Local promoters are making the most of the season, filling Phoenix’s concert calendar with various springtime music festivals across a variety of genres, from hard rock and electronic dance music to country and R&B.
Long-running favorites like M3F, Country Thunder Arizona and PHXLIGHTS are each returning for 2025, joined by newcomers like Reggae Rise Up and Breakaway Arizona.
Which festivals should you attend? That depends on your taste and budget. The good news? You’ve got plenty of options to explore, even if you’re unfamiliar with the genre being showcased. (As we mentioned recently, think of it as your chance to discover new music, immerse yourself in a new subculture or even make new friends.)
Here’s your guide to Phoenix's spring music festivals in 2025.
Coors Light Birds Nest
Feb. 5 to 8TPC Scottsdale, 17020 Hayden Road, ScottsdaleThe Coors Light Birds Nest, held annually alongside the Waste Management Phoenix Open, is its largest after-party. While this four-night concert festival, set inside a 48,000-square-foot tent, gets especially rowdy, it never devolves into the chaotic shitshow that marred the golf tournament last year. The Birds Nest traditionally hosts a mix of mainstream bands, recording artists and DJs, which this year includes Jelly Roll and Treaty Oak Revival on Feb. 5, Jake Owen and Nate Smith on Feb. 6 and Nickelback and Josh Ross on Feb. 7. Tiësto wraps things up on Feb. 8, replacing EDM duo Swedish House Mafia. Gates are at 3:30 p.m., openers play at 6:30 p.m. and headliners are at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $175 to $200 for general admission and $350 to $400 for VIP.
Innings Festival
Feb. 21 and 22Tempe Beach Park, 80 W. Rio Salado Pkwy.If a festival’s lineup is the measuring stick by which its judged, this rock and jock extravaganza tied to the launch of Spring Training is one of the all-stars of the season. Fall Out Boy, Incubus and The Black Keys anchor the first day’s roster, supported by acts like Slightly Stoopid, Neon Trees and cleverly named punk band Winona Fighter. The following day, The Killers, Beck and Gary Clark Jr. will headline. Performances will alternate between the fest’s Home Plate and Right Field stages. Baseball activities like a batting cage and speed-pitch challenge will also occur both days, with MLB legends Jim Abbott, Chili Davis and former Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Junior Spivey making appearances. Gates open at noon. Single-day tickets are $160 and up and two-day tickets are $305 and up.
Extra Innings Festival
Feb. 28 and March 1Tempe Beach Park, 80 W. Rio Salado Pkwy. While Extra Innings shares the same setup, location and theme as its sister event, this two-day festival the following weekend boasts an entirely different lineup. Indie folk heavyweights The Lumineers headline on Feb. 28 with country musicians like Megan Moroney, The Red Clay Strays and Wyatt Flores also scheduled. Kings of Leon and the likes of singer-songwriters Kacey Musgraves, Maren Morris, Grace Potter and Sam Barder are on the bill for March 1. Retired baseball pros like Coco Crisp, Javy López and Jake Peavey will make appearances and sign autographs. Single-day tickets start at $160 and two-day tickets are $275 and up.
M3F Fest
March 7 and 8Steele Indian School Park, 300 E. Indian School Road After sharing the same weekend as Innings Festival the past few years, M3F’s promoters wisely steered clear of the competition in 2025. Bringing in dance-punk act LCD Soundsystem and French electronic music duo Justice to headline was also a good call, seeing as both are fantastic and haven’t graced a Valley stage in years. The rest of M3F’s 2025 roster keeps to its usual focus on EDM and indie, including Alvvays, Sylvan Esso, Girl Talk, Hippie Sabotage, Luna Luna, Chloe Tang, ALEXSUCKS and Dev Lemons. As always, M3F will donate 100% of its proceeds to local non-profits. Gates open at 1 p.m. each day. General admission is $99 per day or $180 for the weekend. VIP tickets are $175 per day or $340 for both March 7 and 8.
BelicoFest
Friday, March 14 to Sunday, March 16Wild Horse Pass Festival Grounds, 19593 S. 48th St., Chandler Ever heard of belico music? For the uninitiated, it’s a popular subgenre of regional Mexican music, often laced with references to drug cartels. Similar in some respects to narcocorridos, or drug ballads, belico music has become a cultural phenomenon in Mexico and across the Southwest. Hence last year’s debut of BelicoFest at Wild Horse Pass with music from stars like Junior H, Oscar Maydon, Luis R. Conriquez and Edgardo Nuñez. Promoters haven’t revealed who’s playing the 2025 version, but three-day tickets are now on sale starting at $189 for general admission and $350 to $1,125 for VIP.
