Forecastle is a music, arts, and activism festival hosted in Louisville’s Waterfront Park. This year, the festival is the weekend of July 17-20 and tickets are currently on sale. Currently, Tier 1 tickets for the 3-day event are $135 but the price will increase as the tickets start to sell out. Forecastle also has a student ticket option that will always be priced at $135.

The 2020 lineup is something Kentucky music lovers won’t want to miss. The three main headliners are Jack Johnson on Friday, Cage the Elephant on Saturday, and The 1975 on Sunday. Other great artists, such as Third Eye Blind, BROCKHAMPTON, Rainbow Kitten Surprise, Clario, and many other smaller artist will be joining the stage as well.

Forecastle is also featuring many Kentucky artists this year, including Jack Harlow, Cage The Elephant, and a local Lexington favorite, Johnny Conqueroo. This is not Cage’s first run around the Forecastle Festival; they have played multiple years and it was great to have them return as a headliner after releasing Social Cues last year. I love that they have added Johnny Conqueroo to the lineup as well, as Lexington artist don’t get enough nearly the recognition they deserve. Jack Harlow is a Louisville-native rapper who just landed his first Billboard Hot 100 track with “WHATS POPPIN.” I feel as though Forecastle doesn’t deserve the title of a “Kentucky music festival” without Harlow.

This will be the first year that The 1975 have headlined a large show in Kentucky. Even if you aren’t familiar with them, the festival scene will be the perfect place to become acquainted. Their upcoming album, Notes on a Conditional Form,will be released before the festival so I will be there to experience the new music and aesthetic from the band. BROCKHAMPTON will be performing the same day where we will get to hear the iconic song “Sugar” and other songs from their 2019 album Ginger.

You can enjoy all of the Forecastle Festival artists in the “Forecastle 2020 Lineup Mixtape” Spotify playlist here.

This festival isn’t just about music. They also feature art and activism such as The Forecastle Foundation, which funds projects that help protect the world’s natural resources. They’re also keeping Kentucky traditions alive by hosting the 2020 Forecastle Bourbon experience. Here guests 21 and older can enjoy all that Kentucky Bourbon has to offer.

This will be my first year attending the festival and I couldn’t think of a better year to go. With all of the amazing local and non-local musicians and art, Forecastle is an event every Kentucky native should attend.