As Latin music continues to soar across the world in various facets of the industry — from breaking historic records on the global pop charts to setting new ones in music streaming — stateside festivals are also seeing a significant boom of Latin performers.
For instance, Coachella hosted more Latin acts than ever last year, which signaled a new era for the south-of-the-border genre. Anitta, Karol G, Ed Maverick and Grupo Firme were among the almost 20 Latin music performers who graced the global stage. “[Coachella] can no longer be exclusive to any genre, and it looks like they are now understanding the value of our music,” Sergio Lizárraga of Banda MS told Billboard.
Last year also saw the birth of several brand new Latin-focused festivals across the United States. Of the giants were Chicago’s Sueños y Más Flow, which highlights mainly urban music, and Los Angeles’ Bésame Mucho, with a nostalgic ’90s-era roster.
Just as American institutions are visibly beginning to embrace more sonic entertainment coming from Latin America and Spain, those regions continue to host thriving music festivals of their own, thus elevating their own game.
This year sees the return of many iconic brands, such as the Latin rock-centric Vive Latino and the Norteño pride festivity Tecate Pa’l Norte in Mexico. The Lollapalooza franchise, originally from Chicago, also continues to reach various corners of the world with installments in Argentina, Chile and Brazil. London indie fest La Línea also returns to showcase Latin music exclusively.
While this might not be a complete list of some of the most compelling Ibero American and Latin music-centric festival listings around the globe, it should be a great starting point. See our list below, arranged in sequential order.
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Isle of Light
Date: March 11
Place: Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Billing itself as “the best music and art festival in the caribbean,” indie wonder fest Isle of Light returns to the Dominican Republic for its 8th annual installment to bring fans one of the most wide-ranging lineups out there. Highlighting established and emerging artists alike from different walks, the founders’ goal is to “expose attendees to new artists and sounds from all parts of the world.” Pass holders can expect to see Alt-J, Nicki Nicole, Buscabulla, Yendry, Alex Ferreira, Helado Negro, Los Amigos invisibles and more.
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SXSW
Date: March 10-19
Place: Austin
Boasting a variety of events spanning music, film, conferences, exhibitions and more, South by Southwest is one of the most interactive festivals in the entertainment industry. Taking place at the Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo park, this year Billboard returns with Billboard Presents the Stage at SXSW to deliver three nights of star-studded showcases, kicking off with rapper-singer Lil Yachty and opening acts Lola Brooke and Armani White on March 16. The next day, Latin stars Feid and Eladio Carrion will grace the stage, and the day following that will host electronic giants Kx5, also known as Kaskade and deadmau5.
For more information, click here.
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Lollapalooza Argentina
Date: March 17-19
Place: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Expanding the Lollapalooza franchise outside of its Chicago origin, Lolla Argentina joined the international roster in 2014. With more than 100 artists on five stages over three days, fans will be able to enjoy some of today’s most sought-after artists. This year will feature Billie Eilish, Lil Nas X, Rosalía, Drake, Blink-182 and Tame Impala as headliners. The event will be held at the Hipódromo de San Isidro in Buenos Aires.
For more information, click here.
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Lollapalooza Chile
Date: March 17-19
Place: Santiago, Chile
Just like Lolla Argentina, the Chilean festival returns to the capital just to close the (southern) summer. Lolla Chile, with the slogan “the music that unites us,” began in 2011 as one of the first Lollapalooza festivals outside the United States. The eclectic annual event will also feature Billie Eilish, Lil Nas X, Rosalia, Drake, Blink-182 and Tame Impala as this year’s headliners. It will highlight a good mix of alternative rock, punk, heavy metal and hip hop at Santiago’s Cerrillos Park.
For more information, click here.
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La Línea
Date: April 21 to May 7
Place: London, England
London’s Latin music festival returns in April with Jorge Drexler, Susana Baca, Emicida, British-Colombian ensemble Mestizo, Afro-Cuban New Regency Orchestra and more. According to Time Out, “La Línea has spent years building an impressive international reputation as one of the world’s most eclectic celebrations of Latin music.”
For more information, click here.
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Tamarindo Festival
Date: May 6
Place: Washington, D.C.
Tamarindo Festival is making a big splash in its inaugural year with its arrival to the global festival circuit and niche-yet-exhilarating roster of performers. Created to “highlight the shared heritage among the Afro-latin and Caribbean diaspora through music, food and culture,” as the press release notes, the lineup features artists including Panamanian singer Sech, Dominican rapper Tokischa, Chimbala, LATENIGHTJIGGY, Bembona and more, put together by Broccoli City, Adobo DMV and Live Nation Urban.
“Tamarindo Festival is a perfect cultural collaboration and it’s coming at the right time,” said Marcus Allen, co-founder of Broccoli City Festival, in the press release. “This partnership between Broccoli City and Adobo has been in the works for years, but I am excited for how it finally came together. This will be big for the DMV area.”
For more info, click here.
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Coachella
Date: April 14-16 and 21-23
Place: Indio, California, U.S.A.
Bad Bunny will headline this year’s Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, alongside Frank Ocean and K-pop girl group BLACKPINK. The Puerto Rican superstar will be the first Spanish-speaking artist to take the final slot on the main stage. Rosalía, Björk, Gorillaz and many more will also perform. The event will take place over two consecutive weekends, April 14-16 and April 21-23.
For more information, click here.
