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Can’t find something to do this summer? You’re not looking

By Staff | May 29, 2013

Summertime is upon us, meaning heat, humidity, sweat, sticky arms and legs!

But more to the point, music festivals.

Summer is famously chock full of festivals. One of the best things about the popularity of music festivals, especially during the summer, is that promoters and organizers are realizing that variety is good and the shows are getting better. No matter where you’ve ended up, planted roots, been stranded, it’s likely that something will be going on that you will enjoy, if you can muster the energy to drag your damp, clammy carcass out to see a show.

Touring festivals, festivals set over multiple days, and one-off productions are going to be everywhere this year. As always – or though it is starting to seem – there will be the usual rock ‘n’ roll zombies that seem to instinctively tour the outdoor circuit every year.

There are quite a few festivals this summer that are going to offer camping and a general family accommodating atmosphere. All Good (nominated by Pollstar Magazine as “Festival of the Year” in 2012) goes down at Legend Valley in Thornville, Ohio July 18 through 21, and they will have all of the usual amenities available, plus they’ve bolstered the quality of entertainment, again. On the very same days that All Good is going on, Jamboree in the Hills, which is primarily geared toward a country music crowd, will be jumping in Belmont, Ohio. August 22-24, Camp Barefoot 2013 is taking place in Bartow, West Virginia.

There are a few traveling festivals going on this year, which are geared toward a younger, sometimes more aggressive kind of audience. “Vans Warped Tour” is one of the longest running touring festivals, and it’s back for 2013 all over the area: Burgettstown, Pa.-7/17, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio-7/18, Charlotte, N.C.-7/29, Cincinnati, Ohio-7/30. Another festival gaining steady popularity is the “Monster Mayhem Tour”, sponsored by Rock Star energy drink, which will hit Burgettstown, Pa. on July 12 and Bristow, Va. on the 24th. A nice change-up this year in the “Master of the Mic” hip-hop festival-which has Ice Cube, Public Enemy, and LL Cool J-is hitting Riverbend in Cincinnati, Ohio on June 27.

In addition to the typical festivals going around, the circuit will be full of both acts that either tour every summer or haven’t toured in a while, a lot of them as package deals. Rush, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Heart, Jimmy Buffett, Cypress Hill, Dave Matthews Band, Bob Dylan, Matchbox Twenty, Goo Goo Dolls, Sugar Ray, Gin Blossoms, Smashmouth, Kid Rock – all of these acts will be accessible to you this summer. No matter where you find yourself, there will be something going on somewhere near.

There are several good websites that one can consult to get full details on shows mentioned previously, plus scads that were not. Pollstar Magazine-www.pollstar.com-is probably the most reliable comprehensive database of music events all over the world. You can search by venue, artist, city, along with other options. Another site that has info on some of the larger festivals with camping is Music Festival Junkies.

The summer is just getting started. There are plenty of things going on this year to keep everyone busy and happy. Always make sure to take all safety precautions if you’re going to extended events with camping and other group events. Make sure the kids are all accounted for and that you leave the wildlife in its natural home where it belongs. It’s happier there. I promise.