Festival Rundown: Mosh Pits, Moonmats & Midwest Magic (June 19–21 Edition)
From sax solos to stage dives, this weekend hits every vibe.
Welcome back to the Festival Rundown, your weekly map to the music, the moments, and the must-haves powering our summer weekends.
This week takes us from Southern singalongs in Alabama to hip-hop heat in Chicago, sax solos in the Twin Cities, and a genre-bending blowout on the shores of Lake Michigan. However you fest, there’s a vibe here with your name on it. Let’s dive in.
🎸 Rock the South 2025
📍 Cullman, Alabama
🗓️ June 19–21, Gates open around 3:00pm daily
About the Fest:
Born out of the rubble of the 2011 tornado outbreak, Rock the South started as a one-time charity event. But when the beer cups were cleared and the guitars stopped wailing, the crowd said, “We want more.” So they made it annual, and now, it’s the Southeast’s loudest love letter to country and Southern rock. Set at York Family Farms, it’s become known for its no-frills tailgate party energy with just enough pyrotechnics to keep your boots warm.
This Year’s Vibe:
The 2025 lineup is a red-white-and-bluesy cocktail of legacy rockers and backroad barstool poets. Expect Hank Williams Jr., Kid Rock, Nickelback, Clay Walker, and a sprinkle of newcomers like Treaty Oak Revival and Gavin Adcock. Whether you’re a two-stepper, a fist-pumper, or a belt-buckle headbanger, there’s something for every stage of denim fade.
Festival Traditions & First-Timer Tips:
- If you’re not covered in red clay dust by day two, you’re doing it wrong.
- VIP? Great. GA? Still a party. Just bring your own shade (read: umbrella hat or cowboy ingenuity).
- The late-night lot parties are where lifelong friendships and poor decisions are born.
Mr. B Recommends: A Moonmat to park yourself in comfort and a Baja Blanket for when the Southern humidity finally taps out at sunset.
🎤 Summer Smash Festival 2025
📍 Bridgeview, Illinois (SeatGeek Stadium)
🗓️ June 20–22, Gate times 3:00pm Friday, 1:00pm Saturday and Sunday
About the Fest:
Lyrical Lemonade and SPKRBX cooked up this Midwest monster in 2018 and haven’t looked back. It’s hip-hop’s answer to Lollapalooza, minus the yuppies, plus a lot more skate shoes and designer sunglasses. Think: mosh pits, fresh fits, and an overwhelming sense that you’re 3 seconds from seeing something that’s about to go viral.
This Year’s Vibe:
2025’s lineup is stacked and sticky. We’re talking Young Thug, Future, Don Toliver, Yeat, Sexyy Red, and Lil Yachty. And yes, the rumors are true: Insane Clown Posse is on the bill. This festival might be the only place where you’ll hear trap, emo-rap, and Juggalo chants in a single hour.
Traditions & Tips:
- Bring something neon. Or sparkly. Or weird. You’re not blending in, so you might as well pop.
- Expect a crowd that’s ready to MOVE, this ain’t your lanyard-swinging Coachella crowd.
- The merch lines wrap like theme park rides, so cop early or miss out.
Mr. B Recommends: Clutchloop to keep your phone safe when you’re shoulder-riding during Don Toliver’s set.
🎷 Twin Cities Jazz Fest 2025
📍 Lowertown, Saint Paul, Minnesota
🗓️ June 20–21, Music start times vary by venue from noon to 10:00pm
About the Fest:
Now in its 27th year, this free-to-attend fest turns the quaint cobblestone streets of St. Paul’s Lowertown into an open-air jazz lounge. From high-brow bebop to brass-band boogie, this is a deep-rooted celebration of community and cool, brought to life by local talent and national headliners alike.
This Year’s Vibe:
Catch the Emmet Cohen Trio with The Four Freshmen, Adi Yeshaya’s Jazz Orchestra, and regional legends like Las Guaracheras and Nicholas David. It’s diverse, delicious, and absolutely drenched in saxophone solos.
Quirks & Tips:
- Bring a chair or Moonmat, trust us, your calves will thank you.
- Don’t miss the beer tents. This is Minnesota, after all.
- Bring layers. A June breeze up here isn’t a breeze, it’s a full personality.
Mr. B Recommends: A Baja Blanket for sitting on grassy knolls and a thermos of something stronger than coffee (wink).
🎶 Summerfest 2025
📍 Milwaukee, Wisconsin
🗓️ June 19–21, June 26–28, July 3–5. Gates open noon – midnight all days
About the Fest:
This isn’t a music festival. This is a music city that only lives three weekends a year. Running since 1968, Summerfest boasts more than 800 acts, 12 stages, and a permanent venue the size of a small town. It’s the OG of summer blowouts and, believe it or not, it still costs less than a trip to the movies.
This Year’s Vibe:
The lineup is genre-chaotic in the best way. Megan Thee Stallion, The Killers, Hozier, James Taylor, The Lumineers, and BABYMETAL (seriously) are all on deck. It’s like someone asked ChatGPT to build a playlist with no rules.
Traditions & Tips:
- The Summerfest Skyglider gives you a bird’s-eye view of chaos. Ride it at night.
- Don’t try to see everyone. Do try to find one band you’ve never heard of and fall in love.
- Get the fried cheese curds. No excuses.
Mr. B Recommends: Crowd Compass to keep from getting lost in the shuffle—and Clutchloop to make sure your essentials don’t take a dive into Lake Michigan.
🎪 Closing Vibes:
From jazz in the streets to stadium mosh pits, this month’s fests hit every note. Whether you’re boot-scootin’ in Alabama or getting artsy in the Twin Cities, one thing is clear: June is a vibe.
Catch you on the road, fest fam.
☮️💚🅱️
