festival season is just around the corner, #umanounion. we wanted to be the first to let you in on the most musically inspiring, eclectically trendy list of festivals on the rise this season. from cali all the way to our home state of georgia, we’re filling you in on which festivals you just have to dance/jam/sweat/eat at this season. 

 

1. shaky knees: the atl isn’t too far from our home sweet home of athens, ga, so we’re huge fans of the shaky knees music festival. with 5 stages overlooking the atlanta skyline and 75+ bands over the course of 3 days, rock lovers have found their true electric heaven in centennial olympic park the weekend of may 13^th -15^th. and y’all. this lineup is s-t-a-c-k-e-d, showcasing florence + the machine, the 1975, my morning jacket, silversun pickups, and cold war kids. 

2. the good ole ‘roo. in case you have yet to visit the 700 acres of manchester, tennesse, ‘roo is what the regulars refer to as bonnaroo. over 80,000 people attend every year, camping in “tent city” for the weekend, living off the bliss that only live music with the best strangers can emit. with pearl jam headlining, grace potter, the chainsmokers, halsey, two door cinema club, and tame impala rockin’ out as well, it’s sure to quench your indie rock thirst.

3. south by southwest: home of zella day and family and friends, this festival is the best way to see some of the most underrated bands that will be getting tomorrows grammy’s. festival grounds come alive as the boundaries are limitless with over 2,000 acts. from each venue to every street corner, the city is electrified as a stage can be found at every turn. sound like a good time? be in austin, tx march 15^th-20^th to absorb the eclectic vibes. into more than just music? sxsw is known for their film and interactive festivals as well. march 11^th-19^th you’ll find a celebration of innovation and talent both behind and in front of the camera within their film festival. and geek out march 11^th-15^th by experiencing five days of stimulating presentations and panels from industry leaders about emerging technology, from the latest video games to the best new websites and startups across the nation. 

4. governor’s ball: kanye west. the killers. the strokes. you should be thrilled. throw in of monsters and men, chet faker, and purity ring it’s festival heaven. at randall’s island park, smack in the middle of nyc jun 3^rd-5^th, you’ll be sure to stay busy with a slew of art installations, photo booths, and lawn games. don’t forget to eat your way through the most popular food trucks in the big apple while you’re at it. 

5. firefly music festival: in the woodlands of dover, delaware june 16^th-19^th you can get four straight days of musical bliss with some really sweet attractions to boot. mumford and sons, deadmau5, kings of leon, and ellie goulding are a few of the favorites this year. respected for their wide range of musical guests, the festival is also known for their “treehouse sessions,” a way of introducing fans to new upcoming music, while creating a more personal connection with firefly artists. 

6. slingshot music festival: if you call the classic city of athens, ga, your home like we do, then be sure to come out march 31^st-apr 2^nd for your fix of electronic art, comedy, film, tech, and the jams athens is known for. across the spans of five blocks, thousands of culture-creators, influencers, and local rockers come together for three days of 80+ upcoming artists. from crystal castles to ryan hemsworth, techno to acoustic, go to slingshot to see the nextwave of these many forms of art. 

 

if you just didn’t get enough of the jams this spring and summer, you can still look forward to the austin city limits festival in september and october. austin is the live music capital of the world and this festival definitely highlights that. be sure to keep an eye out for the 2016 lineup.

so, now that you’re saving up your money to attend these awesome festivals… remember this: 

(1) stay hydrated

(2) don’t litter

(3) wear your favorite umano tee

(4) charge your phone

(5) charge your friends’ phones

(6) rock a fanny pack

(7) high five a stranger

(8) take plenty of pics and vids

(9) ^ did we mentioned wear your umano tee?

(10) and rock on, #umanounion