It’s an impossible to make a top ten list of anything that doesn’t leave some folks scratching their heads. The arguments trying to narrow down our ten favorite festivals from 2015 were tough, and ultimately inspired by a high level of festival quality over the last year, but, we finally did it. Though we could debate the order until this time next year, these were the ten festivals that truly inspired.*

*Note: single band festivals (a la Magnaball and Fare Thee Well were not considered)

10. The Peach Festival

Sadly, all lists must have a lowest entry, but some folks wondered if the Peach Festival would even return when the word broke that perennial host band the Allman Brothers were calling it quits. But though he wasn’t there with the Brothers, Gregg Allman still showed up, as did virtually the rest of his band, including Warren Haynes, Butch Trucks, Jaimoe and almost everyone, with the notable exception of Derek Trucks. There was plenty more music to be had though, with Santana, Willie Nelson and Lotus covering the far ends of the musical spectrum, while Bob Weir was on hand to join both his fellow Grateful Dead alum for a spirited “Billy & The Kids” set and a turn with the Preservation Hall Jazz band for good measure.

Dispelling any thoughts that the festival had lost its lease on life when it lost its headliners, Peach Fest showed it has a life beyond the Allman Brothers, as do the musicians who gave so much to make that band the legend that it was. Here’s Gregg Allman and friends realizing there was only “One Way Out” below.

9. Jam Cruise

Jam Cruise is an event on our list that truly belongs in a class by itself. Easily the most luxurious, top of the line experience a music fan could hope for…a music festival on the high seas of the Caribbean on a boat stocked with some of the finest musicians on the planet. With Pretty Lights and Umphrey’s McGee leading the way, and the funk and jam centric core of bands like Galactic, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe and Lettuce, the boat also brings along a bevy of stellar talent as artists at large, with George Porter Jr., Mike Dillon and Anders Beck, wandering around and joining bands on stage for sit ins and shenanigans.

The only time the music stopped was when it was time to disembark on a tropical port, then it was back on board for late night star studded sessions in the storied Jam Room, wild flights of awesome fancy in the Jazz Room or down and dirty sets the Theaters. Jams broke out in hall ways, state rooms and every stage on the ship. There was no where to hide from the insanity on Jam Cruise, which suited the costumed army of glittering, twinkling costumed weirdo’s just fine.

8. Electric Forest

It’s a shame we have to give things ratings at all, because the Electric Forest is its own other-worldly music experience that once again amazed fans. Superlative String Cheese Incident sets, incredible EDM and jamtronica acts like Skrillex, Big Gigantic, Lotus, Kaskade, DJs Shpongle and Paul Oakenfeld had the crowd bumping till the end of the night, Lettuce got down and dirty, and bluegrass stalwarts Yonder Mountain String Band got everybody back up and moving when the sun came out. It shows you how strong the scene is in general that a festival this good isn’t sitting atop this list. In fact, it’s fans are so devoted the tickets for this festival sell out minutes after they are available for one simple reason…everyone knows what they’re getting for their ticket price.

This year the magic forest grew yet again, and was home to a magical wedding, incredible collaborations like Cheese’s Michael Kang sitting in with Bassnectar for his whole set and even producer and super star Skrillex rocking out on guitar with the Cheesey hosts of the weekend. Cheese debuted a new song, played all the classic favorites and generally hosted like the bosses they clearly are. The Electric Forest itself is a psychedelic maze of crazy lights and a curious blend of natural and unnatural design that captivates and has, in some cases, actually captures the mind. Just don’t wave a confederate flag next year if you know what’s good for you.

Check out a full three hour show by the String Cheese Incident below.

7. Mountain Jam

There’s no denying Warren Haynes needed his own festival, and Mountain Jam gives the guitarist a place to share his boundless energy with some of the best musicians in the world, and this year was no exception. Besides bringing his passionate blues guitar licks and honey voice to the Gov’t Mule, Haynes’ love of music makes him a pretty good guy to have involved in picking bands. Robert Plant, The Black Keys, Alabama Shakes, Grace Potter and moe. topped the bill, with a rock solid under card, with the likes of Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, Michael Franti, and Big Gigantic all giving monster shows.

The mountains were their usual beautiful selves, and the air was filled with the sound of righteous tunes, appreciative cheers and the feeling that everyone was gathered in a singular purpose. Besides leading his band Gov’t Mule through a head lining set and a late night remaking of Pink Floyd’s classic Dark Side Of The Moon, Haynes also managed to sit in with moe. for this fifteen minute version of the desperate classic “Opium.” Watch it below.

6. The Catskill Chill Music Festival

The Catskill Chill Music Festival showed it’s not always having the biggest bands in the world that makes a music festival special. Sometimes a combination of an inspiring location, a “Go for it” atmosphere among the musicians and a cause for the fans to rally behind will make a weekend beyond anything that anyone imagined. Event planners knew in advance that this was the last year the Chill would be held at Camp Minglewood, so they decided to mark the occasion with a full on blowout. They invited moe., Zappa Plays Zappa, Lettuce, perennial favorites Twiddle, Dopapod, Consider The Source, Kung Fu and Turkuaz to come in and help go out in style.