Chandler Chamber Ostrich Festival
March 14 to 16 and 21 to 232250 S. McQueen Road, Chandler Chandler Chamber Ostrich Festival has more than just big birds on display or an enormous midway. The annual event, which spans two back-to-back weekends, has a wealth of live music. During the daytime, local and regional musicians take the stage, while each night includes concerts by major headliners across a mix of genres (read: rock, hip-hop, Latin and country). Only three names have been revealed for the 2025 installment: Valley rock icons Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers on March 14, regional Mexican band Los Rieleros del Norte on March 21 and former Florida Georgia Line vocalist Tyler Hubbard on March 24. Sure, you’ve probably heard Clyne belt out “Banditos” live dozens of times by now, but that Arizona treasure always brings an infectious energy to every show. Gates are at 3 p.m. Tickets cost $15 for children 5 to 12, $25 for adults and $100 for VIP.
Alice Cooper’s Coopstock
March 15Las Sendas Golf Club, 7555 E. Eagle Crest Drive, Mesa Alice Cooper fanatics who can never land tickets to his perennially sold-out Christmas Pudding show in December should consider attending his other namesake gig. The festival typically features a headlining set by the shock-rock legend, along with performances by many of his rock ‘n’ roll friends (all of whom join Cooper onstage for a show-stopping finale). So far, fellow metal icon and Phoenix resident Rob Halford is the only name that’s been announced for 2025. Like many of Cooper’s endeavors, proceeds benefit his Solid Rock Teen Centers. The concert starts at 5 p.m. General admission is $69 and VIP packages with valet parking, drinks and dinner are $500.
KNIX Smoke Show BBQ and Country Music Roundup
March 22Gilbert Regional Park, 3005 E. Queen Creek Road, Gilbert This KNIX-branded country music bonanza in Gilbert, now in its second year, has the added benefit of also being a barbecue and booze fest with 30-plus food vendors and 100 whiskeys available. It’s music lineup is also impressive. Grammy nominees Old Dominion, the legendary Jo Dee Messina and Chris Young will be the featured artists with Dylan Schneider, Presley Tennant and Luwiss Luxx sharing the bill. Hours are noon to 10 p.m. Tickets are $79 for general admission and $179 for VIP.
Out of the Park Music Fest
Saturday, March 22Mark Coronado Park, 15960 N. Bullard Ave., Surprise Out of the Park might not be the biggest music fests this spring, but it showcases a variety of rising country singer-songwriters. Case in point: headliner Ernest, who had penned hits for Florida Georgia Line and scored a few of his own, including 2022’s “Flower Shops” and 2024’s “Cowgirls.” Supporting artists — and fellow Tennessee natives — Chase Matthew ("Love You Again”) and George Birge (“Cowboy Songs”) also have hit singles under their respective belts. The festival starts at 2 p.m. and Lauren Watkins and Louie the Singer will open. General admission is $40.
Arizona Bike Week
April 2 to 6WestWorld of Scottsdale, 16601 N. Pima Road, ScottsdaleWhen Arizona Bike Week rolls into WestWorld in April, famed rock groups will headline its slate of nightly concerts in the RockYard. This year, those bands include southern rockers Jackyl (notorious for firing up a chainsaw during their gigs) on April 2, ‘90s alt-radio regulars Stone Temple Pilots on April 3 and metal bands Mudvayne (April 4) and Five Finger Death Punch (April 5) rounding out the affair. Meanwhile, local rock and country bar bands will play in the on-site Kickstand Bar and HandleBar Saloon throughout the week. Headliners begin at 9 p.m. Daily ticket prices vary.
Reggae Rise Up Arizona
April 4 to 6Tempe Beach Park, 80 W. Rio Salado ParkwayMetro Phoenix hasn’t experienced a large-scale reggae festival for at least a couple of decades. That changes the first weekend of April when the touring festival Reggae Rise Up expands to the Valley. The three-day event’s lineup of 38 artists and acts is not only massive but also a testament to reggae’s wide-reaching influence across different genres. The tour runs the gamut from Jamaican-born singers like Damian Marley, Protoje and Mighty Mystic to rock bands such as Rebelution and Dirty Heads as well as rappers like Wiz Khalifa and Cypress Hill. Reggae Rise Up Arizona even has a selection of locals, including Mouse Powell, The Irie, Las Calakas and Fayuca. The music starts daily at noon. General admission is $70 each day or $195 for the weekend. VIP options are $145 and up.
