There's something about the outdoors that makes a great music festival even better. Spread out on a lawn or beach and let the sounds of jazz, folk, blues, or rock come floating in on a breeze. Woodstock started the trend; since then, the number of outdoor festivals has—quite literally—blown through the roof, to the point where you can find them all over the world. Here are the best.

JVC Jazz Festival (Newport, Rhode Island)
August. This is America's big one: Since 1954, Newport has drawn the hottest stars in jazz, rhythm and blues, country, and rock together for a multi-day jam session. Performers play in a huge park that boasts two stages, while the audience listens from reserved seating or on the lawn. www.festivalproductions.net/jvc/jvcnewpmain.html

Central Park Summerstage (New York City)
June/July/August. America's best-known urban park boasts a summertime full of artistic performances. Concertgoers come together on the lawn and the bleachers of this open-air stage and take in diverse acts ranging from one-person theater productions to Lyle Lovett. Bonus: Most performances are free of charge.
www.summerstage.org/home.asp

Sinbad's Soul Music Festival (Caribbean)
June. The comedian Sinbad began his Soul Music Festival by combining the classic soul acts of the '70s with today's hottest acts in rhythm and blues. The festival moves to a different Caribbean Island each year, where thousands of people hit the beaches and sway to the smooth sounds of soul music.
www.soulmusicfestival.com

Montreux Jazz Festival (Switzerland)
July. It takes Swiss precision to organize the world's largest music fest, but it's always a winner. Taking place over two weeks, this festival attracts artists like B.B. King and Alanis Morissette, along with more than 200,000 music lovers, who sit on the shores of Lake Geneva where they can gaze at the foothills of the Alps.
www.montreuxjazz.com

Copenhagen Jazz Festival (Denmark)
July. The Danes know how to celebrate jazz—this entire festival is devoted to it. Up-and-comers as well as old-timers have been goin' to the woodshed here since 1979. And it's an awesome urban setting: Many of the day concerts are performed in the city streets, among the canals and historic homes.
www.jazzfestival.dk