Norman Music Festival returns with 200+ free live performances: What you need to know

For three days every April, Norman becomes the epicenter for live, original music.

Now, the time has almost come again for the Norman Music Festival.

The free, nonprofit, independent festival returns for the 14th time in 16 years April 25-27 to the Walker Arts District in downtown Norman.

"This festival means so much to so many people. It’s a place to discover new music, see local favorites and for some, it’s a space they can come be whoever the hell they want to be, and fly that freak flag high," said Cody Giles, who is on the board of directors of the Norman Music Alliance, the volunteer-run nonprofit entity that produces the festival.

Sophia Massad performs April 29, 2023, at The Garage Winston Stage during the Norman Music Festival in Norman.

Billed as Oklahoma's largest music festival, NMF annually brings hundreds of acts and about 100,000 music fans to Norman for three days of live music at several indoor and outdoor venues.

"Our marketing budget from Year One has been $0. This is all just word-of-mouth and love and community spirit and musicians and really great sponsors that pitch in because they believe in it. And this year is our first year that we're really trying to spread the word to surrounding states and say, 'Hey, we've got maybe the coolest little festival you might not have heard of right here in Oklahoma,'" said Shari Jackson, executive director of the Norman Music Alliance.

"Our lineup is definitely a terrific one this year."

Fans watch Wet Muscles perform April 29, 2023, at the Monster Energy West Main Stage during the Norman Music Festival.

Here's what you need to know about Norman Music Festival 2024:

When and where is Norman Music Festival 2024?

Founded in 2008, Norman Music Festival started as a single-day event with just a few bands and has since grown to a massive three-day music extravaganza.

This year's NMF will feature live music on four outdoor stages — the Main Stage will be set up at the corner of Main and Porter — with local bars, restaurants and other businesses supplying a dozen indoor stages.

Festival hours are 6 p.m. to midnight April 25-26 and 11 a.m. to midnight April 27, with live music continuing until 2 a.m. all three nights on some of the indoor stages.

Steph Simon performs April 17, 2021, during the Tulsa Race Massacre Memorial Tree Dedication put on by Plant Seads, Up With Trees and the Tulsa Race Massacre Centennial in the Greenwood District of Tulsa.

How many bands are on the lineup for Norman Music Festival 2024?

This year's festival headliners include Alvvays, Moor Mother, Tropa Magica, Radkey, Sweeping Promises and Oklahoma acts Husbands, Jared Deck, Cliffdiver, Ken Pomeroy, Beau Jennings & The Tigers, Steph Simon and Branjae.

"We love that we get to bring in Alvvays really at kind of the zenith of their rise to stardom. ... The touring bands we've got this year are wonderful," Jackson said.

"But we've just got a spectacular group of musicians in the state of Oklahoma. ... Part of our big mission here is to shine a light on just how good Oklahoma musicians are."

NMF organizers received 650 applications for this year's festival, and she said 95% of those were from Sooner State acts. More than 200 artists have been tapped to play this year's festival.

"The about 10 that we're bringing in from out of state are the only ones from out of state," Jackson said. "The rest are Oklahoma artists. So, when you come to NMF and discover your new favorite band, that's likely a band that you can go see again somewhere local."

Ken Pomeroy performs Sept. 23, 2023, at the Cherokee Language Concert at the Love’s Travel Stops Stage in Oklahoma City.

What bands will play when at this year's Norman Music Festival?

Local band Easier will open up the festival at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 25, on Monster Energy Alley Stage, followed by fellow Oklahomans World Peace Death Ray, Norman rapper S. Reidy and Oklahoma City indie synth-pop trio The Ivy. Kansas-based duo Sweeping Promises will close the fest's opening night.

On Friday, April 26, Oklahoma acts on the lineup include Rainbows are Free, Helen Kelter Skelter, Psychotic Reaction, Em and the Mother Superiors, Traindodge, Cowtippers, Lunar Division, LABRYS, Chelsea Days, Audio Book Club and Kat Lock.

On the main stage April 26, OKC hip-hop act Original Flow and the Wavves and Tulsa rapper Steph Simon will be followed by Missouri punk rock band Radkey and Pennsylvania musician, poet and activist Moor Mother.

The festival will expand to its full potential on Saturday, April 27, with multiple indoor and outdoor stages showcasing a wide range of music. Sooner State performers will include Husbands, Jared Deck, Branjae, Ken Pomeroy, Cliffdiver, Sophia Massad, Beau Jennings & The Tigers, Chase Kerby, Jahruba & The Jahmystics, Stepmom, Lincka and recent "The Voice" contestant AJ Harvey.

Also on April 27, Grammy-nominated Canadian band Alvvays will close the main stage, while East Los Angeles duo Tropa Magica will cap the lineup on the Alley Stage.

Festivalgoers ride the Ferris wheel April 29, 2023, during the Norman Music Festival.

How is Norman Music Festival 2024 appealing to families with children?

To appeal to families with children, Norman Music Festival organizers are planning Kids Fest on the Gray Street Stage from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 27. The lineup will include DJ Kaylene Snarsky's kids dance-along at 11:30 a.m., Character Connection Co.'s "Tangled" sing-along at 12:30 p.m. and Michael Todd's "Jaminalz Animal Jamz" at 1:30 p.m.

In addition, the Norman Lions Club again will set up its annual carnival alongside NMF in downtown.

"What great fun to be able to be out on the top of the Ferris wheel and see festival stages going. ... It's a great partnership and a nice added experience for festivalgoers," Jackson said.

Raygun Busch, frontman of the breakout OKC sludge metal band Chat Pile, plays Toy in the Oklahoma movie "Tenkiller." Chat Pile also created the film's score.

What other entertainment will be offered at Norman Music Festival?

Norman Music Festival also is continuing its partnership with OKC's deadCenter Film Festival to present a free screening of the Oklahoma crime drama "Tenkiller" at 7 p.m. April 25 at Norman's Sooner Theatre. Along with the screening, there will be a discussion and Q&A with Edmond husband-and-wife filmmakers Kara and Jeremy Choate, as well as members of the OKC sludge metal band, Chat Pile, who wrote the soundtrack for the movie.

Also at the Sooner Theatre, the Friday night comedy show returns to Norman Music Festival at 8 p.m. April 26. Native American-owned, Tahlequah-based Full Blood Productions is assembling a showcase of Indigenous comics.

Sophia Massad performs April 29, 2023, at The Garage Winston Stage during the Norman Music Festival.

What are the ticket options for NMF 2023?

While general admission to NMF is free, VIP ticket options are available for $100, $200 and $300.

All three options come with VIP access to the main stage and a NMF sticker, but at the higher levels, ticketholders can get a free T-shirt, entry to the VIP room and even access to priority parking. Plus, VIP ticket buyers help keep the festival free for other attendees.

"We are a unicorn in the festival world. ... But NMF is committed to remaining a free festival. It's important, because I think something like a huge community-wide event like NMF is a really powerful and healing thing, when you just get to go see all your neighbors and there are no barriers," Jackson said. "It's fun, and it's also incredibly economically impactful for the community. ... It just generates good things."

Where should festivalgoers park?

Since NMF attracts large crowds to downtown Norman, organizers recommend that attendees be ready to park at a distance and walk over to the event or use ride-share services.

Those who drive to NMF are advised to use either city of Norman parking lots, legal street parking or private lots selling access to parking.