The vibe was far from sad as everyone got down to late in the night, then popped back up again ready for more. The Werks worked the crowd like the seasoned vets they’re becoming, The Nth Power spread their loving vibes all over the crowd and the Stratosphere All-Stars climbed to dizzying heights of towering jams and stayed there until the funk came tumbling down. It might have been a little bittersweet to close out an awesome run at a location that had won so many hearts, but the Catskill Chill certainly managed to put a cherry on top of a run with a full weekend of wall to wall special moments and jams for the ages.

Watch Twiddle and The Werks team up for a lil “G-Funk” below.

5. Summer Camp Music Festival

The Summer Camp Music Festival turned fifteen this year, and it showed all the classic signs of being a teenager. It was in your face, loud and ready to take on the world. Scamp is powered by the twin towers of jam band royalty moe. and Umphrey’s McGee, with each band playing multiple sets on multiple days to throngs of devoted fans of the dual-guitar attack employed by both bands.

Both UM and moe. played special sets with special guests. moe. was joined by Bruce Hornsby for a special set of Grateful Dead tunes, with a few of theirs mixed in, while Umphrey’s brought Gene Ween out to front their “GodBoner” persona, rocking a set of Ween jams.

There was everything from classic rock luminaries like Steve Miller and the Violent Femmes, world class DJs like Paul Oakenfeld, funk from Karl Denson, heart from Nahko and Medicine For The People, bourbon soaked southern rock from Widespread Panic and a senses shattering set from Sound Tribe Sector 9. Heck, beloved festival regular Chicago Farmer even got up on a little stage by a campfire and played a guitar for a hour or two. At the end of the weekend, guitarist Al Schnier adressed the crowd, as he had the previous fourteen years, and thanked them from his heart for coming out. Promoter Ian Goldberg took the mic and emotionally promised fifteen more years to come. We can’t wait.

Check out Gene Ween and Umphre…ummmmm…Godboner nail “Voodoo Lady“:

4. Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival

The fourteenth Bonnaroo continued in the tradition of years past, offering the biggest of the big names in music, the hippest of the new up and comers and everything in between. Bonnaroo continues to offer the most diverse musical array of any festival in the country. From Billy Joel to the return of D’Angelo, chart toppers Kendrick Lamar, Mumford & Sons, My Morning Jacket, indie heroes Belle And Sebastian and The War On Drugs to death metal masters Slayer and a weekend closing bluegrass super jam in one of the tents, there was literally something fabulous for everyone. ‘Roo became the biggest camping festival in the country its first time out, and it hasn’t stopped getting bigger and more diverse since its inception.

From its legendary Centeroo to all corners of its grounds, there was a relentless, non stop call to arms, an urge to dance, to rock, to rage that was literally irresistible to the nearly ninety thousand attendees. That relentless horde founded friendships that will last a life time, and discovered music that will fill those shared lives with meaning beyond the ones intended by the song writers. Bonnaroo is famous for being more than a simple festival…it brings people from all across the country and throws them into a melting pot of positive energy and every sort of sensory input imaginable, cranked to eleven.

While it’s lack of musical cohesion kept it from rising higher on our list, it does give an opportunity for a concert goer to sample the entire gamut of musical styles in a single weekend, to be exposed to a whole new world of sonic bliss never dreamed of before. Check out this insane set of tunes from producer extraordinaire Deamau5 below.

3. Lockn’



The Lockn’ Music Festival has always had a strong purpose, mixing the best of the modern jam scene with the stalwarts of its past, and this year they knocked it out of the park. When you mix rock legends like Robert Plant, Carlos Santana, Phil Lesh and Bob Weir with newer acts like Trombone Shorty, Anders Osborne, Slightly Stoopid and St. Paul & The Broken Bones you really are seeing the best of old guard and new. Speaking of mixing, that was the order of the weekend, a star studded blending of headliner level talent that was, as usual for this fest, mind blowing.

Widespread Panic welcomed reggae legend Jimmy Cliff out for a island tinged set, besides nailing their own solo slot. Phil Lesh welcomed no less than the Carlos Santana along side Warren Haynes no less for a “Friends” set that has to be seen to be believed, while bringing Chris Robinson out another night. Billy Kreutzman sat in a tribute to Jefferson Airplane with some of the original members and brought more than The Kids, he brought his buddy Bob Weir along for the ride. The String Cheese Incident lived up to the home states image and brought a higher energy set than usual when paired with the Doobie Brothers, besides knocking out their own main stage performance.

It’s a testament to not only how good the music was that it had a day of music cancelled due to massive storms and flooding, but how fast the crews worked to get the fest back open and ready for the thousands and thousands of folks ready to rock and roll. The founders of this fest had a vision of bringing together the top tiers of guitar hero eras, and they done it in a way all their own. The skies may have threatened, but the clouds gave way to a weekend of fun in the sun with music to withdnce those rainy day blues away.

Check out one of the biggest highlights of the weekend, The Tedecshi-Trucks Band with Leon Russell, Chris Robinson and more paying homage to Joe Cocker‘s classic “Mad Dogs And Englishmen,” below.

