Festival Rundown: September 12 – 14
Festival Season Isn’t Over Yet
Summer might officially draw to a close, but the music doesn’t quit and neither does the festival scene. Check out our take on five must-hit fall fests that bring autumn energy, fresh music, and a dose of that “don’t-miss-it” buzz.
Wormtown Music Festival 2025
Venue: Camp KeeWanee, Greenfield, MA
Dates & Gates: September 12–14, 2025; Early entry ($40 per person extra) starts Thursday (9/11) at 3pm. Regular admission opens at 9am Friday, Saturday and Sunday (9/12 – 9/14).
✨Vibe & Venue
Wormtown is that homecoming party you never knew you craved, deep in the Amherst woods, under towering pines and an endless sky. It’s quintessentially end-of-summer bliss, packed with acoustic warmth, barefoot wanderings, laughter around the fire, and music drifting through branches. Camp KeeWanee’s rustic charm (think cabins, camping glades, and creaky swings) feels like a beloved cousin’s lodge that just happens to have killer tunes.
🎶 Lineup Highlights
Here’s your sonic smorgasbord for the weekend:
Headliners: Lespecial, The Motet, Mihali, Prince/Bowie (Tribute), Max Creek
Standouts: Moontricks, Karina Rykman, Ryan Montbleau, Bella’s Bartok, Future Joy, Consider the Source
Extras: The Ain’t Sisters, Talking Dreads, Little Lies (Fleetwood Mac tribute), The Whiskey Treaty Roadshow, Hopeville General Store, Lox & Keyes Theory
🌟Unique Perks
Community Energy: Long-running, independent, and lovingly DIY. This isn’t a show, it’s a family reunion in pine country.
All Ages & All Heart: Welcoming campers of every generation, with grassroots workshops, sing-a-long sets, and maybe a barefoot songwriter join-in.
Nature-Borne Magic: Late-night campfire jams, acoustic wanderlust, and installations that glow with summer memory.
💡Insider Tip
Arrive Thursday if you can, camp side and stake out a spot near water spigots or fire pits. These are glam spots that become legendary “morning coffee hubs.” Also bring layers, summer nights in Greenfield flirt with chilly vibes. Take your pick: front row at a set, or front row at a campfire jam. That’s real Wormtown math right there.
🎒Product Pick
Baja Blanket – Cozy, multi-use, and perfect for lounging in camp at dawn or a rejuvenating sleep in nature.
McHenry Music Festival 2025
Venue: Petersen Park, McHenry, IL
Dates & Gates: Sept 12–14; Daily gates open 3:30pm daily, closing post-headliners.
✨Vibe & Venue
This is a breezy Midwest blowout, laid-back, family-friendly, and practically backyard-chic. Held in a verdant park, McHenry blends country charm with festival fuss-free comfort. Expect locals in lawn chairs and kiddos chasing bubbles, all overlaid with acoustic twang, pop energy, and summertime nostalgia.
🎶 Lineup Highlights
Fri: Sam Hunt, Dustin Lynch, Ingrid Andress, Redferrin
Sat: Slightly Stoopid, Dirty Heads, The Elovaters, The Expendables
Sun: Bailey Zimmerman, Flo Rida, Bryan Martin, Bella Cain
🌟Unique Perks
There’s something magical about a fest where “family-friendly” means pedal crafts by day and live reggae by night. Vendors lean local, think Cracker Barrel dinners and craft brews. Plus, you’re always five minutes from your campsite.
💡Insider Tip
Arrive early on Friday to snag a cozy spot in the shade near the lawn, it’s like front-row…but with snack breaks on demand.
🎒Product Pick: Baja Blanket – comfy, shade-sharing, and endlessly picnickable.
Goldrush Music Festival 2025
Venue: Rawhide Western Town, Chandler, AZ
Dates: Sept 12–13, 2025. Gates open at 5pm daily and the event closes at 2am each night
✨Vibe & Venue
Imagine the wild West meets EDM; that’s Goldrush. Set in a Western-themed venue with saloon facades and dusty walkways, this annual lights-it-up festival pairs cowboy chic with heart-rattling beats. Expect laser sunsets, dirt-road dance parties, and enough dust to make you glow.
🎶 Lineup Highlights
Headliners like Excision, Illenium, Zeds Dead, Major Lazer. Plus Crankdat, Showtek, Wax Motif, Wilkinson, William Black, LF System, and more electric artillery across two sun-to-moon nights.
🌟Unique Perks
Relentless Beats curates these OG Desert EDM parties with flare, lit rodeo acrobatics, wildcard DJ sets, and funnel cake fuel are standard. Picture dancing in the corral under sky-high production value.
💡Insider Tip
Pack a bandana (dust is real), double layers (desert nights drop fast), and hydrate smart. For killer photos, aim for sunset sets by the saloon rooftops.
🎒Product Pick: Clutch Loop – keep your phone secure while you boot scoot through the Wild West.
Borderland Festival 2025
Venue: Knox Farm State Park, East Aurora, NY
Dates: Sept 12–14, 2025. Gates open at 1pm Friday, 11am Saturday and Sunday.
✨Vibe & Venue
Nestled in a lush Western NY park, Borderland is where roots, indie, and soul meet movement. This is forest dancing sprinkled with barn-echoed harmonies and meadow-wide jams. It’s rustic without missing a moment of curated cool.
🎶 Lineup Highlights
Vampire Weekend, Khruangbin, Mt. Joy, Nathaniel Rateliff, Trampled By Turtles, The Wailers, Robert Randolph, The Soul Rebels, and a “Dead All-Stars” tribute to The Band, plus local indie gems.
🌟Unique Perks
Think forest sculpture gardens, artisan cocktails, fire-lit communal circles, and a dose of true Buffalo music pride. Kissing Bridge partners for affordable camping (or hotels) keep it cozy and connected.
💡Insider Tip
Opt for early bird weekend tickets and book that shuttle to Kissing Bridge. Last-minute self-drive through Allegheny hills ain’t for the weary.
🎒Product Pick: Hydration Pack – for all those cross-stage hikes and wanderings.
Music at The Intersection 2025
Venue: Grand Center, St. Louis, MO
Dates & Gates: Sept 12–14, 2025. Daily panels start at 11am, Main stage live performances start at 5pm Friday, 3pm Saturday and 2pm Sunday.
✨Vibe & Venue
Half festival, half cultural carnival, MATI splashes St. Louis’s art district with inclusive sounds. Picture jazz trios on street corners, poets in alleyways, indie artists in repurposed institutions, and families soaking up creative cumulative energy.
🎶 Lineup Highlights
Bold names like Common, Patti LaBelle, De La Soul, Branford Marsalis, Leon Thomas. Expect pop-up performances from Funky Butt Brass Band, Boogaloo Crew, The Womack Sisters, Leela James. Eclectic and neighborhood-soul strong.
🌟Unique Perks
Part musical fest, part civic celebration, art has no age or ticket limits here. Free roaming stages, popup exhibits, and healing community performances make MATI rare in its breadth and brightness.
💡Insider Tip
Power walk early to snag sidewalk seats for headliners, then drift through popup gallery shows, marshmallow slam open mics, and low-key dance circles.
🎒Product Pick: Crowd Compass – Keep track of your friends through the sprawl of the St. Louis Art District with our favorite friend finding tool.
Final Beat
The early-fall festival lineup is a genre-infused cross-country tour, from desert bass to forest jam, indie roots to community brass beats. Each fest has its moment, and your next favorite memory.
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