Summer in the South means beach getaways, gingham shirts, crazy humidity, and really good music! Last week we asked for y’all’s help rounding up the best music festivals in the South, so without further ado, let’s get started! We can’t help but think that any of these awesome events would make the perfect break from wedding planning…
Bonnaroo is a four day long music and arts festival taking place on over 700 Acres of Tennessee nature. With over 80,000 happy campers, 150 performances and 10+ stages of music, comedians, Bonnoroo is described as “overwhelming happiness. Hugging a stranger by accident. Bonnaroovian Dancing. An escape into Excitement.” Now that sounds like a blast!
The KISS Country Chili Cookoff holds a special place in my heart. It’s where I started my corporate event planning career, it’s also where my husband rode in a golf cart with Jewel, and where Jessica Simpson wore those famous jeans! Not to mention it’s the South’s largest one day outdoor concert, jam-packed with the best country artists and a Chili Village full of awesome vendors. Also tons of cowboy hats.
In honor of our former editor, Sierra, we couldn’t leave the CMA Music Festival off this list! This four-day country music fest takes place in June in Nashville, Tennessee. Beginning in 1972 as Fan Fair, the event now draws over 400 artists and celebrities who hold autograph sessions and perform in one of the many concerts offered throughout the festival. In 2011, total combined attendance for the four-day event was estimated to have exceeded 250,000 people, and visitors came from 41 different nations, and all 50 states. Whoa!
Taking place in our own Ms. Lara’s hometown, DeLuna Fest is officially America’s original beach party! For three-days, music fans can dance on the sugar white sands of Pensacola Beach, revel in a diverse mix of live beach-friendly bands and musicians, and admire gorgeous Florida’s sunsets. DeLuna Fest celebrates Pensacola’s rich heritage with great music and a big ol’ party!
The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival might have been our most-suggested festival from y’all! The Nola Jazz Fest is a 10-day cultural event where thousands of musicians, cooks and craftspeople welcome nearly 400,000 visitors each year. With 12 stages of “soul-stirring” music from jazz, gospel, Cajun, zydeco, blues, R&B, rock, funk, African, Latin, Caribbean, folk, and much more, the festival is a celebration of many cultures. In 2001, the Festival celebrated Louis Armstrong’s centennial, and the total attendance eclipsed 650,000 attendees, smashing all past records!
Have you been to one of our favorite festivals? Or have a favorite music festival we missed? Let us know! Then put on your favorite Southern song, and let’s enjoy the last few weeks of summer!
Love that as I sat down to catch up on posts for today I had a glass of peach tea in hand! How’s that for perfect timing?
Love your website and blog! I am curious about your submission process for weddings. We recently photographed a wedding in Spruce Pine, NC that I would love for y’all to see ;)