2. New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival

It seems unfair to count the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival as a single entry…its a seven day commitment to music, art and merriment that fills the heart with joy and drains the body of basically everything else. Jazz Fest is an incredible sprawl, with its 11 stages dedicated to the every facet of the city’s rich musical heritage. Besides icons like Elton John and Tony Bennett, chart toppers like Lady Gaga and Pitbull topped a line up filled with a who’s who of music, including The Who! Continual parades of marching bands and intricately feathered Mardi Gras Indians wove through the crowd, joined by patrolling clowns, jugglers, all watched by countless smiling faces, made memories in the hearts of old and young alike the Fair Grounds Race Course becomes the home of the biggest party of the year. And when you’re saying that about the Crescent City, you’re saying something big. Like half a million people big.

There were the usually out-standing the home town all-stars like The Meters, Galactic, Trombone Shorty, Dr. John, Aaron Neville and the endless parade of amazing talent to come out of music mecca. The way this town grows musicians, you’d think they put something in the water down on the bayou. With the local talent alone the city could throw a festival almost untouchable, but they drop the other shoe and bring in acts like John Legend, Keith Urban, Lenny Kravitz and Widespread Panic there is no way to not rank this festival as close to the top as possible. And one thing about partying as much as they do down Nawlins way, they have gotten kinda good at it. Like…tops in the world good.

On top of all the fun at the track itself, the city that hosts 20 concerts a night really puts it in gear during Jazz Fest. As soon as the last notes play to close out the fest itself, a race begins to get back to home or hotel, get cleaned up and head back out on the town for a stunning assortment of top talent at the dozens of venues around town. Clubs like the venerable Tipitinas end up hosting back to back shows just to see how many happy fans they can make in one night, while musicians hop from club to club, happily sitting in with their peers. Area legend and one of the funkiest men alive, George Porter Jr. traditionally works so hard he’s like a funk Santa Claus, visiting all the good children in seemingly one night, stuffing their souls with joy instead of their stockings with toys.

Even the few days off in between aren’t safe for folks wishing for a respite from the craziness. A free festival to raise money for a neighbor hood association, The Oak Street Block Party sprung up to help folks make it through the agonizing three days between the back to back weekends of fun. Heck…actual other festivals, like FiyaFest happen DURING Jazz Fest, and sell huge numbers of tickets as well. Laissez les bon temps rouler!

Check out Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue from Jazz Fest’s second weekend below.

1. Suwannee Hulaween

There was no debate as to which festival we thought was the best of the best this year… Suwannee Hulaween was hands down the leader of the pack. The String Cheese Incident once brought their unique fusion of art and music to one of the nations most beautiful settings for live music, The Spirit Of The Suwannee Music Park, and the result was stronger than the sum of its parts. Cheese gave us three days of incredible music, showcasing everything from their bluegrass roots, to their more progressive jam period on into their bass heavy dub futuristic break downs. They had sit ins and guest stars galore, including one of the most brilliant casting moves ever, bringing the Wu-Tang Clan‘s GZA serve as “Don Cornelius” for their 70’s throw back “Ghoul Train” funk/soul cover set.

Their massive display of headlining star power gave the festival a bedrock foundation of impeccable quality that allowed for a wide ranging assortment of stellar acts to like Chance The Rapper, Pretty Lights and Sound Tribe Sector 9 to take their own sets to eleven. Primus packed the biggest crowd anyone had ever seen at the park’s beloved amphitheater, and proceeded to lay down a selection of tunes still ringing in our ears. Meanwhile, another pair of stages rocked all weekend around the always evolving, mind blowing art installation Hulaween is famous for, Spirit Lake. Overall, the production that Hulaween put on, from pitch perfect sound, stunning light shows on stage and off and an attention to the smallest detail was a marvel to behold

The biggest story of the weekend wasn’t on any stage though, it was out in the crowd. Actually, the story was the crowd. Hulaween more than DOUBLED in size on the strength of the fantastic line up and near perfect word of mouth from previous years. When all was said and done, it was the largest event ever at the Park, and the promoters handled the influx easily and stuck the landing in style. Eager fans were rewarded with a weekend of perfect weather, magical music and an eye-popping monster themed wonderland to wander. A love vibe built up that was so pervasive that the park itself seemed to hum happily to itself. From musicians proposing onstage to Cheese packing the house with costumed dancers, horn players and a rap legend, the weekend was a complete success.

Afterwards, String Cheese guitarist Billy Nershi said in a chat with us that the festival was definitely coming back, everyone ready to try and somehow top the madness they had just wrought. In a music scene where Halloween is one of the most anticipated shows of the year for any band, Hulaween managed to combine dozens of shows full of costumes, covers and craziness that won our hearts!

Relive Cheese’s funk-tastic set of seventies cover tunes right below!

***Well, that’s our list. Agree with our choices? Disagree? Let us know in the comments below. And whatever you think of our list, you have to admit that the 2015 music festival season was one of the finest of recent memory. The bar for 2016 has been set really high!