Music Festivals on the Great River Road

The Mississippi River has a lot of tunes! From country and blues to pop and rock, there’s a festival for you and your genre.

  ~Minnesota~

Mid West Music Fest (Winona, MN)

Mid West Music Festival supports and showcases local art to stimulate a diverse experience for all! Great River Road travelers can support up-and-coming artists in the midwest.

Twin Cities Summer Jam (Shakopee, MN)

Get ready for three days of pop, country, and rock music in Shakopee! Join other Minnesotans in a music tradition at Canterbury Park.

 ~Wisconsin~

Country Boom (La Crosse, WI)

Country Boom focuses on key details that make a great festival experience: food, music, drinks, and venue. Join hundreds of other country music fans in a festival that brings “the soul of Nashville right to the heart of the Midwest”. 

Prairie Dog Blues Festival (Prairie du Chien, WI) 

Held on an island in the Mississippi, the venue can’t be beat.  Enjoy Blues and Roots music from across the country. Camping is first come, first serve or a shuttle bus can take you to an area motel.

~Iowa~

Hinterland Music Festival (St. Charles, IA)

Hinterland Music Festival is three days of Indie, Alternative and Alternative Country performances for people who love both music and the outdoors. Held in Saint Charles, the festival lives up to its name located at a beautiful rural escape featuring a blend of music, camping, art, craft vendors, family engagement, and more!

Kosmic Kingdom Music Festival (Des Moines, IA)

This festival is for all the Electronic Dance Music fans on the Great River Road. You can look forward to three stages, over 50 artists, 30 medieval buildings to explore, and many more epic surprises at this out of this world music festival!

~Illinois~

Summer Camp Music Festival (Chillicothe, IL)

A different kind of summer camp than the one you remember as a kid! Summer Camp Music Festival is an annual event over Memorial Day weekend in Chillicothe, IL with an eclectic lineup, expansive campgrounds, late-night shows, live art and much more for the best summer camp experience you’ve ever had. 

Rock the Hops (Alton, IL)

Music, art, and craft beer.  Enough said really. A free shuttle takes you around the multiple venues featuring more than 25 bands, plus there are over 30 artists to view and craft beer brewers to sample.

 ~Missouri~

Big Muddy Blues Festival (St. Louis, MO)

Traveling Labor Day weekend? Over 30,000 people travel to Missouri to celebrate the blues!

Brew Skies Festival (Hannibal, MO)

Besides music, beer and car fans are welcomed. The festival hosts a vintage Volkswagen car show and a brew competition!

~Kentucky~

Lower Town Arts and Music Festival (Paducah, KY)

Paducah is a recognized UNESCO Creative City.  A two-day festival of all things creative: music, food, and art; taking place in the city’s Historic Arts District.

~Tennessee~

Delta Fair & Music Festival (Memphis, TN)

The festival creates an immersive family experience! Keep an eye on daily events and attractions like petting zoos and helicopter rides. 

Beale Street Music Festival (Memphis, TN)

If you’re looking for a diverse music lineup—Beale Street hosts over 60 musical acts! The musical event has hosted some big music names in the past: OneRepublic, Cardi B, The Avett Brothers, Lenny Kravitz, and plenty more.

~ARKANSAS~

King Biscuit Blues Festival (Helena, AR)

People from all across the country visit Helena to listen to the music of the Delta. The event features legends and up-and-coming blues artists over a weekend of fun!

~Mississippi~

Otherfest (Cleveland, MS)

Otherfest has two rules: enjoy yourself and support local music! The event brings together genres of punk, rock, pop, jazz fusion, and singer-songwriter.

Birthplace of American Music Festival (Clarksdale, MS)

Get an ear for Deep South Blues! The festival is hosted on 10 different venues in downtown Clarksdale.

~Louisiana~

Voodoo Festival (New Orleans, LA)

Every Halloween Weekend New Orleans holds Voodoo Festival, a so called musical gumbo stirring together music, art, community, cuisine and all the Halloween mystery and adventure the city conjures up. See more than 65 bands over three days for one of the best Halloween experiences in the country. 

Baton Rouge Blues Festival (Baton Rouge, LA)

Join others in one of America’s oldest free blues festivals. Swamp blues originated in Baton Rouge, and the genre is continuously celebrated each year!