Go outside and listen to music! A guide

Are you bummed about missing last weekend’s Tuck Fest? Don’t worry, there are plenty more music festivals in and around Charlotte in the coming months.

Get your sunglasses, shorts and maybe even your tent ready and check out one of these upcoming festivals.

If you’re into fiddles and banjos

-Merlefest, today through Sunday, Wilkesboro: The 27th edition of this festival at Wilkes Community College includes the Marshall Tucker Band (tonight), Concord’s own Avett Brothers (Saturday) and Dwight Yoakam (Sunday).

The lineup is slammed with other country/folk/bluegrass/roots acts like: Bela Fleck and Abigail Washburn, Chatham County Line, Robert Earl Keen, Del McCoury Band, Steep Canyon Rangers, Donna the Buffalo, Mipso, and The Honeycutters.

A taste:

Three day passes are $155. Day passes range from $55-$70. More info at www.merlefest.org.

-Floydfest, July 22-26, Floyd, Va.: This Americana festival is a little farther away (2 1/2 hours, to be exact), but the lineup might be worth the drive for fans of: Grace Potter, Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell, Trampled By Turtles, Drive-By Truckers and Brandi Carlile.

A taste:

Single-day tickets start at $90, and three-, four- and five-day passes are also available. More info at floydfest.com.

If a little head banging is more your style

-Monster Energy Carolina Rebellion, May 2-3, Charlotte Motor Speedway: Annual festival just up the road in Concord spans the metal genre.

The lineup includes: Korn, Marilyn Manson, Cheap Trick, Slipknot, Slayer, Breaking Benjamin, Suicidal Tendencies, Papa Roach, Of Mice and Men, and Godsmack.

A taste:

Single-day tickets range from $104.50-119. More info at www.carolinarebellion.com.

-The Wrecking Ball ATL, Aug. 8-9, Atlanta: A 60-band bill awaits you at this inaugural metal, punk, emo and hardcore festival. Acts include: Coheed and Cambria, Thrice, the Get Up Kids, Descendents and Cave In.

A taste:

Two-day tickets are $110. More info at www.wreckingballatl.com.

If you care more about the food and drink

-North Carolina Brewers and Music Fest, May 8-9, Huntersville: Care more about what you’re drinking than what you’re hearing? Head up to Historic Rural Hill for this craft beer and music fest. More than 30 breweries will be there, along with acts like: Steep Canyon Rangers, Sister Sparrow & the Dirty Birds, and Town Mountain.

Also, the festival recently teamed up with Drumstrong, which will lead a 12-hour world-wide drum circle.

A taste:

It’s $42 for a tasting ticket, $26 if you only care about music, and $16 for the designated driver. More info at www.ncbrewsmusic.com.

-QC Summerfest, July 24-26, uptown Charlotte: This jazz festival uptown also includes a dinner crawl on Friday and a Sunday brunch. Acts include: Najee, pianist Keiko Matsui, guitarist Nick Colionne and Four80east.

A taste:

Tickets range from $25-69.50. More info at blumenthalarts.com.

Funds tight?

-The U.S. National Whitewater Center: The Whitewater Center hosts a weekly live music series and free monthly music festivals. It will also host a Fourth of July Celebration July 3-4 with headliners Greensky Bluegrass (Friday) and Donavon Frankenreiter (Saturday).

And all you have to pay is $5 for parking. More info at usnwc.org.

A taste:

There are plenty more options, so get out there and listen to some good music.

Photo: David T. Foster, III/Charlotte Observer

Related contentCorey Inscoe covers sports for the Charlotte Observer’s community sections, but also really likes good music, good food and Charlotte beer. Follow him on Twitter @CoreyInscoe.

This story was originally published April 23, 2015 at 3:18 PM with the headline "Go outside and listen to music! A guide."