It’s time to rekindle your relationship with your favourite music festivals. You know, the ones you’ve been waiting for since… last summer. That’s right, the likes of Paradiso, Veld, and Bass Canyon are around the corner, and those weekends will creep up on you before you know it. While planning your summer, take a moment to pencil in one or two of the top events happening around North America. As always, Bus.com is getting you to and from your festivals this year. But you’ll have to act quickly to ensure your spot.
When to book your rideshare seat
You’re not the only one gearing up for Ile Soniq and Electric Forest this year. EDMers everywhere are planning their festival season, and available transportation is running out fast! Make up your mind by the time you finish this list, then make a move and book your shuttle seat on one of our rideshare coach buses.
Best EDM festivals happening this summer in North America
Bass Canyon // August 22-26, 2019
Back for a second year, Bass Canyon brings the heavy hitters of bass music to a renowned music venue with camping grounds. The festival is presented by Canadian bass artist Excision, founder of the Lost Lands festival known for his dark, heavy sound. Excision performs several times over the weekend, and he doesn’t hold back with mind-numbing sound systems and impressive visual productions. Along with the feature act, 12th Planet and Liquid Stranger return for another year at Bass, while DJs Flux Pavillion, Downlink, and Subtronics make their festival debuts. The mountainous Gorge Amphitheatre has a capacity of 20,000 and provides gorgeous views of the Columbia River. Located in rural George, Washington 2.5 hours from Seattle, it’s easily accessible to residents of America’s Pacific Northwest and British Columbia.
Thankfully, Bass Canyon has partnered with Bus.com to provide convenient, affordable shuttles to the remote venue from downtown Seattle or the Seatac Airport.
Electric Forest // June 27-30, 2019
Head to the Electric Forest for one of the most eclectic events you’ll find on the scene this summer. Set between lakes just outside of the campground town of Rothbury, Michigan, EF brings in a diverse, multi-genre lineup of artists with a highlight on electronic and jam band. Four headliners close each of the four festival days: Odesza on Thursday, Kygo on Friday, Bassnectar on Saturday, and Zeds Dead on Sunday. Outside of the Big Four, the festival always mixes things up, this year bringing in up-and-coming Michigan singer Quinn XCII along with veteran rapper T-Pain. Expect a team of costumed performers to mingle with high-energy crowds under intense lights behind a soundtrack of upbeat jams.
Bus.com is providing the Official Electric Forest Shuttle leaving from eight destinations between five cities: Muskegon, MI; Grand Rapids, MI; Detroit; Chicago; and New York City.
Paradiso Festival // June 14-15, 2019
Two months before Bass Canyon takes over, Paradiso owns Gorge Amphitheatre for one epic weekend. Paradiso promises to be more than a music festival, rather a euphoric experience in which attendees are “enraptured by the interdependent relationship of digital and nature.” What this really means is you can take a break from the music and jump on an amusement ride, admire art installations, and take in a theatrical performance. The 2019 lineup includes EDM veterans like Benny Benassi, Alison Wonderland, Skrillex, and Zeds Dead. Paradiso officially sold out early in May, but those lucky enough to have snagged a few tickets should begin to arrange their group transportation as soon as possible. Get your festival buds together and rent a Seattle charter bus to get to the festival grounds easily and on time.
Nocturnal Wonderland // September 13-14, 2019
Close out the summer with one last (head)banger at September’s Nocturnal Wonderland festival in Southern California. The 2019 lineup hasn’t yet been released, but expect to hear all variations of EDM including trance, dance, house, and techno. Past performers include superstars like Calvin Harris, Steve Aoki, and Tiesto, but typically intimate lineups allow festival-goers to discover newer DJs and tomorrow’s top performers. At Wonderland, music mingles with art and performance, and all are overlaid with LED lights, no matter what. Five intricately-designed stages carry names like Wolves’ Den, Labyrinth, and Sunken Garden. Away from the music, daily activities include yoga, arts & crafts, and a waterpark.
Ile Soniq // August 9-10, 2019
Montreal is a party any weekend of the year, but during summer, otherwise known as festival season, the city comes alive more than ever. Ile Soniq is the 514’s annual two-day EDM party on Île Sainte-Hélène, where Parc Jean-Drapeau converts into a playground for Montrealers and tourists alike looking for a follow-up to the previous weekend’s Osheaga. Acts range from dubstep artists like Badklaat to hip hop performers like Lil Pump. Participants can cool off from the hot Montreal summer with water features, or take a break from the stage with lawn games.
Out-of-towners should book their seat on our rideshare bus today from locations including Boston, Toronto, Ottawa, and Quebec City.
Ever After Music Festival // June 7-9, 2019
The fifth-year Ever After Music Festival takes place at the Bingemans Centre in Kitchener, Ontario, two hours from Toronto. Get set for 10 hours of music for three straight days from headliners like Yellow Claw, Kill the Snails, Excision, Green Velvet, and Illenium. For a break in the action, head to Splash Island, the festival grounds’ resident water park, or its carnival-style theme park, Mad Hatter’s Playhouse. Festival-goers can stay the weekend thanks to more than 300 campsites, including turnkey solutions like QUBE and cabin camping, or the standard BYO variety. Ever After’s Dragon Shuttle is powered by Bus.com and does pick-ups and drop-offs in Toronto, Montreal, and Guelph at a super affordable $20 price tag.
Veld // August 3-4, 2019
Veld is Toronto’s premier EDM festival, a two-day showcase of some of the top talent in dance and hip hop music. This year is the eighth edition, and its headliners are big: Cardi B, Kygo, Skrillex, and Tiesto, with help from the likes of Alesso and Kodak Black. The event takes place at Toronto’s Downsview Park, less than an hour north of downtown. Along with tens of thousands of other EDM fanatics, plan to flash the patented “V” hand gesture all weekend long. Veld’s official shuttle buses, provided by Bus.com, round up festival-goers from all over the Greater Toronto Area, including Mississauga and Hamilton, plus Ottawa and Detroit.
Now that you have a better idea of which festivals and events may be in your plans this summer, check out our all-encompassing Guide to Festival Going. It covers everything from what kind of gear to bring with you to how to plan your festival itinerary to make sure that you get to see all of your favourite artists!
Note: Event planners should reach out to a Bus.com booking specialist today to organize the details of their rideshares for this summer’s festivals.
