Has the cold got you down? Thinking of taking a vacation, but not interested in spending time at a typical resort? Of course there are plenty of options, but have you ever thought of going somewhere warm for a music festival? Central and South America have seen some of the biggest growth in the industry when it comes to new festivals and famous ones that are looking to expand, and the best part is that most of them are held when America and Europe are cold and dark.
If you were looking for an excuse to get away, one of these might be it.
Day After Festival - Panama City, Panama
January 16-18
Though it may have passed this year, it’s never to early to start thinking about next winter (much as that may pain you). Panama is a location not visited nearly as much as bigger neighbors like Mexico or Brazil, but it’s no less beautiful or exotic. In fact, Panama is a good deal for many travelers, and adding an awesome music festival to the mix only sweetens things.
The Day After Festival focuses on importing some of the biggest and best names in electronic dance music to the country, which might not normally appear on a tour schedule. Each of the three days is packed with ten or so top DJs, such as Tiësto, Martin Garrix, Afrojack, and The Chainsmokers. If the trailer above looks pretty epic, it matches the feeling of being at the festival itself.
Electric Daisy Carnival - Mexico City, Mexico
February 28-March 1
Another big EDM festival for the Central American market. It looks like there is a real desire for massive crowds and huge electronic experiences everywhere in the world. The Electric Daisy brand has proliferated around the US, taking over several different cities in its several year existence, and Mexico is the first international excursion.
EDC Mexico is understandably much larger than the Day After Festival, including in the number of acts performing. 2015 will see dozens of acts playing on four stages, with internationally recognized producers like David Guetta, Dillon Francis, Paul Oakenfold, and the newly-formed Jack U, which is a duo comprised of Skrillex and Diplo headlining.
Vive Latino - Mexico City, Mexico
March 13-15
One of Central America’s longest-running music festivals, Vive Latino aims to promote and celebrate Latin American culture. Since its founding in 1998, the festival has grown quite a bit, expanding beyond only Spanish-speaking acts, welcoming a select few big name performers from the US and Europe, which only helps bring in even more people.
Musically, the focus is on rock and alternative music, which is much more popular in Latin cultures than it is currently in America. On top of big time Spanish-language acts such as La Lupita, Caifanes, and Molotov, festival organizers are bringing Interpol, Brandon Flowers (front man for The Killers), Dave Matthews Band and punk band NOFX to Mexico for a weekend of rock and roll.
Lollapalooza - Chile, Argentina, and Brazil
March 14-15 (Santiago, Chile), March 21-22 (Buenos Aires, Argentina), March 28-29 (São Paulo, Brazil)
Made famous in Chicago, Lollapalooza is one of many festivals that has started spreading its well-established and much loved brands around the world. In addition to the annual celebration in America every August, Lolla now hosts weekend-long festivals in three South American markets Santiago, Buenos Aires, and São Paulo, making all of March quite the party.
The three festivals share most of the same headliners, as plenty of these global stars will likely come down to South America for most of the month, sticking around for all three sets. This year, Jack White, Calvin Harris, and Skrillex are playing the trio of festivals, with acts like Pharrell and Kings of Leon making their way south for just one of the three.
