s guests included Nicki Minaj and R. Kelly. That’s a pretty good sign that Jamaica’s Reggae Sumfest 2012 will be a tropical extravaganza of epic proportions. From July 15-21, daily events include a beach party, “Sound Clash”, dancehall night, and two international nights. It’s open to all ages, so families looking for a more authentic tourism experience can feel free to bring the kids along, too!
Montego Bay, Jamaica, July 15-21, www.reggaesumfest.com
Helsinki Festival
The two-and-a-half week long mega-event is the biggest annual arts festival in Finland, which means you’ll see some of the most current, avant-garde performances in the entire world. There’s no better time to visit the cool climate of Northern Europe than late August, when pop, jazz, folk, cinema, literature, and theatre converge in the “2012 Design Capital of the World”. With tons of free events, the Helsinki Festival truly lives up to its mantra of making art accessible to all.
Helsinki, Finland, July 17-Sept 2, www.helsinginjuhlaviikot.fi/en
Fuji Rock Festival
The biggest names in contemporary pop and electronic music convene not in an enormous cultural center like Tokyo, but in a more curious place: high up in the mountains of Japan. However lacking the location is in public transportation and skyscrapers, it makes up for in huge crowds and awesome music. Here, you’ll see Radiohead, James Blake, Jack White, The Shins, and tons more.
Niigata, Japan, July 27-29, www.smash-uk.com/frf12
Newport Jazz Festival
New England: decidedly not the edgiest region of the country. Rhode Island’s Newport Jazz Festival, however, changes that. Set beside a backdrop of ocean views, swanky beachfront homes and local food trucks from all around the tiny state, NJF features headliners Dr. John & The Lower 911, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Catherine Russell, and Jonathan Batiste. Since its founding in 1954, legendary performers like Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, John Coltrane, and Miles Davis have all graced the stages of what’s been called the “grandfather of all jazz festivals”.
Newport, Rhode Island, Aug 3-5, www.newportjazzfest.net, 401-848-5055
Osheaga Music & Arts Festival
It’s only in its sixth year, but Montréal’s Osheaga has already become the largest outdoor music festival in all of Canada. Nestled on tiny, green Île-St-Hélène, Osheaga will feature over 90 bands this year, including headliners like The Black Keys, Snoop Dogg, and Florence + The Machine.
Montréal, Québec, August 3-5, www.osheaga.com/en
Curaçao North Sea Jazz Festival
The tiny island country of Curaçao is about to house some of the biggest names in jazz and R&B. The two-day festival features superstars Santana, Jill Scott, Alicia Keys, Marcus Miller, and India.Arie. In the week before the festival, concerts are held on various locations on the island including the popular party spot, Mambo Beach. Travelers heading down to Curacao for the festival can expect lively pop-up concerts and events by local Curaçaoän performers during the first week. What better place to celebrate contemporary music than the Caribbean, where delicious food and pristine beaches are just around the corner?
Piscadera Bay, Curaçao, Aug 31-Sept 1, www.curacaonorthseajazz.com/en