Festival season in 2026 is stacked with a lot of awesome shows that you might be interested in. With Glastonbury not happening this year, the rest of the world has stepped up to keep us all entertained, and there are still many shows that you might want to see. But which ones are worth booking a flight for?
From a mountaintop resort in Japan to a carnival-charged stadium in Rio de Janeiro, this year’s festivals are among the most compelling in recent memory. Whether you are a seasoned traveler who plans an entire summer around a wristband, or a first-timer who has never bought a plane ticket for a concert, these shows really are worth checking out. These are nine festivals from around the world that are worth every dollar spent on the flight.
1. Lollapalooza — Chicago, Illinois, USA
Dates: July 30–August 2, 2026
Lollapalooza has been around since 2005, and the festival being located by a lake in the heart of Chicago is still one of the best settings in American festival culture. The 2026 festival is taking place over four days and features a great set of headliners like Charli XCX, Lorde, Tate McRae, Olivia Dean, John Summit, Jennie, The Smashing Pumpkins, and The xx.
Further down the line, the lineup also includes Leon Thomas, Freddie Gibbs, Wet Leg, and Zara Larsson, among many others that you would probably love to see! The festival will have eight stages across the park, with most attendees moving between them throughout the day to build their own schedule and see the bands are artists they love. Chicago is a great place to visit because of its food scene, architecture, neighborhoods, and nightlife, so you might want to arrive a few days early and enjoy it! Four-day tickets are currently on a waitlist, but single-day tickets are still available.
2. Tomorrowland — Boom, Belgium
Dates: July 17–19 & July 24–26, 2026
For electronic music fans, no festival on earth is as loved as the Tomorrowland because of its scale and production. It is held at the De Schorre park in Boom, Belgium, and takes place over two weekends, drawing over 400,000 attendees from more than 200 countries. The 2026 edition has a “Consciencia” theme, which is an ambitious creative concept that threads a single narrative arc across editions in Europe, Asia, and South America, with six primal emotions anchoring the stages and design installations throughout the event.
More than 500 artists perform across the 16 stages. Calvin Harris will headlines the event, making his first-ever appearance at the festival. He will also be joined by Martin Garrix, David Guetta, Hardwell, John Summit, ILLENIUM, and Sara Landry. Accommodation in the surrounding area books out months in advance, so make sure you get a spot quickly!
3. Fuji Rock Festival — Niigata, Japan
Dates: July 24–26, 2026
Fuji Rock proves that a festival’s setting matters just as much as its lineup. It is held at the Naeba Ski Resort in Niigata Prefecture, roughly two to three hours from Tokyo. The festival happens on a mountain venue surrounded by forest. It is a multi-stage celebration that runs from the early morning through to 5 a.m. the following day.
The 2026 edition opens on July 24 with The xx, ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION, and Hi-STANDARD headlining the first day. On July 25, you can see Khruangbin, Fujii Kaze, and XG, and the festival closes on July 26 with Massive Attack, Mitski, and Mogwai. Bristol’s trip-hop icons Massive Attack last headlined Fuji Rock in 2010, making their return one of the most anticipated sets of the year. For anyone planning a trip to Japan, building an itinerary around this festival is a pretty good idea.
4. Primavera Sound — Barcelona, Spain
Dates: June 4–6, 2026
Primavera Sound has spent years building a reputation for its programming that resists mainstream festival trends, and 2026 delivers on that promise. It is held at Parc del Fòrum in Barcelona, and the festival has already been sold out for the second consecutive year. The lineup features The Cure, My Bloody Valentine, Gorillaz, Doja Cat, The xx, and Massive Attack.
Barcelona in early June is great thanks to its warm evenings, excellent food, and the waterfront that is within easy walking distance of the stages. For fans of indie rock, post-punk, and shoegaze, this is the most focused lineup of the year.
5. New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival — New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Dates: April 23–26 & April 30–May 3, 2026
Jazz Fest is a celebration of New Orleans as much as it is a music event. It takes place across two weekends at the historic Fair Grounds Race Course, the festival draws close to half a million attendees each year and consistently puts together one of the most genre-spanning lineups anywhere in the country.
The 2026 edition features Kings of Leon, Lorde, The Black Keys, Eagles, Nas, Earth, Wind & Fire, Rod Stewart, Raye, and the legendary Stevie Nicks, among many others. The food is a serious part of the draw, featuring crawfish étouffée, cochon de lait, and beignets are as much a part of the experience as anything on the main stage. New Orleans in late April is warm, festive, and completely alive. Few American cities make as strong a case for an extended stay.
6. Rock in Rio — Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Dates: September 4–13, 2026
Rock in Rio operates at a scale that few events anywhere in the world can match. It takes place across seven days at the City of Rock in Rio de Janeiro, the 2026 edition is expected to draw over 700,000 fans. The lineup is structured around themed days: September 4 features Foo Fighters alongside Rise Against and The Hives, while September 5 shifts to a heavier sound with Avenged Sevenfold and Bring Me The Horizon.
Headliners also include Elton John, Stray Kids, and Jamiroquai, with Maroon 5 and Demi Lovato rounding out the pop and crossover days. Rio de Janeiro during festival week has an energy that’s hard to describe without having experienced it. Sugarloaf Mountain, Guanabara Bay, and the city’s deep connection to music and performance make this one of the most memorable trips on this list.
7. Rock in Rio Lisboa — Lisbon, Portugal
Dates: June 20–21 & June 27–28, 2026
The European edition of Rock in Rio brings the same flair for spectacle to Lisbon’s Parque Tejo, and 2026 is a strong year for it. The festival promises a powerful international lineup, a new audiovisual show on the Main Stage, a brand-new halftime show in the clearing, additional fireworks, and new interactive attractions spread across the City of Rock.
The 2026 bill spans Rod Stewart to 21 Savage, covering four decades of popular music in a single festival. Linkin Park also headlines the event. Lisbon in late June is one of Europe’s great travel experiences: golden evening light, fresh Atlantic seafood, and a compact city center that rewards walking. Adding a few extra days on either side of the festival makes for a trip worth taking on its own terms.
8. Bonnaroo — Manchester, Tennessee, USA
Dates: June 11–14, 2026
Bonnaroo has cultivated one of the most loyal audiences in festival culture over more than two decades, and the 700-acre farm in Manchester, Tennessee remains the setting for something genuinely communal. The 2026 edition leans into curated daily experiences rather than simply stacking names: Skrillex opens the weekend with a Thursday night electronic takeover, The Strokes anchor Friday with their unmistakable indie legacy, RÜFÜS DU SOL commands Saturday with their cinematic live production, and Noah Kahan closes the weekend on Sunday.
Beyond the music, the festival creates a strong sense of community among attendees, with artistic events running alongside the main performances. Late-night sets, comedy, yoga, and art installations fill the hours between headliners. Bonnaroo builds a temporary city around its lineup, and that’s what keeps people coming back year after year.
Worth The Plane Ticket
The music is only part of what makes each of these festivals worth a plane ticket. Every one of them is rooted in a place with its own food, history, and atmosphere. Rio’s carnival energy, Barcelona’s coastal cool, New Orleans’ deep musical heritage, Japan’s mountain setting, these are destinations that reward the trip independently of whoever is headlining. In 2026, with the global festival circuit running at full strength, the calendar offers more genuine options than it has in years. The only real consideration is deciding which one to book first.
Always check official festival websites for the latest ticket availability and lineup updates before booking travel.
