NPR News

For Deadheads across the country, the music never stops

NPR | By Isabella Gomez Sarmiento

Published August 4, 2026 at 4:00 AM CDT

Festivalgoers cheer for The Hip Abduction at All Good Now festival in June at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, MD.

During this year's Days Between — from August 1 and August 9 — NPR Music is publishing a series of stories about what keeps drawing people to the Grateful Dead, and how they plan to carry the band's legacy forward.

Summer tour is a state of mind.

For decades, as soon as the weather warms up, fans of the Grateful Dead have gathered in some shape or form to listen to the band's music. Whether it be following an official iteration of the Dead across the country, catching a local cover band or heading to a jam band festival (which is sure to include at least a few Grateful Dead references), summer is a special season for Deadheads.

This year, without any original members of the band on the road, fans carried on with their summer tradition. In Chicago, people convened at Garcia's, a Jerry-dedicated venue, to listen to Skeleton Crewe's take on Dead classics. In Denver, cover band Built to Last played its renditions of the songbook. At the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Md. — an iconic venue for the Grateful Dead — All Good Now festival held down the scene. And in New York City, a screening for the Deadhead documentary Summer Tour turned into a full-on party as young tribute band Mason's Children took the stage.

The Grateful Dead might not be playing any shows this year, but across the U.S., the music never stops.

Twins Keith and Nate Chapman, 34, pose for a photo at All Good Now festival ahead of Dark Star Orchestra's set. "We discovered the Grateful Dead on our own, no one older in our family ever came across that, so it was something very unique to us. We had a friend that dragged us to a show when we were like 18 and it changed my life. Jerry saved my life. In this community you can just be free, be yourself." said Keith. Nate added, "It made me way more social, I was scared of everyone, but everyone here is my friend, as soon as I got here I felt welcomed."

Dabien Floyd, 53, watches Widespread Panic perform during All Good Now festival at Merriweather Post Pavilion. It's Floyd's second year attending the festival and he's a somewhat new listener of The Grateful Dead. He saw a Dead & Company show at The Sphere in Las Vegas. "It was the most amazing live music experience of my life" he said.

Fans enjoy the music at All Good Now festival.

Attendees dance to Widespread Panic's performance during All Good Now festival at Merriweather Post Pavilion.

Maggie Ferguson, 9, twirls a ribbon in front of her parents Carrie, 48, and Ken, 49, at All Good Now festival at Merriweather Post Pavilion. Carrie has been a fan of the Grateful Dead, since she was a teenager and has been attending All Good Now since high school. "I just love the community, it's just so much fun. It's all positive. We've brought our daughter to festivals since she was a baby. She's very safe, she loves it, she grew up here. She's 9, she went to her first fest at 5 months old. She's a show girl for sure."

See some of the Grateful Dead shirts worn at All Good Now festival at Merriweather Post Pavilion.

People dance to Widespread Panic in the pit during All Good Now festival at Merriweather Post Pavilion.

Dark Star Orchestra performs at All Good Now festival.

Festivalgoers dance to Widespread Panic's performance during All Good Now festival at Merriweather Post Pavilion.

Widespread Panic plays to the crowd in the pit during All Good Now festival at Merriweather Post Pavilion.

People dance to Widespread Panic's performance during All Good Now festival at Merriweather Post Pavilion.

Karen Hohne, 67, and her husband Donald Hone, 29, pose for a photo at the All Good Now festival at Merriweather Post Pavilion. Karen's first concert was the Grateful Dead at Merriweather Post Pavilion in the 1980s in the parking lot. "I just love the culture, I love how kind people are and how fun it is and it's just a good vibe" she said.

The crowd watches Widespread Panic perform during All Good Now festival at Merriweather Post Pavilion.

Colorado

Kristopher Kaiser, of Westminster, Colo., dances as Built to Last, a Grateful Dead cover band, performs on Sunday, July 19, 2026 at Bar 404 in Denver, Colorado.

Artwork by Lucy Sturgess with Lucy in the Sky Designs, is on display and for sale at a show with Built to Last, a Grateful Dead cover band, at Bar 404 in Denver, Colorado.

From left, Keith Stieduhar, Bryan Williams and Mark Vossler, members of Built to Last, a Grateful Dead cover band, perform on Sunday, July 19, 2026 at Bar 404 in Denver, Colorado.

Crystal Mass, of Portland, Oregon, blows bubbles as Built to Last, a Grateful Dead cover band.

New York

On June 4, Grateful Dead fans young and old gathered at Brooklyn Bowl in Williamsburg for a screening of Summer Tour, a documentary about the Deadhead scene by Mischa Richter. The event featured opening remarks by Richter and actress and co-producer Chloë Sevigny and a performance by cover band Mason's Children.

Attendees danced to Mason's Children's performance at Brooklyn Bowl in Williamsburg for a screening of Summer Tour

People danced to Mason's Children's performance.

Illinois

Stephen Inglis performs with Skeleton Crewe at Garcia's, a music venue inspired by Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead, Thursday, July 16, 2026, in Chicago.

Postcards of Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead are seen in Garcia's music venue.

Lisa Trask dances during a performance of Skeleton Crewe at Garcia's, a music venue inspired by Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead.

Rob Barraco performs with Skeleton Crewe at Garcia's, a music venue inspired by Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead.

Mark Giacoma, right, and Victoria Stern watch a performance of Skeleton Crewe at Garcia's, a music venue inspired by Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead.