The festival season is something we’re all looking forward to during summer. After being suspended in 2020, festivals made a successful comeback in 2021, proving that outdoor music events could return if precautionary COVID measures were followed. However, last year most festivals were rescheduled from the late-spring summer block to September and October dates.

In 2022, music festivals will take place following their usual schedule, with the proper COVID preventive measures. If you’re planning to attend any of them, then this post is for you. Today, we’ll share the COVID protocols for 2022’s most anticipated US-based festivals.

Ready? Let’s go!

Festival Season & COVID Protocols

The festival season has already started and there will be many events in the upcoming months. In this section, we’ll share:

• Festival dates and locations
• Highlights of the festival lineup
• COVID attendance requirements

Let’s dive in!

Austin City Limits Music Festival

Austin is one of the most important music cities in the country. Austin City Limits (ACL) is an eight-stage celebration that offers:

• Music
• Art markets
• Food & drinks
• A dedicated family area
• And more

Initially, it was a weekend event, but since 2012 it has become a two-weekend venue.

Dates: October 7-9 & October 14-16
Location: Zilker Park, Austin, Texas
Lineup highlights:

• Arlo Parks
• The Chicks
• Flume
• Kacey Musgraves
• Lil Nas X
• Paramore
• P!NK
• Red Hot Chili Peppers
• SZA

Entry protocols: Given that ACL won’t take place until later in the season, entry protocols will be announced closer to the fall.

You can stay up-to-date on the event and get your tickets on ACL’s official website.

Life Is Beautiful Music & Arts Festival

This festival was founded in 2013 and is the youngest of them all. At this festival, you can enjoy quite a wide variety of music including pop, rock, electronic subgenres, and hip hop. The performances will be distributed across seven different stages. Moreover, you’ll also be able to enjoy stand-up and drag performances.

Dates: September 16-18
Location: Downtown Las Vegas, Nevada
Lineup highlights:

• Arctic Monkeys
• Beach House
• Cage the Elephant
• Calvin Harris
• Gorillaz
• Jack Harlow
• JPEGMAFIA
• Kygo
• Lorde
• Migos
• midwst

Entry requirements: potential COVID protocols will be released closer to the festival’s date.

You can stay on top of the news and order tickets on Life is Beautiful’s official website.

Desert Daze Festival

Desert Daze is a psychedelic-tinged festival and it will be held about an hour and a half outside of LA, feet away from Lake Perris. Additionally, at this festival, you’ll find camping accommodations for those who want to enjoy Southern California’s nature.

Date: September 30- October 2
Location: Lake Perris, California
Lineup highlights:

• King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard
• Iggy Pop
• Tame Impala
• New Road
• Sky Ferreira

You can find out more about Desert Daze and get your tickets on the festival’s official website.

III Points Miami

III Points is known as one of the country’s top boutique festivals. This festival mainly features electronic music, but it also features artists from rock, hip-hop, and other genres. There’s only one premise: the music has to be top-notch.

Dates: October 21-22
Location: Miami, Florida
Lineup highlights:

• LCD Soundsystem
• A.G. Cook
• Rosalía
• Flume
• La Femme
• Homeshake
• Shygirl

Entry requirements: None have been announced yet.

You can check out the event’s details and get your tickets on III Points’ official website.

Firefly

Firefly is known for being the major music festival on the East Coast. The lineup is both mainstream and diverse. Aside from some of the most popular pop artists, it features up-and-coming names in pop, rock, and rap.

It’s worth noting that the festival is equipped with camping accommodations.

Dates: September 22-25
Location: The Woodlands, Dover, Delaware
Lineup highlights:

• Dua Lipa
• CHAI
• Charli XCX
• Green Day
• Halsey
• My Chemical Romance
• The Regrettes
• Wolf Alice

Entry requirements: The organizers will monitor the situation and decide if any requirements will be implemented closer to the festival’s date.

You can stay up-to-date and get your tickets on Firefly’s official website.

How to Stay Safe: Some COVID Guidelines

Many festivals haven’t announced their COVID protocols for 2022 yet. But last year, live music events had a big comeback thanks to their COVID protective measures, including:

• Pre-entry testing
• Vaccination certificates

This year you may expect similar or more flexible measures. Yet, we recommend you:

• Wear a mask, especially when you’re in a crowd
• Stay away from crowds, if possible
• Wash your hands frequently
• Try not to share glasses or water bottles with strangers

What’s more, if you haven’t gotten your tickets yet, it may be wise to get them once the COVID protocols are announced. That way, you will be able to pick the festivals that align to your preferences and needs.

Key Takeaways

Even though COVID may seem to be a thing of the past, taking precautions remains key. At the end of the day, that’s the only way to keep the virus from spreading and turning into new variants that may pose a threat to public health.

Want to get tested before your next trip? No matter where you are, or what type of test you need, find testing locations near you with our international directory.