Hardly a week goes by this month without a festival -- I guess the theory is to get our festing in before the southern heat sets in, though we all know it's not always the case!
To help plan, I offer you a rundown of fests you might want to check out in May...
Great Southern Music Festival, May 10-12, Bluegrass at Picker's Paradise Park near Thomasville Georgia. The Wildwood Valley Boys, New 76ers, Michael Cleveland, and more. $25 for weekend pass, single day also available, RV camping extra.
Purple Hatter's Ball May 11-13, at the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, Fl. Smallish, funky fest celebrating the life of Rachel Morningstar Hoffman, who loved to fest and whose life was tragically cut short. $60 advanced, $75 at the gate, includes primitive camping. RV sites available for an extra charge. Ivan Neville, George Porter, Jr., Russell Batiste, Break Science, Honey Island Swamp Band, Catfish Alliance, Trial by Stone, The Heavy Pets, and more.
Hangout Music Fest, May 18-20 Gulf Shores, Alabama. Biiiig festival on the beach. No camping, and no swimming in the Gulf at the fest site. Tickets are sold out on the website. Red Hot Chili Peppers, Dave Matthews Band, Jack White, Skrillex, String Cheese Incident, Wilco, The Flaming Lips , Umphrey's McGee, Dispatch, Steve Winwood, Kaskade, Chris Cornell, STS9, Gogol Bordello, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Mac Miller, Flogging Molly, Coheed and Cambria, Paul Oakenfold, G. Love and Special Sauce, Delta Spirit, Randy Newman, Dr. Dog, Young the Giant, Cage the Elephant, Dawes, Alabama Shakes, Heartless Bastards, M. Ward, Yelawolf, Switchfoot, Julian Marley, Zeds Dead, Mavis Staples, Shpongle, Gary Clark Jr., Rebelution, Allen Stone, Big Freedia, Greyboy Allstars, The Devil Makes Three, Paper Diamond, Futurebirds, Hey Rosetta!, Sleeper Agent, The Lumineers, Archnemesis, Tribal Seeds, Rich Aucoin, Jamie Bergeron
Orange Blossom Jamboree, May 17-20, at the lovely Sertoma Youth Ranch near Brooksville, Fla. Cope, Beebs and her Moneymakers, Crazy Fingers, and a whole mess of other great jam and roots performers. $60 advanced for a three-day pass which includes primitive camping, $75 at the gate. Kids 12 and under are free. This is a wonderful gathering in a beautiful, shady location with nice ammenities.
Swamptown Getdown, May 18-20, Waycross, Georgia. Col. Bruce Hampton, The Fritz, Saltwater Grass, Chroma, and more. Haven't been to this one. $50 advanced, includes primitive camping.
Acoustic Cafe, outside Birmingham, Alabama May 25-26, This is a sweet little under-the-radar fest. It's a listening crowd, and the emphasis is on very fine and inventive string playing. I have seen astonishing performances at the Acoustic Cafe. Some of the greats have played here, including Vassar Clements, Mike Marshall, and Sam Bush. This year's acts include the Carolina Chocolate Drops, Larry Keel, The Trishas, Duke Bardwell, and North Florida's excellent newgrass band, Dread Clampitt.
Florida Folk Festival, White Springs, Florida, May 25-28. The legendary Arlo Guthrie headlines, also John Anderson, Billy Dean, and more. This is a state-run festival. You can only camp onsite if you are a volunteer, but there are camping places nearby.
LuluPalooza May 26-27, Gulf Shores, Alabama. This fest is run by Jimmy Buffett's sister, Lulu, at her restaurant, LuLu's at Homeport, and it's free! Not a camping festival. Check out this great lineup -- Honey Island Swamp Band, Bonerama, Eric Lindell, The Lee Boys, Dread Clampitt, and more.
Amberland May 25-27, Cherokee Farms in Lafayette, Georgia. (between Atlanta and Chatanooga.) This fest is hosted by livetronica band Perpetual Groove, and includes several other bands, including The Heavy Pets, Moon Taxi, and Consider the Source. $75 for the weekend, includes camping.
Wakarusa May 31-June 3, Ozark, Arkansas. Laaarge fest with a big-time lineup, Bob Weir, The Avett Brothers, Soullive, Primus, Umphrey's Mcgee, Railroad Earth, Del McCoury, and more. Various ticket levels with various add ons, details are here
And don't forget that Bonnaroo happens in Tennessee June 7-10, more on that most giant of fests later.
Orange Blossom Jamboree, May 17-20, at the lovely Sertoma Youth Ranch near Brooksville, Fla. Cope, Beebs and her Moneymakers, Crazy Fingers, and a whole mess of other great jam and roots performers. $60 advanced for a three-day pass which includes primitive camping, $75 at the gate. Kids 12 and under are free. This is a wonderful gathering in a beautiful, shady location with nice ammenities.
Swamptown Getdown, May 18-20, Waycross, Georgia. Col. Bruce Hampton, The Fritz, Saltwater Grass, Chroma, and more. Haven't been to this one. $50 advanced, includes primitive camping.
Acoustic Cafe, outside Birmingham, Alabama May 25-26, This is a sweet little under-the-radar fest. It's a listening crowd, and the emphasis is on very fine and inventive string playing. I have seen astonishing performances at the Acoustic Cafe. Some of the greats have played here, including Vassar Clements, Mike Marshall, and Sam Bush. This year's acts include the Carolina Chocolate Drops, Larry Keel, The Trishas, Duke Bardwell, and North Florida's excellent newgrass band, Dread Clampitt.
Florida Folk Festival, White Springs, Florida, May 25-28. The legendary Arlo Guthrie headlines, also John Anderson, Billy Dean, and more. This is a state-run festival. You can only camp onsite if you are a volunteer, but there are camping places nearby.
LuluPalooza May 26-27, Gulf Shores, Alabama. This fest is run by Jimmy Buffett's sister, Lulu, at her restaurant, LuLu's at Homeport, and it's free! Not a camping festival. Check out this great lineup -- Honey Island Swamp Band, Bonerama, Eric Lindell, The Lee Boys, Dread Clampitt, and more.
Amberland May 25-27, Cherokee Farms in Lafayette, Georgia. (between Atlanta and Chatanooga.) This fest is hosted by livetronica band Perpetual Groove, and includes several other bands, including The Heavy Pets, Moon Taxi, and Consider the Source. $75 for the weekend, includes camping.
Wakarusa May 31-June 3, Ozark, Arkansas. Laaarge fest with a big-time lineup, Bob Weir, The Avett Brothers, Soullive, Primus, Umphrey's Mcgee, Railroad Earth, Del McCoury, and more. Various ticket levels with various add ons, details are here
And don't forget that Bonnaroo happens in Tennessee June 7-10, more on that most giant of fests later.
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