Under-the-radar music festivals across America

THE US boasts legendary mega music festivals. But there are many smaller, less-known festivals that are just as fun without any of the pain.

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COACHELLA. Bonnaroo. Lollapalooza. Electric Daisy Carnival. Sure, the United States boasts some of the world’s most legendary mega music festivals. But there are many lesser-known festivals that pack a serious punch when it comes to fun. Here are some of the stand-out, creative and unique events that should be on your radar before everyone else knows about them.

DAY FOR NIGHTA relatively new kid on the block, Houston, Texas’s Day for Night festival is a mind-blower for serious electro fans and lovers of light sculpture. The event is held in December, in a cavernous, 1858sq m industrial space that was once a municipal post office. Two giant stages dominate the outdoor car parks, given over to rock, indie and hip hop acts like Nine Inch Nails, En Vogue and Tyler, the Creator. Indoors, there are two smaller stages devoted to wondrous experimental beat-makers and sound artists, including megastars like Björk and Thom Yorke. Scattered between the stages, and dominating the entire second floor of the building, are gobsmacking, Insta-worthy sculptural installations by internationally renowned light artists and technicians — a world-class art trail in a wicked cool industrial playground.

Come early/ stay late: Houston boasts an exploding foodie scene and unique gift shops, served with Texan charm. On the food front, visitors should sample the city’s addictive Viet-Cajun spiced crawfish — Crawfish & Noodles is the award-winning choice but there are many restaurants serving up this regional speciality. For an equally creative brunch option, neon-lit bar Better Luck Tomorrow offers a spaghetti sandwich that has a cult following. On the shopping front, Kuhl-Linscomb is the department store where you’re guaranteed to find a one-of-a-kind, eccentric gift, while Space Montrose offers hand-crafted gifts made by mostly Houston locals.

NEW ORLEANS JAZZ AND HERITAGE FESTIVALThere is no party like a Big Easy party, and Jazz Fest in New Orleans, Louisiana is the time when the city truly shines. The festival was founded in 1970 as a celebration of the gumbo mix of music that is native to the area — from jazz and blues to zydeco and gospel, and all hybrids in between. Over the decades, Jazz Fest has expanded to embrace rock, pop, country and folk too, so that its two weekends, in late April and early May, are now star-studded affairs. But the great wealth of talent on display is local to Louisiana — a host of gifted musicians you’ve never heard of, who make the air sing. The carnival atmosphere of Jazz Fest is an absolute delight, with the whole city in party mode; with regular parades passing through the crowd, beignets and po’boys consumed by the truckload, and hundreds of thousands of people of all nations coming together to dance — at the festival and in the streets.

Come early/ stay late: Jazz Fest is a busy time so you’ll need to book ahead to secure a hotel or restaurant in the French Quarter. Food is life here — head to Balise, Pêche Seafood Grill or Sylvain to sample refined Southern cooking. The five-acre Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden at New Orleans Museum of Art or the Crescent Park walkways offer a beautiful setting to work off those beignets (New Orleans deep-fried nuggets of sweetened dough). Wander the city’s bustling promenades and duck into quaint antique shops to find a piece of history that can be treasured at home

AFROPUNK FESTAfropunk Fest, hosted in New York City’s most populous borough, Brooklyn, was inspired by the 2003 documentary Afro-punk, in which director and festival co-founder James Spooner shared his experiences as the only black kid in his own punk rock subculture. Through the film, a community of like-minded music fans found each other and a movement was born. That movement took flight at the first Afropunk Fest in 2005, which was largely devoted to punk, but in the years since Afropunk Fest has expanded hip hop, reggae, soul, blues, z EDM and indie rock. The line-up remains stacked with the hottest talent, with artists including Lauryn Hill, Lenny Kravitz, Grace Jones and Gary Clark Jr. taking headline slots, and the festival is still driven by the spirit of inclusion and diversity, a proud platform for underrepresented musicians and people of colour. Afropunk Fest now has satellite events around the world but the flagship event is still in Brooklyn, held in August.

Come early/ stay late: With pleasant temperatures, August is a good time to explore what is arguably  one of New York's coolest borough. Join the hipsters for brunch at the aptly named Sunday in Brooklyn in Williamsburg and sample pancakes dripping in maple praline — they make ‘em fluffy in America. Wander around Williamsburg’s converted warehouses filled with craft breweries and coffee shops. The borough’s iconic landmark the Brooklyn Bridge is best viewed from Brooklyn Bridge Park. Central Park may hog the limelight, but Brooklyn’s Prospect Park is just as pretty. Sprawl on its lawns or paddle on the lake.

FIREFLY MUSIC FESTIVALSet on 35 hectares of lush woodland near the Dover International Speedway in Dover, Delaware, Firefly Music Festival is the destination festival for music fans on the east coast of the USA. Alongside performances from big-name artists like The Killers, Muse and Florence and the Machine, guests can enjoy local craft beer and wine halls, a tent devoted to arcade games, and a hammock garden under the trees where you can actually dance with the fireflies under the stars. Firefly offers a similar line-up to Outside Lands in San Francisco and is similarly eco-conscious, offering visitors the opportunity to offset their festival carbon footprint and donating abandoned camping gear to shelters and outreach projects.

Come early/ stay late: Unwind before or after the festival by exploring Dover’s incredible nature parks and nearby beaches. Walk the nature trails or cruise the 19-kilometre wildlife drive at Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge along Delaware Bay. Take a road trip to tour the glitzy, enourmous DuPont mansions and gardens — they have to be seen to be believed.

ELECTRIC FORESTDeep in the woods of Rothbury, Michigan lies one of the best camping festivals for bass lovers,  hippies, and general children of wonder. Most of the festival’s 11 stages are buried within Sherwood Forest, a lush green canopy filled with pop-up bars and travelling performance artists by day, a twinkling cornucopia of lights, art and high-energy entertainment by night. Visually dreamy, the festival draws around 40,000 revellers every year with a cutting-edge electronic line-up which features hipster draws like ODESZA, Tycho and Cashmere Cat, plus heavy hitters like Bassnectar and Skrillex. But it’s the wonderland of lights that makes this one special, and the secrets hidden amongst the trees.

Come early/ stay late: Escape the woods and head to pristine beaches at nearby Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore where dune and mainland trails offer sweeping views of the Big Lake, waterfalls and cliff-top paths. There’s plenty of camping spots and hiking paths to choose from.

DESERT DAZEHead to the beloved psychedelic festival’s new lakeside location Lake Perris, California, to sample artists Tame Impala, Warpaint, Mercury Rev, Malcolm Mooney of Can, Ty Segall, White Fence and a lot more. Here some 5000 music fans gather each October to celebrate psych, garage, and experimental greats alongside rising talents. In between sets, guests wander through a surreal landscape of sculpture, film projection and comedy, or just lie under a star-studded sky and contemplate their place in the galaxy.

Come early/ stay late: Located 1.5 hours south-east of Los Angeles, Desert Daze is nestled between the San Jacinto and San Bernardino Mountains, both mountain parks offering incredible nature hikes, hidden canyons and boutique retreats. Mount San Jacinto offers an easy ascent from the warmth of the desert up to the cool mountain air via the Palm Springs Aerial Tram. Palm Springs is the nearby desert playground packed with buzzing restaurants, boutique hotels and art galleries. The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens is a fun day trip to see exotic desert animals and plants from around the world. Alternatively, head back to LA for rest and relaxation, another place obsessed with wellness. Try R&B yoga at OUE Skyspace L.A. or take the obligatory selfie with the Hollywood sign from the hiking trail at Lake Hollywood Park.

Originally published as Under-the-radar music festivals across America