DIY Festivals, Coast to Coast :: Ghost Canyon, Fly Around Fest & Open Melody

DIY Festivals, Coast to Coast :: Ghost Canyon, Fly Around Fest & Open MelodyWhen we think of music festivals these days, it’s often the big ones that come to mind — your Coachellas, Lollapaloozas or Bonnaroos. Sweltering heat, fields full of fans, lineups that feel increasingly algorithmic and boring. Such events can be fun, of course, but hardly anyone would argue that they’re really about music.But for those of us in search of a more sonically fulfilling experience, a number of homegrown festivals are springing up across the country. These community-focused labors of love are carefully curated, purposefully eclectic and fiercely independent, giving attendees a chance to catch an array of artists over the course of a single action-packed weekend.To get a little behind-the-scenes intel, over on Aquarium Drunkard I talked with the organizers of a few leading lights of this burgeoning world of DIY festivals. There’s Fly Around Fest in Lansing, NC, taking place July 31-August 1, 2026,…