If it doesn’t seem like summer without the annual festival visit, this list is for you! Many of the best summer festivals are going virtual this year so you can check out live music from Chicago, jazz from DC, art from Seattle and more. Many of them offer special programming for kids so you can inject a little culture into your summer routine. Find our favorite virtual summer festivals for families below!
Stern Grove is excited to present Best of the Fest, a series of video playlists featuring epic performances and footage from the archives, beautiful scenery of the Grove and special guests. Join host Liam Mayclem every Sunday and celebrate some of the greatest moments in the Grove! June 14-Aug. 16. Event details.
The DC JazzFest from home combines never-before-seen footage from years gone by with live-streamed shows taking place now. Enjoy a weekly jazz concert from the comfort of your own home while letting the kids get the wiggles out! Every Saturday in July. Event details.
SummerStage Anywhere
iStock
Starting in July, SummerStage Anywhere will highlight genres that were born in or deeply represent New York – Mondays: Contemporary Dance, Tuesdays: Global, Wednesdays: Indie Rock, Thursdays: Latin, Fridays: Hip Hop and Saturdays: Jazz. Every day they’ll be presenting exclusive digital arts content that you can watch from anywhere. Starting July 6. Event details.
The OC Virtual Fair
San Mateo County Fair
The OC Virtual Fair is a fun way to engage with the OC Fair, even you can’t be there in person! It will include slices of the OC Fair that fans can enjoy from home and it will live on OC Fair social media channels and on ocfair.com. July 17-Aug. 16. Event details.
You can see two of the fan-favorite shows from the 2020 Oregon Shakespeare Festival lineup—The Copper Children (July 2–July 15) and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (July 9–July 22)—each at the low price of $15 for a 48-hour rental. Through July 22. Event details.
Do you miss seeing your favorite artists this summer? Enjoy this three-day virtual art festival event featuring handmade artwork from Northwest Artists. The online event will have live chat sessions, an opportunity to see artists’ studios and more of their beautiful work (with the option to buy). Don’t forget the kids' art activity video so families can make an art project at home. July 10-12. Event details.
Bastille Day Celebration
Join in NYC’s biggest Bastille Day celebration, a fabulous four-day virtual fête. FIAF’s 25th annual Bastille Day celebration goes online this year with LIVE virtual performances, film screenings, Rosé and Champagne tastings, cooking events, kids activities, dance parties, the popular prize drawing and much more! July 11-14. Event details.
Concerts from the Black Academy of Arts and Letters
iStock
Spend a relaxed Sunday afternoon in the comfort of your home and enjoy a one hour virtual concert of rarely seen performers and performances from TBAAL's rich archival collection. Sundays through Aug. 16. Event details.
San Francisco Shakespeare Festival
This summer's free show is King Lear and you can enjoy it live from your own home for free. It will be available via youtube on Saturdays at 7 p.m. and Sundays at 4 p.m. from July 18-Sept. 27. Event details.
As part of the Chamber Music Northwest's virtual summer festival, you'll find two shows that are perfect for families.
Family Concert: Carnival of the Animals—Enjoy an auditory parade of lions, elephants, kangaroos, and more in this fun, family-friendly performance with entertaining narration by pianist Orion Weiss. July 13-19. Event details.
Family Concert: Marita and Her Heart's Desire—Written specifically for young audiences new to chamber music, Bruce Adolphe’s Marita and Her Heart’s Desire tells the magical, mysterious, and funny story of a girl who believes the moon can grant her heart’s desire. July 20-26. Event details.
Lollapalooza is a staple of Chicago’s music festival scene. The fest will honor the beloved summer tradition by bringing Chicago, and the world, live music via a live stream. The weekend-long virtual event will include performances from around the city and archived, never-before-seen footage from Lollapalooza in Chicago and around the world. July 30-Aug. 2. Event details.
Dessert Goals Festival
Stan's Donuts
Traditionally hosted in New York & LA, the family-friendly digital event will bring people together nationwide to experience Dessert Goals in a whole new way. You'll get two days of exciting original content, both live and pre-recorded, available to stream for a week after the event including virtual panels, baking demos with celebrated chefs, a birthday celebration, an energizing morning workout class, family-friendly activities, a keynote speech, and much more. July 31-Aug. 1. Event details.
Enjoy three nights of at-home entertainment brought to you by the Chicago Blues Festival. July 31-Aug. 2. Event details.
Grant Park Music Festival Remixed
istock
While we may not be able to physically gather, the power of music knows no bounds. You can check out Festival Remixed, an exciting series of virtual events, including radio broadcasts, concerts, talks and master classes. Various dates through Aug. 14. Event details.