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Tecate Pa’l Norte
Date: March 31 to April 2
Place: Monterrey, Mexico
Powered by the iconic Mexican beer that gives it its name, Tecate Pa’l Norte celebrates Norteño tradition, music and art in Monterrey, Mexico. The border festival began in 2012 and, since then, hasn’t stopped bringing some of the most buzzed-about artists in contemporary culture. In 2023, fans will be able to see The Killers, Billie Eilish, Sebastián Yatra, Café Tacvba, Astronomía Interior, Wisin y Yandel and many, many more.
For more information, click here.
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Lollapalooza Brasil
Date: March 24-26
Place: São Paulo, Brazil
Just like Lollapalooza Argentina and Chile, Lolla Brazil will bring headliners Rosalía, Tame Impala, Billie Eilish and Drake to the main stage — but this version of the fest will also celebrate local Brazilian bands such as O Grilo, Os Paralamas do Sucesso and Brisa Flow. Since 2012, Lollapalooza Brasil has been held annually in São Paulo, bringing out some of the biggest names in music. The Strokes, Foo Fighters, Black Keys, Pharrell Williams and Metallica have played there in the past.
For more information, click here.
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Estéreo Picnic
Date: March 23-26
Place: Bogota, Colombia
Inaugurated in 2010, Estéreo Picnic is a music festival held annually in Bogotá. From March 23-26, the Colombian festival will return to Briceño 18 “to throw hands to the sky and celebrate the miracle of live music,” as described on their website. For four days, attendees can expect performances by Wu-Tang Clan, Rosalía, The Chemical Brothers, Bizarrap, Morat, Kali Uchis, Villano Antillano, and many more.
For more information, click here.
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Asunciónico
Date: March 18-19
Place: Asunción, Paraguay
Spanning from rock to EDM and pop, the South American music festival held in the Paraguayan capital returns with three dozen acts that will take the stage for two days. Launched in 2015 with giants like Calvin Harris, Jack White and The Smashing Pumpkins, this year it will feature Billie Eilish, Blink-182, Rosalia, Tame Impala and Lil Nas X as headliners.
For more information, click here.
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Vive Latino
Date: March 18-19
Place: Mexico City, Mexico
As one of the most important Latin rock festivals of the hispanophone continent, Vive Latino has presented some of the most memorable performances of the genre. With a rep that spans nearly 20 years, it’s one of the most highly anticipated showcases of Mexico. This year it presents almost 80 artists from disparate genres and generations. Red Hot Chili Peppers, Café Tacvba, Kinky, Lila Downs, Carin León, The Black Crowes, Los Pericos, and Miranda! are just some of those who will take the stage.
For more information, click here.
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Corona Capital Guadalajara
Date: May 20-21
Place: Guadalajara, Mexico
Powered by Corona beer and launched by Mexican entertainment company CIE, Corona Capital is known for bringing mainly Brit and American bands to Guadalajara, and the festival’s “anything goes” attitude hasn’t waned. This year’s lineup includes Imagine Dragons, The Chainsmokers, Interpol, Pixies and more on the main stage.
For more information, click here.
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Sueños
Date: May 27-28
Place: Chicago, USA
The second annual edition of the Sueños Music Festival was unveiled will be headlined by Wisin & Yandel, Grupo Firme, Feid and Nicky Jam, who will take the stage the weekend of May 27-28 at Chicago’s Grant Park. The event, which brings together big stars in regional Mexican and urban music, will also host reggaetón legend Ivy Queen, as well as Becky G, Eladio Carrion, Chencho Corleone, Junior H, Gera MX, Ryan Castro, Young Miko, paopao and many more.
For more information, click here.
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Primavera Sound
Date: May 29th to June 4th; June 5th-11th
Place: Barcelona, Madrid and Porto, Spain
One of the most anticipated festivals celebrating international music, which launched in 2001, is coming back to Spain. In a series of events scheduled in Barcelona (May 29-June 4), Madrid (June 5-11) and Porto (June 7-10), solo artists and groups such as Pet Shop Boys, Kendrick Lamar, Blur, Halsey, Rosalía and Calvin Harris are slated to perform.
For more information, click here.
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Bilbao BBK Live
Date: July 6-8
Place: Bilbao, Spain
The open-air festival returns for its 17th edition at Kobetamendi, the largest park in Bilbao atop the mountainous Mount Cobetas. With a three-day lineup that includes headliners Florence + The Machine, Phoenix, Arctic Monkeys, Pavement and more, the event has earned critical acclaim for highlighting eye-popping acts within the pop and rock arena. A troupe of Latin all-stars are also slated to appear, such as electronic Venezuelan producer Arca, Argentine trap star Duki, Spanish indie rock band Arde Bogotá and more.
For more info, click here.
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The Viña del Mar International Song Festival
Date: Feb. 19-24
Place: Valparaiso, Chile
The Viña del Mar International Song Festival, took place at the Quinta Vergara Amphitheater and featured headliners Fito Páez, Karol G, TINI, Christina Aguilera, Alejandro Fernandez and Camilo. Chilean acts such as the folk group Los Jaivas and urbano/R&B singer Paloma Mami also performed.
For the first time in its more than six-decade history, the Viña del Mar International Song Festival was livestreamed in the United States, exclusively on Billboard.com, Billboard’s YouTube channel, and via Twitter @Billboard.
To read our recaps of each headlining show, click here.