October is a great month to attend festivals; the weather is cooler and Halloween is right around the corner. Everyone is in a mentality for creative development, new experiences, and ending the last stretch of 2014 with success. A perfect complement to this is music festivals, especially those that highlight other forms of art such as food and design. FestPop’s tour of music festivals in October leads to five prominent cities of the United States: Sacramento, San Francisco, Seattle, Austin, and Las Vegas. How many of these can you check off?
TBD Fest | Sacramento, CA | Oct. 3 – Oct. 5
TBD Fest is a new music festival by Launch Events and it boasts a lineup that excites any music fan. Timeless crowd killers Moby and Blondie top the list of headlining acts alongside fashionable acts Justice and Empire of the Sun. Tens of up-and-comers and niche favorites across genres fill the schedule for a weekend of diverse musical bliss in the warm Central Valley sun. The festival features Friendly Fire, a head-to-head cook-off battle between notable Sacramento chefs, and each day festival goers can sample the meal to vote on a winner. The festival will host a shopping exhibition of eccentric knickknacks and mod clothing, a car and fashion show, carnival rides, and morning yoga. http://www.tbdfest.com/
[Photo Credit: FestPop]
Austin City Limits – Weekend Two | Austin, TX | Oct. 10 – Oct. 12
Austin City Limits has grown to two weekends, eight stages and over 130 bands. The festival rises in comparison to Coachella and Lollapalooza. With top artists Eminem, Skrillex, Outkast, and Lorde among the headliners performing this year, ACL has an array of talent to entertain attendees while they indulge in the best food, art, and music of the nation. But what makes this stand out from the rest is its location, situated in the heart of the city on 46 acres in Zilker Park, the crown jewel of Austin’s green spaces. A three-day escapade in this reputable city is an ideal experience for the middle of the month. http://www.aclfestival.com/
[Photo Credit: ACL Music Festival]
Treasure Island Music Festival | San Francisco, CA | Oct. 18 – Oct. 19
With no overlapping sets, Bay Area cuisine, and the gorgeous, panoramic views of the San Francisco Bay serving as the festival’s backdrop, Treasure Island Music Festival is without a doubt on our list of festivals to experience in October. This smaller two-day festival hosts Outkast, TV on the Radio, Massive Attack, and Zedd among others on a venue surrounded by water in the cool Bay Area breeze. The festival’s treasure chest hides an array of interactive art installations and roaming performers only seen and experienced by festival goers. A 60-foot Century Ferris Wheel is the event’s beacon and is the perfect opportunity to enjoy music amassed the wondrous scenery. http://treasureislandfestival.com/
[Photo Credit: Treasure Island Music Festival]
Life Is Beautiful Festival | Las Vegas, NV | Oct. 24 – Oct. 26
Life Is Beautiful is back for its second year in downtown Las Vegas. An event jam-packed with creativity and entertainment, Life Is Beautiful serves best in music, food, art, and education to its attendees. A social platform dedicated to inspire people to live out their dreams, Life Is Beautiful curates positive digital content shared wildly while it presents a festival with amazing music, world-class food, iconic public speakers and phenomenal art. Celebrity chefs Cat Cora and Duff Goldman are among fifty presenting food vendors; local artists will showcase live paintings and art installations; Ricki Lake, Pussy Riot, and Scot Nery among others will facilitate conversational learning at the festival. Sharing ideas and creativity are added benefits from attending this one-of-a-kind festival. http://lifeisbeautiful.com/
[Photo Credit: Life Is Beautiful]
Freak Night | Seattle, WA | Oct. 31 – Nov. 1
United State of Consciousness’ FreakNight Festival is Seattle’s bone-chilling Halloween dance festival. FreakNight is the largest and longest running electronic music festival in the Northwest and has grown into a massive 8-hour event that attracts top national and international DJs and thousands of revelers. Escape the Las Vegas humidity into the cool, dusk environment of Seattle. The circus-themed event is complete with flame throwers, aerialists, pumpkin carving, stilt walkers, jugglers and contortionists; FreakNight gives other Halloween-themed festivals like Escape: All Hallows’ Eve and HARD Day of the Dead a run for their money. Popular DJs Kaskade and Tiesto headline the festival, so don your best freak show costume for a night of horrific celebration. http://freaknightfestival.com/
[Photo Credit: USC, FreakNight]
Written by FestPop Sr. Staff Writer Chris Hong Email Comments to: Press@FestPop.com