2022 Festival Season: COVID Protocols for the Year’s Biggest Events
During the summer, we all look forward to Festival Season. A successful comeback of outdoor music festivals in 2021, following a suspension in 2020, proved that COVID precautions could be taken to prevent the spread of diseases. In contrast, most festivals last year were rescheduled for September and October instead of late spring and summer.
With the proper COVID preventive measures in place, music festivals in 2022 will proceed as usual. If you’re planning to attend any of them, then this post is for you. Today, we’ll share the COVID protocols for 2022’s most anticipated US-based festivals.
Ready? Let’s go!
Festival Season & COVID Protocols
Several events are planned for the upcoming months during festival season. Here are some highlights:
- Festival dates and locations
- Highlights of the festival lineup
- COVID attendance requirements
Let’s dive in!
Austin City Limits Music Festival
Austin is one of the most important music cities in the country. Austin City Limits (ACL) is an eight-stage celebration that offers:
- Music
- Art markets
- Food & drinks
- A dedicated family area
- And more
Initially, it was a weekend event, but since 2012 it has become a two-weekend venue.
Dates: October 7-9 & October 14-16
Location: Zilker Park, Austin, Texas
Lineup highlights:
- Arlo Parks
- The Chicks
- Flume
- Kacey Musgraves
- Lil Nas X
- Paramore
- P!NK
- Red Hot Chili Peppers
- SZA
Entry protocols: Given that ACL won’t take place until later in the season, entry protocols will be announced closer to the fall. Stay tuned for more information here!
You can stay up-to-date on this event and get your tickets on ACL’s official website.
Life Is Beautiful Music & Arts Festival
This festival was founded in 2013 and is the youngest of them all. At this festival, you can enjoy quite a wide variety of music including pop, rock, electronic sub-genres, and hip hop. The performances will be distributed across seven different stages. Moreover, you’ll also be able to enjoy stand-up and drag performances.
Dates: September 16-18
Location: Downtown Las Vegas, Nevada
Lineup highlights:
- Arctic Monkeys
- Beach House
- Cage the Elephant
- Calvin Harris
- Gorillaz
- Jack Harlow
- JPEGMAFIA
- Kygo
- Lorde
- Migos
- midwst
Entry requirements: potential COVID protocols will be released closer to the festival’s date.
You can stay on top of the news and order tickets on Life is Beautiful’s official website.
Desert Daze Festival
Desert Daze is a psychedelic-tinged festival and it will be held about an hour and a half outside of LA, feet away from Lake Perris. Additionally, at this festival, you’ll find camping accommodations for those who want to enjoy Southern California’s nature.
Date: September 30- October 2
Location: Lake Perris, California
Lineup highlights:
- King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard
- Iggy Pop
- Tame Impala
- New Road
- Sky Ferreira
You can find out more about Desert Daze and get your tickets on the festival’s official website.
III Points Miami
III Points is known as one of the country’s top boutique festivals. This festival mainly features electronic music, but it also features artists from rock, hip-hop, and other genres. There’s only one premise: the music has to be top-notch.
Dates: October 21-22
Location: Miami, Florida
Lineup highlights:
- LCD Soundsystem
- A.G. Cook
- Rosalía
- Flume
- La Femme
- Homeshake
- Shygirl
Entry requirements: None have been announced yet.
You can check out the event’s details and get your tickets on III Points’ official website.
Firefly
Firefly is known for being the major music festival on the East Coast. The lineup is both mainstream and diverse. Aside from some of the most popular pop artists, it features up-and-coming names in pop, rock, and rap.
It’s worth noting that the festival is equipped with camping accommodations.
Dates: September 22-25
Location: The Woodlands, Dover, Delaware
Lineup highlights:
- Dua Lipa
- CHAI
- Charli XCX
- Green Day
- Halsey
- My Chemical Romance
- The Regrettes
- Wolf Alice
Entry requirements: The organizers will monitor the situation and decide if any requirements will be implemented closer to the festival’s date.
You can stay up-to-date and get your tickets on Firefly’s official website.
How to Stay Safe: Some COVID Guidelines
Many festivals haven’t announced their COVID protocols for 2022 yet. But last year, live music events had a big comeback thanks to their COVID protective measures, including:
- Pre-entry testing
- Vaccination certificates
This year you may expect similar or more flexible measures – yet, we recommend you:
- Wear a mask, especially when you’re in a crowd
- Stay away from crowds, if possible
- Wash your hands frequently
- Try not to share glasses or water bottles
What’s more, if you haven’t gotten your tickets yet, it may be wise to get them once all of the COVID protocols are announced. That way, you will be able to pick the festivals that align with your preferences and needs.
Key Takeaways
Taking precautions remains key in avoiding COVID infection. At the end of the day, that’s the only way to keep the virus from spreading and turning into new variants that may pose a threat to your personal health and the health of your communities.
Get tested before your next event! No matter where you are, or what type of test you need, find testing locations near you with our Covid Clinic directory. COVID treatment is also available, if you need it!
