The Best Snowsport Music Festivals in the USA & Canada 2020

Music festivals are like apps now, there's one for everything. Want to dance all night in the middle of the jungle or desert or even up a mountain in the middle of winter? No problem, we've got just the thing.

To be honest, in terms of tradition and breadth of variety for music festivals that bring skiing, snowboarding and other snowsports into the mix, Europe has North America beat. But never a part of the world to rest on their laurels, more and more wintery music festivals are popping up across the United States and Canada.

Now that we're firmly into the time of year where you're more likely to wear ski pants than shorts, we figured it was time to put together a list of our favourite snowsports music festivals in North America.

Here's what we came up with. 

SnowGlobe

Festival Lineup (2019): Skrillex, GRiZ, Fisher, Gigantic NGHTMRE, Louis The Child, Vince Staples, Zhu 

SnowGlobe is perhaps the most multi-purpose music festival in the world. Set in South Lake Tahoe, some of the continent's best ski resorts within striking distance of the festival, where onsite its lineup of party-stating electronic artists ensures the dancefloor stays hot. As if that's not enough, the festival is set over New Year's Eve, so you can get your ski trip, festival experience, and NYE plans settled in one fell swoop.

When & Where: 29-31 December 2019, South Lake Tahoe, California

Snowbombing Canada 

Festival Lineup (2019): Illenium, Cypress Hill, Adventure Club, GRiZ, Claptone, Lane 8, Pendulum

Snowbombing has two outposts, one in Austria and this one in Canada. In Europe, where snowsport music festivals are much more common, Snowbombing is regarded as one of the premier festivals of its kind, and it is no different in North America. Expertly curated lineups of upbeat dance music takes the après ski vibe to a whole other level after a day on the pristine slopes of the Rocky Mountains. 

When & Where: TBA April 2020, Sun Peaks, British Colombia 

World Ski & Snowboard Festival

Festival Lineup: Snotty Nose Rez Kids, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Old Soul Rebel, Little Destroyer, Skratch Bastid, Mat the Alien, March Fourth

Generally when snowsports and music festivals combine they lean towards music festival with some skiing, but the World Ski & Snowboard Festival is definitely the other way around. The biggest snowsports music festival in North America, WSSF attracts 250,000 ski and snowboard aficionados to witness premier athletes compete, partake in some activities themselves, and enjoy live concerts and DJ sets. 

When & Where: 10-14 April 2020, Whistler, British Colombia

WinterWonderGrass 

Festival Lineup: Greensky Bluegrass, Margo Price, Billy Strings, Keller Williams and the Keels, Nikki Lane, The Travelin' McCourys, Molly Tuttle

WinterWonderGrass actually as three outposts in the US, but this one in Colorado is the flagship edition. For whatever reason electronic music has become the norm for snowsport music festivals, but WWG bucks this trend by offering lineups of bluegrass, roots and acoustic artists. 

When & Where: 21-23 February, Steamboat Springs, Colorado

Snowsio

Festival Lineup: Papadosio, Joel Cummins (of Umphrey's McGee), Eminence Ensemble, Stan Kitchen, Brether, Earthcry

The newest member on this list, Snowsio is heading into its inaugural edition in 2020. The brainchild of rock, electronic, and jazz fusion artists Papadosio, the three day festival has an intimate feel as it exchanges big mountain skiing for the more collective activity of tubing. Special après sets, multiple appearances from Papadosio, and an all star Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin jam sesh give Snowsio an air of friends hanging out and having a good old wintery time. 

When & Where: 6-8 February 2020, Frisco, Colorado

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