PHXLIGHTS: Solar Sound System
April 4 and 5Phoenix Raceway, 7602 Jimmie Johnson Drive, AvondalePHXLIGHTS stands out among Arizona’s music events as the only fest inspired by an infamous UFO sighting — true story. The yearly EDM rager takes its name and extraterrestrial theme from the Phoenix Lights, the 1997 incident where a triangle-shaped light formation buzzed our state. The festival’s success isn’t as mysterious as its origins. It draws thousands of fans, many in alien-like costuming, to enjoy performances by high-profile DJs and producers on multiple stages. PHXLIGHTS 2025 will offer close encounters with Ukrainian-Canadian DJ Rezz, trap and bass house producer NGHTMRE, Belgian d ‘n’ b musician Netsky, dubstep artist Said the Sky and dance-pop duo Louis the Child. Gates open at 5 p.m. Two-night tickets are $140 for general admission and $340 for VIP.
Country Thunder Arizona
April 10 to 13Canyon Moon Ranch, 20585 E. Water Way, FlorenceIf you're looking for a festival with epic crowds and raucous vibes, this weekend-long event just outside Florence will fit you like a well-worn pair of Wranglers. Country Thunder Arizona packs more than 30,000 people into Canyon Moon Ranch for four days and nights of performances from recording artists, all set against a lively party atmosphere. The 2025 headliners include Keith Urban, HARDY, Riley Green, and Bailey Zimmerman. Four-day general admission tickets are $275, while Platinum Experience tickets are $675.
Buds-A-Palooza
April 11Garfield and Fifth streets Local cannabeasts can start their 4/20 festivities nine days early at this 21-and-over block party put on by local smoke shop Bud’s Glass Joint. Highlights include glass-blowing demos, stoner flick screenings, comedy sets, a munchie mall and cannabis product sample giveaways. Hefty clouds of smoke and vapor won’t be the only thing filling the air. The music of reggae and rock acts like Mike Love and the Full Circle, E.N Young and Imperial Sound, Tropidelic, Surfer Girl and Bikini Trill will emanate from Buds-A-Palooza’s main stage throughout the evening. (Full disclosure: Bud’s is owned by employees of Phoenix New Times.) Hours are from 2 to 10 p.m. Tickets are $50 in advance, $75 on the day of the event.
Punk in the Park
April 12Wild Horse Pass Festival Grounds, 19593 S. 48th St., ChandlerIt’s been four years since Punk in the Park last came to the Phoenix area, and not much has changed. The festival, produced by California’s Brew Ha Ha Productions, still features sets by legacy punk acts along with craft brew tastings. This time, it's bringing in the likes of Bad Religion, The Casualties, Dwarves, Adolescents and Guttermouth. Thanks to a twin-stage setup, bands won’t overlap, so you’ll hear every song. Because if ever there was a time for the rancor and defiance of old-school punk rockers, it’s right now. Gates open at noon. General admission is $54.99 and VIP is $149.99.
Breakaway Music Festival Arizona
April 18 and 19Sloan Park Festival Grounds, 2330 W. Rio Salado Parkway, MesaIf PHXLIGHTS doesn’t quench your thirst for beats, bass and ravers shuffle-dancing, Arizona promoter Relentless Beats and Ohio-based Breakaway Group are bringing this touring EDM fest to Mesa. Its daily schedule will be wall-to-wall with DJs and producers spanning a variety of dance music genres. A suite of hitmakers — The Chainsmokers, GRYFFIN and Sofi Tukker — will headline, and the undercard features more than a dozen additional artists. Interest in Breakaway Arizona has been enormous and it’s already been embraced by the often-passionate members of the Valley’s EDM community. Doors are at 3 p.m. Two-day tickets cost $129 for general admission and $229 for VIP packages.
A Day to Remember is scheduled to headline KUPD UFEST 2025 on May 3 at Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre.
James Hartley
KUPD UFEST
May 3Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre, 2121 N. 83rd Ave.KUPD’s annual UFEST — an event dating back to the mid-‘90s — is one of the final stops on the spring festival calendar before the Valley hits summertime hell. Triple-digit temperatures won’t be the only thing melting faces at outdoor venue Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre during the concert. UFEST’s lineup for 2025 is headlined by A Day to Remember alongside hard rock heavy-hitters like Seether, We Came As Romans, Mammoth WVH and female-fronted band Dorothy. Doors open at 3 p.m. Tickets are $35 to $98.70.
Pure Imagination Festival
May 17 Watson Lake Park, 3101 W. Lake Park Road, PrescottAdmittedly, this pick might be cheating given Pure Imagination’s location approximately 60 miles north of the Valley. Given the strength of the festival’s multifaceted lineup last year — including Flaming Lips, Tanya Tucker and The Pharcyde — plus the picturesque backdrop of Prescott’s stunning Granite Dells and Watson Lake, it’s well worth the drive. The 2025 lineup is set to be announced on Feb. 4. Gates open at 11 a.m. Tickets are $135 for GA and $180 for VIP, which includes stage pit access, complimentary chair massages and other perks.
