6 Music Festivals Worth Traveling for in 2026 and 2027, from a Reykjavík Church to the Shores of Lake Malawi

This article was originally published in 2023 and most recently updated on August 8, 2026, with current information.

As a reformed music journalist, I’ve been to a lot of festivals throughout Europe, the USA, and other parts of the world. Some music festivals could happen anywhere, with international bands and foods and little cultural programming, but the really good ones wouldn’t work anywhere but the place they’re in. These offer a genuine sense of the local culture; whether it’s the setting, the food, or the performers, they’re rooted in their location. After going to dozens of musical festivals worldwide, I can say these six are worth traveling for this year and in 2027.

Glastonbury Festival, England

Summer in the United Kingdom is jam-packed with music festivals, from the pop-oriented Isle of Wight and metal-focused Download in mid-June to late August’s Reading and Leeds festivals (which showcase the same artists across both cities).

The likes of Latitude, Green Man, and Camp Bestival offer a more bucolic, chill experience in between, while Brighton’s the Great Escape in May is the place to spot up-and-coming artists while they’re still playing in shoeboxes. For a real slice of British life in all its mud-stained, cider-fueled, and almost unanimously merry glory, though, nothing beats Glastonbury; I’ve gone a dozen times.

Glastonbury is not for everyone—the weather can be unpredictable, and the site is sprawling—but if you’re game, it can produce some of the best days of your life. It certainly has for me. At Glastonbury, the lineup runs the gamut from global megastars (Elton John, Coldplay) to esoteric delight. The seemingly endless range of places to explore includes the infamous late-night Shangri-La zone, the calm Healing Fields, the circus, cinema, and kids areas.

For a few days, the outside world feels shut out, and everyone wanders about in a largely blissful state. It might be the timing, around the summer solstice, or perhaps it’s something to do with Glastonbury’s famous ley lines (two energy lines believed to intersect at 14th-century Glastonbury Tor). Then again, it might just be the cider. But Glastonbury Festival is a magical kind of place.

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Where to stay

A lot of the nicest hotels in and around Glastonbury Festival are booked up by music industry types. I’ve always loved At the Chapel, which has 10 minimalist bedrooms with whitewashed walls and large bathtubs, an in-house bakery, and Sunday roast service. The 17th-century former chapel in Burton is about a 20-minute drive from the festival, but good luck beating Atlantic Records to a reservation. And staying off-site means prebooking taxi rides and long treks to pickup points.

The best places within walking distance of the festival are Willow Farm Cottages, the Pop-Up Hotel Glastonbury, and Stickball Hill Farm. If you don’t mind sleeping outdoors, stay on-site in a tent (such as those run by Ziggucamp) a camper van, or perhaps a small wooden Podpad.

Iceland Airwaves, Reykjavík, Iceland

Photo by Cat Gundry Beck/Iceland Airwaves (L); photo by Aron Gestsson/Iceland Airwaves (R)

Iceland Airwaves serves as a perfect introduction to the country. It make the most of Reykjavík every November, when gigs across churches, concert halls, cafés, and pop-up spaces brighten up the cold, gray days. Concerts showcase the best Icelandic artists who may not perform much in the United States. In 2026, for example, Icelandic synth popper Daði Freyr is collaborating with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra for the first time.

Some of the bands may be new to you, but their energizing performances will stick with you, especially in these venues. Years ago, I saw the orchestral indie band Hjaltalín in a church by a lake and still remember it fondly.

Once you’ve had your fill of Nordic tunes, walkable Reykjavík offers plenty of things to do. Scale the Hallgrímskirkja church for views of the city, explore the Maritime Museum at the harbor, have a cardamom bun at BakaBaka, or splurge at Dill Restaurant, where locally sourced and foraged ingredients reign. And, of course, the northern lights, Blue Lagoon, and glacier trekking all await farther afield.

Where to stay

The Reykjavik Edition brings the brand’s mix of relaxed luxury and high-end dining to 253 rooms in a central part of the city. At the old harbor, the 106-room Exeter Hotel is a design-forward choice—all concrete walls, moody lighting, bold artworks, and a sauna that’s a welcome addition at this time of year.

New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, New Orleans, Louisiana

Photo by Adam McCullough / Shutterstock

I’ve not been to a festival that’s quite so rooted in place as Jazz Fest (which is officially known as the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival). The springtime shindig is a 10-day celebration of all things NOLA.

While you’ll see some global superstars (Pearl Jam, Diana Ross, the Eagles, and Rod Stewart are among recent headliners), it’s the many, many locally born and raised jazz and blues acts that really stand out—especially the frenetic brass bands that enliven tiny stages and tents and power second line parades throughout the site. Walking into the gospel tent when a band is in full force is a suitably religious experience.

