At the crossroads of New England, the Great Lakes States and the Atlantic Coast, Pennsylvania is a hotbed of activity during summer concert tours. It also has more than a few festivals of its own to help residents stay cool in the hot summer weather.
Make sure you make the most of the culture, excitement and especially the music of what Pennsylvania has to offer by attending one of these incredible summer festivals:
Wawa Welcome America’s Philly 4th of July Jam — July 4, Philadelphia
Downtown Philly gets jam packed on the Fourth, albeit in the best way possible. Wawa hosts free outdoor concerts in multiple venues throughout the city. Vendors, beer tents and food trucks also offer enough refreshment to make the hot summer night enjoyable by any measure.
The night of the fourth, the Philly POPs and the most incredible fireworks display you’ve likely ever seen light up the night sky above the Museum of Art in a way that makes America’s birthday unforgettable.
Camp Bisco — July 14-16, Scranton
Legendary Philly jam artists the Disco Biscuits started Camp Bisco back in 1998 to offer a weekend of camping, lights, music and mayhem with an emphasis on electronica and danceable jam music.
Continuing the tradition, this year’s festival will take place once again on Montage Mountain in Scranton. Headliners include STS9, Lotus, Griz, Zed’s Dead and of course the biscuity boys themselves. Montage Mountain itself will likely steal the show, providing the perfect spot for camping out in a tent or an RV just a quick walk away from the main stages. Oh, and there’s a wavepool and a zipline, so you probably couldn’t have a bad time even if you tried.
Poconos’ Wurst Festival — July 16 & 17, East Stroudsburg
If you want to hope for the best, then expect the wurst at this celebration of all things sausage up in the Poconos. Wursts, kielbasa, wieners, pierogies and many a steinful of Bavarian brews are promised at this relaxing and tummy-filling festival at the Shawnee Mountain Ski Resort. Polka bands, Oompah brass and Bavarian dancers will all be present to ensure that you won’t have a single moment of boredom in between mouthfuls.
MusikFest — Aug 5-14, Bethlehem, PA
MusikFest has been happening in Bethlehem since 1984, and only seems to get better every year. 2016 is no exception.
Festivals are undoubtedly expensive, but this is one where not having any cash is no excuse for missing it. Most shows are absolutely free, and the ticketed ones attract plenty of exciting headlining acts, making it well worth saving up for. This year’s ticketed shows include RUN DMC, Aretha Franklin, Boston, Lady Antebellum, BUSH & Chevelle and more.
Outside the gated shows, there will be tons of free concerts, busking performers, art stalls, food trucks and good times.
The Peach Music Festival — Aug 11-14, Scranton
Just in case you didn’t get enough of Montage Mountain at Camp Bisco, Greg Allman and his closest friends will host what is undoubtedly the most quality lineup of any festival of the summer. Gregg Allman, The Trey Anastasio Band, String Cheese Incident, Umphrey’s McGee and more will be in attendance, as will MOE playing two sets.
Here’s hoping you have your camper or tent cleaned out in time to make it to Montage twice this summer!
Philadelphia Folk Festival — Aug 18-21, Upper Salford Township
For four days, 80 acres of farmland in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch Country turns into a vibrant community of musicians, campers, vendors, and folks just looking for a good time. Los Lobos and the Lone Bellow are headlining, along with many local and up-and-coming acts through a huge variety of genres.
Find a Plan to Stay or Get Home to Avoid a Pennsylvania DUI
No matter if you’re leaving a festival, a concert or just a night out on the town, make sure you designate a driver or make other arrangements rather than driving drunk. Luckily, most of these festivals allow for camping, saving you the trouble!
If you do happen to get arrested for a DUI, entrust only the best Pennsylvania DUI lawyer to protect your legal rights. Call (215) 940-1200 for a free consultation.