Best California Raves & Music Festivals in 2022

Lightning in a Bottle Poster

Dubbed as the Golden State, California is not just a tourist mecca and a melting pot of cultures, but also home to some of the best music festivals with star-studded line-ups. Being the musical capital coupled with year-round sunshine, we’re spoiled for choice when it comes to raves and music festivals. From bass-heavy festivals that cater to hardcore headbangers to spiritually awakening hippie festivals on the desert, California offers an array of EDM music festivals spanning every genre. Here are the finest and most anticipated music festivals in California in 2022 that you and your festival squad don’t want to miss!

Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival
April 15-17 & April 22-24, 2022 | Empire Polo Club, Indio, California

A Large crowd of electronic dance music lovers at Coachella Music Festival
Known as one of the oldest and finest music festivals in California, Coachella is set to make a long-overdue comeback after the pandemic. Coachella takes place at the Empire Polo Club in Indio - a small town in the Coachella Valley of the Colorado desert. Featuring world-class DJs from different genres, food & drink vendors, art installations, and sculptures, Coachella is a music festival that caters to ravers from all walks of life. Previous headliners include Rage Against the Machine, Travis Scott and Frank Ocean. The full lineup for 2022 is expected to drop in January 2022.

Outside Lands
Aug 5-7, 2022 | San Francisco, California

A large crowd of music festival attendees at Outside Lands Music Festival
Known as the crown jewel of San Francisco, Outside Lands is the largest music festival n Norcal that create a cultural experience for the Bay Area. The previous lineup includes Zhu, Rüfüs Du Sol, SG Lewis, Lizzo and more. Outside Lands also provides an array of attractions, from art installations, local food & drink vendors and even a section dedicated to cannabis connoisseurs!

Lightning in a Bottle
May 25-30, 2022 | Buena Vista Lake, Kern County, California

Lightning in a Bottle Music Festival Poster

Lightning in a Bottle is a transformative, five-day extravaganza featuring art, yoga and culture. Presented by The Do LaB who also created art installations for the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, Lightning in a Bottle is a music festival that encapsulates creative expression and spiritual mindfulness. You’re expected to see immersive art installations, forward-thinking musical curation, and holistic programming that has come to define Lightning in a Bottle. If you’re someone that’s looking for a soul-cleansing experience, then Lightning in a Bottle is your best bet. 

Nocturnal Wonderland
Sep 18-19, 2022 | San Manuel Amphitheater, San Bernadino, California

A large crowd of music festival attendees dancing at Nocturnal Wonderland Music Festival
Known as the longest-running music festival of Insomniac, Nocturnal Wonderland is set to bring you a fantastical world with three-dimensional superstructures and a glow-in-the-dark environment. Attendees have the opportunity to camp and choose from RV or ten. Nocturnal Wonderland has revealed a stacked lineup of top-notch DJs, including AC Slater, Deadmau5, Dion Timmer, NGHTMRE, and more.

Escape: Psycho Circus
October 29-30, 2022 | NOS Event Center, San Bernadino, California

A large crowd of attendees at Insomniac's Escape: Psycho Circus
Hands down the best Halloween music festival presented by electric stronghold Insomnia, Escape: Psycho Circus is a music festival spanning genres from techno, drum, and bass, dubstep, trap to trance. With the Halloween theme, Escape: Psycho Circus features Halloween walk-through mazes, themed stages, and customed performers that will take your Halloween experience to the next level. 

The Untz Festival
May 13-15, 2022 | Sycamore Ranch, Browns Valley, California

The Untz Festival Poster

Celebrating its 6th anniversary, The Untz Festival is a music festival that encapsulates underground electronic dance music, visionary art, creative expression and transformational counterculture. The 3-day music festival will serve the best of what underground bass music has to offer. There will also be cutting-edge productions, yoga workshops and art at the focal point of the event, with on-site camping being first-come, first-serve as always.