Nothing screams summer quite like hanging out in a huge field, lounging in a camp chair, and听listening to your favorite musicians rock out. Whether it鈥檚 tucked into the woods of Michigan or on a beach听in Rhode Island, the summer months hold a thousand ways to blend听love of the outdoors and good tunes.
Mountain Jam:听Hunter, New York
Perched on a hillside of Hunter Mountain in the Northern Catskills, offers rides on one of the country鈥檚 highest and longest ziplines. If you鈥檙e looking for a mellower way to experience things from听above, there are lift rides available to the top of the mountain. The festival also offers vendor exhibits of local nonprofits and environmental groups.听
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Electric Forest:听Rothbury Michigan
At EDM-centric听,听expect to be totally immersed in a carefully curated selection of music, art, and panel discussions in the forests outside听Rothbury, Michigan. There are numerous听volunteer opportunities, if you want to expand your festival experience beyond entertainment. Or just听kick your feet up for a while in one of听the dedicated hammock zones.
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Newport Folk Festival:听Newport, Rhode Island
Held in Fort Adams State Park at the mouth of Newport Harbor, the offers awe-inspiring views of the water鈥攁nd an incredible lineup. The festival has two beer gardens and four stages of music, and is easy to access by bike, bus, or even boat.
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Forecastle Music Festival:听Louisville, Kentucky
听started out as a humble neighborhood gathering and has grown into a staple of the southeast's music scene, drawing thousands of fans to Louisville鈥檚 waterfront park each year. The organizers鈥� dedication to the environment is more than just a tagline on the website: for every ticket sold,听$1 goes to the听Forecastle Foundation, which听works to protect ecologically diverse areas by partnering with such nonprofits as the Kentucky Natural Lands Trust, the Nature Conservancy, and the Guayaki Foundation.听
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Pickathon Music Festival:听Happy Valley, Oregon
Too much sun听in front of the main stage? Pendarvis Farm, home to the Portland, Oregon,听,听has plenty of shade available in the adjacent forest. Unlike most festival campsites, which are usually听packed together in听a field without any privacy, Pickathon鈥檚听are cool and comfortable, and the pristine environment is complimented by a听dedication to sustainability, including a ban on single-use plastic听since 2010. (Festival attendees are given a plate and a cup to use over the entire weekend.) And with all the local food trucks and microbrews available, your plate and cup will never be empty.听
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