Festival Rundown: September 19 – 21
Don’t Pack Up the Festival Spirit Just Yet
As the leaves turn and cooler breezes hit, the summer festival scene doesn’t slow down, it shifts gears. From soul-drenched indie sets to the thunderous roar of bass, this season’s fests are eager to take center stage. Here’s your guide to five handpicked events bringing the final hurrah to 2025.
1. Shaky Knees Music Festival 2025
Venue: Piedmont Park, Atlanta, GA
Dates & Gates: Sept 19–21. Festival gates open at 11:30am each day and ends at 11pm Friday + Saturday, and 10pm Sunday.
✨Vibe & Venue
Atlanta’s beloved indie-rock staple upgrades to a fall wonderland at Piedmont Park. Expect golden leaves + big open-air rock energy + the city skyline as your backdrop… a perfect symphony of urban-meets-woodland fest.
🎶Lineup Highlights
Friday: Deftones, Lenny Kravitz, Sublime
Saturday: My Chemical Romance, Cage The Elephant, The Black Keys
Sunday: Blink‑182, Vampire Weekend, Alabama Shakes (plus a surprise from Weird Al)
🌟Unique Perks
Interactive art installations, local ATL food trucks, and scenic lawn seating make this fest feel boutique despite big-name billing. Plus, “Late Night Stage Takeovers” give you reason to stay dancing past bedtime.
💡Insider Tip
Early birds should aim for the shady lawn zones near the Piedmont stage, they combine great sound with VIP-level chill access.
🎒Product Pick: Moonmat – the best festival mat out there is the ideal companion for scenic lounging and front-row comfort.
2. iHeartRadio Music Festival 2025
Venue: T-Mobile Arena (main) & Las Vegas Village (daytime), Las Vegas, NV
Dates & Gates: Sept 19–20; Las Vegas Village will be open from 10am – 4pm on Saturday and T-Mobile Arena doors open at 6:30 PM each night with music going until 11:30pm or later.
✨Vibe & Venue
Vegas-level prestige at the iHeart show. Two nights of star-studded performances with the Sin City glitter and camera-ready production your eyes, and your Instagram, will love.
🎶Lineup Highlights
Ed Sheeran, Mariah Carey, Maroon 5, Lil Wayne, Feid, Jelly Roll, John Fogerty, Diplo, GloRilla, Justice, Tim McGraw, and more. Hosted by Ryan Seacrest, and live-streamed on Hulu & iHeart stations.
🌟Unique Perks
Two venues in one fest. Main arena for iconic pop/rock homebases, and Vegas Village sets for daylight discovery. One night party, one night parade of superstar genres.
💡Insider Tip
Late arrival won’t cut it, VIPs and media walk the red carpet early. Arrive early to smash merch lines and catch surprise collab moments.
🎒Product Pick: Crowd Compass – keep tabs on your friends with our favorite friend finding tool.
3. Riot Fest 2025
Venue: Douglass Park, Chicago, IL
Dates & Gates: Sept 19–21. Gates open at 11am each day and music runs til around 10pm.
✨Vibe & Venue
Chicago’s gritty, glorious riot returns. This is one of punk’s raddest celebrations. Douglass Park becomes a mosh pit museum curated by attitude, rebellion, and decades of alt-rock hall-of-fame highlights.
🎶Lineup Highlights
Blink‑182, Weezer, Green Day headline. Plus Jack White, Idles, Sex Pistols (feat. Frank Carter), The Pogues, Rilo Kiley, Jawbreaker, Alkaline Trio, “Weird Al,” Bad Religion, Sparks, The Beach Boys, and more in a 20th-anniversary bash. Some artists may even play full-album performances.
🌟Unique Perks
Full-album sets, punk-era costumes, Angry Orchard canopies, side shows in abandoned factories… This isn’t a music festival, it’s a rebellion-themed deep dive.
💡Insider Tip
Don’t sleep on VIP, they’re sold out fast, but true Riot vets mark their maps with the quieter perimeter rails, offering the clearest sightlines amidst mosh mayhem.
🎒Product Pick: Mr. B’s EARPEACE Hi-Fi Earplugs – keep those ear drums rocking for years.
4. Lost Lands Music Festival 2025
Venue: Legend Valley, Thornville, OH
Dates & Gates: Sept 19–21 (with early arrivals from Sept 16th). Camping gates open Tuesday 7pm and remain open 24 hours/day throughout the festival. Early entry wristbands required for those arriving before Friday. General entry begins at midnight Thursday night/Friday morning. Music plays all night here, with weekend nights going until 4am.
✨Vibe & Venue
Dubstep meets Jurassic Park. This desert-forest bass fest at Legend Valley is a sweaty, stomping, bass-shaking escape surrounded by sound waves and dinosaur-themed aesthetics.
🎶Lineup Highlights
Over 200 acts including Excision (founder energy), space-laced DJ sets, and heavy hitters across bass music genres. Early arrival programming adds five days of immersive scenes.
🌟Unique Perks
Jurassic glamping, expanded food vendors, wellness workshops, and the much-loved “underground bridge” that helps you navigate massive crowds like a legend.
💡Insider Tip
Buy East-Camping to dodge traffic storms and enjoy shorter walks to elevation. Don’t forget to hydrate, this bass fest brings the fire, both musically and in temps.
🎒Product Pick: Mr. B’s Hydration Backpack – This one’s a marathon, you’ll need a good hydration pack to make it through the week plus a place to store all your festival essentials to prevent trips back to camp.
5. Healing Appalachia Music Festival 2025
Venue: Boyd County Fairgrounds, Ashland, Kentucky (mountaintop)
Dates & Gates: Sept 19–20, 2025. Gates open Friday 2pm – midnight and Saturday noon – midnight
✨Vibe & Venue
Crafted by Tyler Childers and community-hearted crews, this fest blends heartfelt Appalachian music with a mission to raise money and awareness for substance-use recovery. Think bluegrass roots, mountain views, and generosity front-and-center.
🎶Lineup Highlights
Headlined by Tyler Childers and Chris Stapleton. Plus sets from Molly Tuttle, Lukas Nelson, Blackberry Smoke, and other soul-rich Americana artists shining in shared solidarity.
🌟Unique Perks
Not just a festival, it’s a fundraiser with a great cause. Healing tents, partnerships with recovery centers, community outreach, and healing-vibe workshops scattered between stages.
💡Insider Tip
Stick around for the morning “Acoustic Healing” sets. Low-key, therapeutic, and often led by local Appalachian storytellers who’ll sing your heart right open.
🎒Product Pick: Baja Blanket – for peaceful listening under gentle mountain morning light.
Final Encore
Fall 2025 delivers powerful chapters for the festival story, from stadium lights in Vegas to grunge riots in Chicago, from forested bass raves to soul-healing Appalachia. Whatever your frequency, indie pulse, punk energy, bass thunder, or bluegrass tenderness, it’s all calling. Stay curious, stay hydrated, and let the music etch your season’s best memories.
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