Music Festivals to Get You Into the Halloween Spirit

For people who are regular electronic dance music enthusiasts, dressing up for music festivals is merely second nature. So what could be better than celebrating a holiday dedicated to costuming yourself? The answer: Halloween music festivals. So here’s a list of the nation’s Top 5 Halloween-oriented festivals to attend in 2024 to maximize your celebration of the best holiday of the year.

Voodoo Music + Arts Experience (October 28-30 — New Orleans, Louisiana)

The inspiration for Voodoo Music + Arts Experience goes back to the roots of Louisiana’s voodoo culture, dating back to the colonial period of the United States in the 1700s. The festival has been going strong for 16 years with hundreds of artists to choose from (not just EDM artists), which makes it so attractive for anyone in your squad. The lineup includes heavy hitters like Die Antwoord, The Chainsmokers, Gramatik, Porter Robinson, Carnage, STS9, Slander, What So Not, and many more. Voodoo takes place every year in New Orleans’ historic City Park, amid lush lagoons, bayous, and one of the largest collections of mature oak trees in the world. Like Bob Dylan famously stated, “There are a lot of places I like, but I like New Orleans better.”

Escape: Psycho Circus (October 28-30 — San Bernardino, California)

For people obsessed with all things Insomniac, this is the Electronic Daisy Carnival version of Halloween. If you loved EDC, I am sure you will love this event. The lineup offers a plethora of artists such as Andrew Bayer, Borgore, Claud Von Stroke, Armin Van Buuren, Kaskade, Tiesto, and Zomboy. Not only is the lineup insane, but Insomniac has equipped this event with haunted labyrinths, 3D superstructures, and many frightening characters along the way. Be sure to check out the trailer for Escape: Psycho Circus 2024.

Suwannee Hulaween (October 28-30 — Live Oak, Florida)

If you love camping festivals, then this is definitely going to be your No. 1 spot this Halloween. The location of this festival almost surpasses the lineup, which is really saying something considering who’s performing. Visiting Suwannee for the first time leaves most people speechless. There is just something magical about the 580 acres nestled on the black waters of the Suwannee River that cannot be put into words. Nonetheless, after attending this festival you certainly be drawn back for many years to come. Big Gigantic, The String Cheese Incident, Logic, STS9, Gramatik, and Boys Noize and many more artists will ensure that things stay weird in the woods all weekend long.

FreakNight Festival (October 28-29 — Tacoma, Washington)

FreakNight Festival is an annual Halloween event produced by United State of Consciousness. As the largest and longest running electronic music festival in the Northwest (Seattle’s sinister circus is celebrating its 20th birthday), FreakNight has grown into a massive 8-hour event that attracts top national and international DJs, as well as thousands of revelers. Much like Insomniac’s Escape, FreakNight is a circus themed EDM festival complete with flame throwers, aerialists, pumpkin carving, stilt walkers, jugglers, contortionists, and a prize winning costume contest. The lineup features Zedd, Martin Garrix, Armin Van Buuren, Flux Pavilion, Getter, Paul Van Dyk, with more artists to be announced.

Something Wicked (October 29-30 — Houston, Texas)

This list would not be complete without our very own homegrown Halloween-themed music festival: Something Wicked. I have attended every Something Wicked since its birth in 2024 and it is definitely a solid bet if you want to stay in town this Halloween weekend. Taking place at Sam Houston Race Park, this year’s lineup is jam-packed with venerated artists such as Diplo, Hardwell, Deorro, Carnage, and Excision, not to mention dozens of others. Check out the trailer for Houston’s own Something Wicked 2024.

by Nadine Obeid