20 gloriously crowded, sweaty and loud music festivals, all just a car trip away

How will it feel to finally part a festival gate for the first time in 2021? Relief? Trepidation? Absolute unbridled exuberance to be seeing music, any music, on a stage in the sun again?

With California now halfway to being vaccinated and — fingers crossed — all COVID-19 trends pointing in good directions here, a number of the area's marquee festivals have booked lineups, set dates and started selling tickets for summer and fall events. The state's June 15 reopening is proceeding as scheduled, so if you're comfortable making music and travel plans, there are scores of festivals within a day's drive of L.A. that will be thrilled to have you back.

Alas, Coachella and Stagecoach will likely be down until 2022, and everything here is obviously subject to very rapidly evolving state and local COVID-19 policies. But here is our guide, in chronological order, to all the big ones that are scheduled for 2021.

HARD Summer

July 31-Aug. 1

NOS Events Center, San Bernardino

Headliners: Future, DJ Snake, Malaa

Don’t Miss: A decade into his rap career, Chicago’s Lil Durk has a second wind for searing, chart-topping drill.

Tickets: $99

Hive Fest

Aug. 6-7

Utah State Fair Park, Salt Lake City

Headliners: Post Malone, $uicideboy$, Trippie Redd, DaBaby

Don’t Miss: Jack Harlow is the breakout pop star of this otherwise edgy rap festival.

Tickets: $349-$650

Uproar

Aug. 13

Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum

Headliners: Lil Wayne, TBD

Don’t Miss: There’s no way the collaboration fiend Wayne doesn’t bring out at least a few A-list special guests.

Tickets: $89-$179

Psycho Las Vegas

Aug. 20-22

Mandalay Bay Resort, Las Vegas

Headliners: Danzig, Emperor, Down

Don’t Miss: Grindcore demons Full of Hell are one of the most brutal but invigorating acts in heavy music today.

Tickets: $65-$299

BottleRock Napa Valley

Sept. 3-5

Napa Valley Expo, Napa, Calif.

Headliners: Guns N' Roses, Stevie Nicks, Foo Fighters, Miley Cyrus, Megan Thee Stallion

Don’t Miss: Perennial Grammy overachievers Black Pumas are actually a fine vibe for this laid-back fest.

Tickets: Festival is sold out, but tickets can be purchased through secondary-market exchanges.

Life Is Beautiful

Sept. 17-19

Downtown Las Vegas

Headliners: Tame Impala, Green Day, Billie Eilish

Don’t Miss: Megan Thee Stallion should be at the top of festival posters in no time.

Tickets: Festival is sold out, but tickets can be purchased through secondary-market exchanges.

Primavera Los Angeles

Sept. 18-19

Los Angeles State Historic Park

Headliners: TBD

Don’t Miss: The Barcelona-based fest, which ranges from indie to hip-hop to techno, is widely touted as one of the world’s best, and after several years of trying it will finally add L.A. to its portfolio of satellite shows, including one in Porto, Portugal.

Tickets: Not on sale yet.

Second Sky

Sept. 18-19

Cesar E. Chavez Park, Berkeley

Headliners: Porter Robinson, Madeon, Jai Wolf

Don’t Miss: Polymath Jacob Collier will likely astound the rave kids.

Tickets: Festival is sold out, but tickets can be purchased through secondary-market exchanges.

SoCal Hoedown

Sept. 18

Port of Los Angeles, Berth 46, San Pedro

Headliners: Horrorpops, Face to Face, Reel Big Fish

Don’t Miss: Punk-funk mainstays Fishbone had one of the most fun drive-in shows of the pandemic.

Tickets: $50.12

Treefort

Sept. 22-26

Downtown Boise, Idaho

Headliners: Japanese Breakfast, The Marias, Calexico

Don't Miss: The Tuareg guitarist Mdou Moctar pairs deep virtuosity with contemporary production.

Tickets: $150-$250

Monterey Jazz Festival

Sept. 24-26

Monterey County Fairgrounds, Monterey, CA

Headliners: TBD

Don’t Miss: This will be the 64th installment of the festival, one of the highlights on the nation’s jazz calendar.

Tickets: Not on sale yet

Ohana

Sept. 24-26

Doheny State Beach, Dana Point, CA

Headliners: Kings of Leon, Eddie Vedder, Pearl Jam

Don’t Miss: L.A. punks Plague Vendor are one of the city’s most raucous live acts.

Tickets: $138.50-$267

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass

Oct. 1-3

Golden Gate Park, San Francisco

Headliners: TBD

Don’t Miss: Bonnie Raitt and Emmylou Harris were set to headline the long-running Americana fest in 2020, though the lineup hasn’t been announced for this year.

Tickets: Free

Reggae Rise Up

Oct. 9-10

Downtown Las Vegas Events Center, Las Vegas

Headliners: Slightly Stoopid, Dirty Heads

Don’t Miss: The D.C. group Soja blends go-go and punk into its wide-ranging dub and reggae sound.

Tickets: $80-$150

Dirtybird Campout

Oct. 15-17

Modesto Reservoir, Modesto

Headliners: TBD

Don’t Miss: A rave with goofy, endearing summer camp sports from the L.A. house music crew Dirtybird.

Tickets: On sale June 11

Desert Daze

Oct. 17-Nov. 23

Pappy & Harriet’s, Pioneertown, Calif.

Headliners: TBD

Don’t Miss: The lakeside psych-rock festival will return to its typical format in 2022, but for now takes over the beloved Joshua Tree-area roadhouse for a series of small outdoor shows.

Tickets: Not on sale yet

Outlaw Music Festival

Oct. 16

Five Point Amphitheatre, Irvine

Headliners: Willie Nelson & Family, Chris Stapleton, Sturgill Simpson

Don’t Miss: Margo Price, whose new album “That's How Rumors Get Started” showcases her ferocious vocals and quick wit.

Tickets: $29-$249

Electric Daisy Carnival

Oct. 22-24

Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas

Headliners: TBD

Don’t Miss: The marquee fest of the American rave world is always a spectacle no matter who is playing, but expect pretty much every major DJ in the genre to be eager to get back to work here.

Tickets: Festival is sold out, but tickets can be purchased through secondary-market exchanges.

Outside Lands

Oct. 29-31

Golden Gate Park, San Francisco

Headliners: The Strokes, Lizzo, Tame Impala

Don’t Miss: Yves Tumor and Its Band is harsh, ambitious and often beautiful.

Tickets: Festival is sold out, but tickets can be purchased through secondary-market exchanges.

Rolling Loud California 2021

Dec. 10-12

NOS Events Center, San Bernardino

Headliners: Kid Cudi, J. Cole and Future

Don't Miss: Gen Z will turn out for the fast-rising Pooh Shiesty and Coi Leray, but a set from the recently-incarcerated Drakeo the Ruler will feel like a homecoming.

Tickets: On sale June 1.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.