Hopscotch Music Festival returns Sept. 6-8, 2018, for it’s ninth year to downtown Raleigh, North Carolina.

Described as “America’s (secretly) best festival” and “the premiere experimental and underground festival in America,” Hopscotch features more than 130 acts performing within the capital city’s walkable downtown footprint, according to its Facebook page.

I am particularly stoked to hear performances by Mipso, Sarah Shook and the Disarmers, Liz Phair, The Jayhawks and the Cris Jacobs Band, I am even more excited to have the opportunity to be introduced to a whole lot of new music. And you should be too! You can find the entire lineup here. 

Hopscotch is known for adventurous lineups, memorable performances, and a fan-friendly atmosphere. From a large outdoor main stage in Raleigh City Plaza to intimate club shows, the festival offers music in almost every genre imaginable — rock, hip-hop, metal, folk, electronic, experimental, and more — and its schedule highlights this diversity each year.

From its inception in 2010, Hopscotch has been a signature event for the creative community of Raleigh. Approximately 20 percent of the festival’s performers hail from in-state — a figure few, if any, nationally recognized music festivals can claim. With official programming stretching across 12 walkable venues, an art exhibition, more than 30 day parties, and the Hopscotch Design Festival, Hopscotch is a city-wide celebration for locals and fans visiting from faraway locales.