By Lily O’Brien | From the March/April 2026 issue of Strings

So you’ve decided to forgo performing at a music festival in favor of attending one for fun. The pressure is off, and you can just sit back, relax, and take it all in—without lifting a finger (or a bow). There are, of course, innumerable music festivals from which to choose, but perhaps you have a particular special interest in mind. String quartets only? No problem. Early music? New music? Sure thing. Roots music? Absolutely. In fact, even if your only interest is attending a festival concert in a Gilded Age mansion built by the Vanderbilts circa 1895 as a summer residence, there is still a festival for you. Read on, discerning musical traveler. You’re sure to find something here. 

Banff International String Quartet Festival

Banff, Alberta, Canada, September 3–6, 2026, banffcentre.ca/bisqfest

The Banff International String Quartet Festival (BISQF) is an annual three-day celebration of classical chamber music. An offshoot of the triennial Banff International String Quartet Competition (BISQC), it features performances by BISQC laureates alongside and in collaboration with world-class guest artists. BISQF takes place at the highly esteemed Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, a year-round incubator of the arts located in the heart of the Canadian Rockies that offers lodging and a meal plan in a magnificent setting with breathtaking views. Staying there makes it easy to take advantage of other activities, such as artist talks and open rehearsals.

Violinist, violist, performer, and teacher Barry Shiffman, the director of both BISQF and BISQC, says that the festival is special for a number of reasons. “It’s really the closeness between performer and audience that I think is the defining feature of the festival,” he explains. “We work very hard at making the experience of the audience really immersive. You can literally hear a performance of the Mendelssohn Octet or a new work, and then the next morning [at breakfast], sit down with the composer and the performers in a dining hall of glass overlooking the Bow Valley. It’s a very special place.”

And if you want to linger and enjoy the area, September in Banff offers stunning fall colors and numerous opportunities for hiking, canoeing, biking, rock climbing, or enjoying the quaint shops and restaurants on Banff Avenue downtown. 

Jordi Savall was on the bill during the 2025–26 Boston Early Music Festival, Photo: Geri BornBoston Early Music Festival

Boston, Massachusetts, June 6–13, 2027, bemf.org

The Boston Early Music Festival, an eight-day biennial event that takes place in odd-numbered years, is highly regarded for showcasing works from lesser-known early music repertoire, including Baroque operas. Founded in 1980, it is recognized internationally as a leader in the field of early music. Featuring around-the-clock concerts performed by today’s leading and emerging early music artists, along with the acclaimed Boston Early Music Festival Orchestra, it also includes a fully staged centerpiece opera with period singing, instruments, dance, costumes, and staging.

Period instruments are used for many of the performances, giving string players a chance to see and listen to authentic Baroque violins, violas, cellos, and viols.

Other activities include free lectures, dance workshops, master classes, numerous symposia, demonstration recitals, and more, all designed to educate and create a deeper appreciation of early music for attendees.

Another unique feature of the festival is the Exhibition, an early music trade show that includes early music instrument makers (you can try out and purchase instruments from them) and an array of early music tradespeople. 

The next festival is scheduled to take place in June (which is a lovely time to visit Boston) 2027. The city includes numerous parks, museums, waterfront activities on the Charles River and Boston Harbor, and of course strolling and shopping, all graced with unique New England charm. 

Jennifer Koh at the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music, Photo: r.r. jonesCabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music

Santa Cruz, California, July 26–August 9, 2026, cabrillomusic.org

Beginning its 64th season in 2026, this preeminent festival has attracted music lovers with its unique focus on new music and living composers. Taking place for two weeks from late July to early August at the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium, it features both emerging and established composers, guest artists from across the globe, world premieres, and the Cabrillo Festival Orchestra.

One of the more unique events at the festival: the culminating concert titled “In the Works,” which features original compositions created during the Cabrillo Conductors/Composers Workshop. Each piece is performed back-to-back, each time with a different conductor, illustrating the huge difference a conductor can make.

Cabrillo Festival executive director D. Riley Nicholson describes the importance of stringed instruments at the festival. “Orchestra music in general relies a lot on strings,” says Nicholson. “A lot of the work is done by the string section, and for contemporary music, a lot of the extended techniques often fall on the strings. So they have a particularly highlighted role in expanding the palette of what an orchestra can be.”

Adding that almost every year, they present a violin or viola concerto, he reveals that in 2026, the program will feature a violin concerto from “a very exciting, important composer.”

And all of this takes place in the charming seaside town of Santa Cruz, California, with beautiful beaches, a historic boardwalk, majestic mountains and redwood forests, and an “artsy” and inviting downtown. 

MerleFest, Photo: C.P. ThorntonMerleFest

Wilkesboro, North Carolina, April 23–26, 2026, merlefest.org

MerleFest was founded in 1988 to honor the memory of Eddy Merle Watson (son of legendary guitarist Doc Watson). It is a mellifluous mash-up of roots-oriented music from the Appalachian region (referred to by Doc Watson as “Traditional Plus”), which includes bluegrass, country, blues, Americana, folk, Cajun, Celtic, jazz, and more.

Featuring a plethora of performances on 12 stages, the festival includes a wide variety of large and small ensembles, many of which include fiddlers and bassists. Celebrated headliners this year will include Alison Krauss & Union Station, Old Crow Medicine Show, the Jerry Douglas Band, and the Steep Canyon Rangers. The festival also features an Expo Center where you can meet instrument makers, try out various instruments, and join one of the spontaneous jam sessions that spring up every day.

“MerleFest is known as a listening festival,” says festival director Wes Whitson. “And Cliff Miller, the sound engineer since its inception, was a close friend of Merle’s. Since the sound is everything to Cliff and his team, they specialize in making acoustic string music sound exceptional.” 

Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Wilkesboro offers plenty of outdoor recreation opportunities including biking, hiking, boating, tubing, swimming, and fishing. Downtown, you’ll find an array of restaurants and shops, wineries, museums, and galleries to visit as well. Plus, Wilkesboro is considered the birthplace of moonshine, so you could add a distillery visit to your itinerary. 

Hermitage Piano Trio at the Newport Classical Music, Photo: Daylas FestivalNewport Classical Music Festival

Newport, Rhode Island, July 2–19, 2026, newportclassical.org/music-festival

The Newport Classical Music Festival is regarded worldwide for presenting emerging players and composers alongside established professionals performing a wide range of classical music, from Baroque to contemporary, including world premieres of new works. The 2026 festival will feature 29 concerts in 11 venues, including some of Newport’s Gilded Age mansions, that enhance and embellish the performances by creating unique experiences in intimate environments. Performance instrumentation varies, including solo works, string quartets, other chamber works, and full operas.

Known as the “City by the Sea,” Newport is situated at the southern tip of Aquidneck Island where Narragansett Bay opens to the Atlantic Ocean, and is celebrated for its rich maritime history and beautiful coastal views. Visitors can partake in sailing trips, visits to shops and restaurants at Bowen’s Wharf, tours of the historic mansions, strolls along the Cliff Walk, or a ten-mile drive along the scenic coastline.