We've been talking a lot about festivals lately and I have received a lot of requests to post our favorite family friendly festivals. Let's face it, some festivals just aren't that kid friendly, so we leave the kiddos at Grandma's...but there are so many festivals these days that accommodate kids and it is great to know which ones are suitable for the whole family (and still fun for mom and dad with some awesome music). Below is a list of music festivals that either we have gone to as a family or have been recommended by friends who have taken their kids. Please email me or leave a comment here if you have one to add to this list so we can make this a great resource for families!

**by family friendly I mean that there are activities for kids such as bouncy houses, crafts, face painting, etc. It can also mean that the crowds tend to be a bit smaller and/or mellower and there are usually a lot of kids that attend. But please remember that any time you get a large group of people together there can always be dangers, so make sure to follow up with this list, do your own research, ask around to see if a certain festival will be suitable for your family. And be sure to check out our 10 tips for taking kids to festivals! **

Alabama


1. Hang Out Gulf Shores

California

1. Live Oak Music Festival Santa Barbara
2. Joshua Tree Music Festival Joshua Tree
3. Power to the Peaceful San Francisco
4. Strawberry Music Festival Groveland
5. High Sierra Quincy
6. Sierra Nevada World Music Festival Boonville

Colorado

1. Folks Festival Lyons
2. Rocky Grass Lyons
3. Ned Fest, Nederland
4. Four Corners Folk Festival Pagosa Springs
5. Pagosa Folk and Bluegrass Pagosa Springs
6. Bluegrass in Paradise Crested Butte
7. Telluride Jazz Celebration Telluride
8. High Mountain Hay Fever Bluegrass Festival Westcliffe
9. Telluride Bluegrass Telluride
10. MeadowGrass Black Forest

Florida


1. Suwannee Springfest Live Oak

Idaho

1. Sawtooth Music Festival Stanley

Kansas


1. Walnut Valley Festival Winfield

Louisiana

1. Jazz Fest New Orleans


Maine

1. Harry Brown's Farm Starks

Maryland

1. Delfest Cumberland
Massachusetts

1. Green River Music Festival Greenfield
2. Strange Creek Campout Greenfield
3. Wormtown Music Festival Greenfield
4. Life is Good Canton

Michigan


1. Blissfest Harbor Springs
2. Wheatland Remus

Minnesota

1. Project Earth Geneva
2. Minnesota Bluegrass and Old-time Music Festival Richmond

Montana

1. Love Your Mother Earth Festival Missoula

New Hampshire

1. Boogie and Blues Festival Campton

New Mexico


1. Silver City Blues Festival Silver City

New York

1. GrassRoots Trumansburg
2. Clearwater Hudson Park
3. Falconridge Hillsdale

North Carolina

1. Smilefest Pinnacle
2. Fiddlers Grove Union Grove
3. MerleFest Wilkesboro
4. LEAF Black Mountain
5. Shakori Hills GrassRoots Festival Pitsboro


Ohio

1. Hookah in the Hills Stewart

Oregon


1. String Summit North Plains
2. Pickathon Happy Valley
3. 4 Peaks Bend
4. Northwest World Reggae Festival Eugene

Pennsylvania
1. All About The Music or XPonenial Music Festival Philadelphia

Tennessee

1. Uncle Dave Macoon Days Murfreesboro

Texas

1. Austin City Limits Austin
2. Kerrville Folks Festival Kerrville

Virginia

1. FloydFest Floyd
2. Elysian Fields Music Festival Boyce
3. Watermelon Park Fest Berryville

Washington

1. Bumbershoot Seattle

Wyoming
1. Bear Trap Summer Festival Casper
2. The Grand Targhee Bluegrass Festival Jackson Hole