Hopscotch's biggest draws are beyond the main stage

What they're saying: Ryan Cocca writes for music publication Super Empty that the festival "remains one of the most concentrated and eclectic weekends of music in the Southeast, a ripe tableau of interesting sounds both known and unknown."

• The 2026 headliners are "out-of-nowhere rock radio conquerors Dexter & The Moonrocks, along with pan-genre guitar wizard Cory Wong and alt-pop star King Princess. But the real reason to go to Hopscotch is to see all the club shows, and they'll be as stacked as ever," Stereogum wrote.

What to expect: Concerts are Thursday through Saturday, beginning in the afternoon and continuing well past midnight.

• Headliners will play the main stage at City Plaza on Fayetteville Street.
• Festivalgoers can catch dozens more performances at music venues and clubs around downtown.
• Moore Square will be a free hangout spot, with food vendors, artisans and musical performances beginning in the morning or early afternoon. That's where the kid-friendly Totscotch starts at 10am Saturday.

Zoom in: WUNC music writer Brian Burns highlighted six North Carolina acts to catch, including Raleigh artists Jooselord and Kooley High and Carrboro's Entrez Vous.

🎟️ Tickets: Single-day passes are available for $95 with tax.

• Three-day passes grant access to all 100+ performances and cost $192 with tax.
• Weekend-long VIP access costs $428 with tax.

Take a look at the full schedule