10 Not-to-miss Ski Town Music Fests
While many ski towns and ski resorts are laying low, quietly waiting for another winter, plenty of others are turning the volume all the way up with all sorts of kickass music festivals this summer. These 10 are amongst the very best.
Get access to everything we publish when you sign up for Outside+.
Windham, Vermont
June 26 – 27
$139 for weekend pass
Founded by a group of pro snowboarders back in 2011, the Frendly Gathering Music Festival is back for its 5th time in the thick of Vermont’s rolling green mountains. The festival takes place in a unique setting—the base of an abandoned ski resort called Timber Ridge on the backside of Magic Mountain—making this the perfect escape into nature. Look out for Mac Demarco, Twiddle, and more. There’s even an awesome swimming hole right next to the main stage, so you can stay cool all weekend.
South Lake Tahoe, California
June 27
$45 – 90
What drought? Forget about Tahoe’s below-par ski season and jam out at the Lake Tahoe Reggae Festival. Big names—including Matisyahu and Iration—are going to grace the stage, leaving Californians with nothing to do but rise up amidst some of the state’s toughest times. Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, the festival’s venue, will also be hosting several other concerts through Labor Day.
Taos, New Mexico
June 27 – 28
$110 for weekend pass, $60 for single day passes
Just a half-hour from Taos Ski Valley, John Butler Trio, The Wallflowers and a plethora of other artists are set to rock out at this year’s Taos Solar Music Festival. The event has occupied Taos every summer since 1999, providing good music and promoting sustainable energy, rain or shine. For extra adventure, pitch a tent at the event’s campground and spend the whole weekend in the great outdoors.
Bend, Oregon
July 10 – 12
Free
There’s a lot to know about The Bank of the Cascades Bend Summer Festival—just a half hour from Mt. Bachelor—but the most important is that it’s free. Enjoy three low-budget days surveying three separate stages, perusing the fine artist promenade, becoming enlightened at the conscious living showcase, and indulging via the wide variety of food and drink vendors. And don’t forget about the kids; The festival will host face painting, a petting zoo, pony rides, and more.
The Summit at Snoqualmie, Washington
July 10
$35 – 120
All new to The Summit at Snowqualmie, Chinook Fest Summit will grace the verdant base area with camping, local artisans, lip-smackin’ food, and Washington beer, wine, and cider. A variety of tunes will be played, including the genres of modern rock, roots rock, funk, folk and Americana. Don’t be fooled by the first annual title; The Chinook Fest has been going down in Naches for years and this is simply a well-earned expansion.
Schweitzer Mountain Resort, Idaho
July 18
Free
$5 – 27 for wine tasting
Schweitzer Mountain Resort, Idaho July 18 Free $5 – 27 for wine tasting Schweitzer has some of the best skiing you’ve never heard of, and the Idahoan ski resort is hosting an equally rad music and wine festival this July. Start the morning off—if you feel inclined—with the Schweitzer Trail Run and cool off with smooth tunes, BBQ, arts and crafts vendors, and 80 different wines from 20 northwest wineries. A lift will also be open for sightseeing, hiking, and biking.
Grand Targhee Resort, Wyoming
August 7 – 9
$179 – 199 for weekend pass, $69 for day passes
Big names including Keller Williams, Lake Street Dive, and The Infamous Stringdusters are coming to the not-so-well-known Grand Targhee Resort in August for the foot-stompin’ Targhee Bluegrass Festival. Beers on tap from Grand Targhee brewery will be sipped (or chugged), food from the resort will be devoured, and good times will be had by all, as they have since 1987.
Wachusett Mountain, Massachusetts
August 15
$20-35
East coasters can enjoy a day of fun in the sun amongst a lush Wachusett setting at this year’s Country Musicfest—only an hour or so from Boston. Plenty of food and drinks will be offered, local and national talent will take the stage, and a lift will even be running for those itching for some elevation. If you’re feeling extra ambitious, sign up for the 5-mile run/walk, which will start at Wachusett Brewery and end at the Country Musicfest just in time for the festivities.
Waitsfield, Vermont
August 8
$16
Smack-dab between Sugarbush and Mad River Glen—only 5 miles from each—Vermont Music Fest is returning to Waitsfield for a day of fun, sun, food, drinks, and music. The event started out as a celebration of a local couple’s wedding back in 2009, and they had so much fun that now it’s a not-to-miss community-wide event. Make sure to watch the Wiffle Scramble, the fest’s highly anticipated wiffleball tourney.
Vail, Colorado
June 28 – September 7
Free – $425
While many mountains and mountain towns are hosting weekend-long festivals, Vail takes it to the next level, hosting a summer-long Jazz festival with over 40 performances and 150 artists. The Vail Jazz Festival runs through Labor Day with a wide range of events taking place throughout the entire town, including the sounds of swing, salsa, blues, Latin, bebop, American songbook, and more. Some events are free, and some aren’t, pick the right ones for your wallet.