Food stalls eschew standard festival fare for crawfish remoulade, catfish meunière, and cochon du lait po’boys, among other delights, while the Louisiana Folklife Village houses craft demonstrations, handmade items for sale, and information on Indigenous history. The crowd is a mix of visitors drawn to the drama and loyal locals. The best thing of all? The festival finishes at 7 p.m., so you can keep the party going at myriad bars in Marigny and the French Quarter where plenty of bars have after-dinner shows.

Where to stay

There’s no shortage of top-notch hotels in New Orleans, from the Henry Howard Hotel in the Lower Garden District to the Four Seasons in the Warehouse District. Sleep in the four-poster beds at the 10-room Celestine in the French Quarter, and you’ll be a five-minute walk from the Jazz Fest shuttle stop at the Steamboat Natchez Dock.

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Øya Festival, Oslo, Norway

Courtesy of VisitOSLO/Fara Mohri

The annual Øya Festival brings several days of riotous noise and fun to Norway’s capital every August. It’s held in Tøyen Park, a pretty green space adjacent to the city’s botanical garden.

Scandinavian talent mingles with international names here; Norwegian pop star Dagny and Denmark’s Iceage are sharing stages with The Cure and Lily Allen in 2026. Øya has also been praised for its sustainability, as the festival runs on renewable energy, all food packaging is compostable and cups reusable, and its city-center location means everyone can arrive on foot, by bike, or by taking public transit.

Oslo’s highlights merit daytime exploration, too. Don’t miss the sculptures of Vigeland Park, the architectural marvel that houses the Norwegian National Opera & Ballet, and Ibsen Museum, in the playwright’s old home. (You can see the portrait of his archrival, August Strindberg, which he hung above the desk in his office to inspire him to work.) Forests and fjords beckon if you’re after a post-performance breath of fresh air.

Where to stay

Check in to Amerikalinjen, a 122-room hotel set in the 1919 headquarters of the Norwegian American Line shipping company, across from the main train station. The hotel, which is decked out in Scandi design touches, features a jazz club and a “floating bartender” who will roll a tray of spirits and mixers into your room and conjure a drink upon request.

Lake of Stars, Nkhotakota, Malawi

Courtesy of Lake of Stars/Dusty Orange Projects Et Al

I’ll never forget my time at singular gathering Lake of Stars on the southern shores of Lake Malawi, near the town of Nkhotakota in Malawi, Southeast Africa. The festival takes its name from Scottish missionary David Livingstone who, upon arriving in 1859, is said to have described present-day Lake Malawi as a “lake of stars.”

When I attended the festival, international favorites such as Foals shared the lineup with home-grown talent including Lucius Banda and outfits like London/Malawi electro collective The Very Best. The latter’s big tune, “The Warm Heart of Africa,” references Malawi’s nickname, and it’s no misnomer.

Lake of Stars places a heavy focus on Malawian acts and promotes local culture through music and other arts programming. It also uses proceeds from the festival to fund local community work, from clean-ups to school supplies. In 2025, organizers announced a raft of new sustainability initiatives, including solar-powered stages, improved waste management, and on-site EV vehicles.

Where to stay

A lot of international guests, myself included, combine the music fest with a few days on safari. Malawi’s reserves are humming with elephants, lions, leopards, and rhinos. Try the low-impact but spacious tented suites at nearby Tongole Wilderness Retreat. To stay right by the festival, book a lodge or glamping setup through one of the event partners.

After the festival, decompress at the beachfront Kaya Mawa, on Likoma Island, a Malawian island on the Mozambique side of Lake Malawi. Kayak, paddleboard, snorkel, and bird-watch by day and gaze at Southern Hemisphere constellations by night.

Fuji Rock Festival, Yuzawa, Niigata Prefecture, Japan

If you’ve ever lamented the raucous antics of your fellow festivalgoers or disorganized lines for the food and drink stalls, this one’s for you. Japan’s Fuji Rock combines excellent organization and a courteous crowd with a spectacular ski-resort setting, close proximity to onsen resorts, and easy access to Tokyo to offer a well-rounded experience that’s worth the trip. Musically, the lineup combines big international acts (Massive Attack, The Killers, Fred Again in recent years) with Japanese stars (Fujii Kaze, Vaundy, Awich).

Where to stay

There are some solid hotel options around Echigoyuzawa Station, where there’s a shuttle stop for Fuji Rock. Onsen hotel Yukinohana is five minutes from the station and shuttle and has private indoor and outdoor baths with mountain views and a solid Japanese breakfast spread to fuel you for the day. Yumoto View Pavilion Yui Makura is an intimate ryokan where each of the five rooms has an onsen tub.

With rooms set in the forest and views of Mount Fuji, the elevated glamping at Hoshinoya Fuji is hard to beat for post-fest relaxation. It’s about a three-hours drive from the festival site.

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