Why Everyone Should Experience a Music Festival

Photo credit: Andrea Nibler
Photo credit: Andrea Nibler

The sun is out and ’tis the season for music festivals. Lately, festivals like Coachella and Stagecoach have been all the rave and there is good reason for this buzz. From the atmosphere to the line-up and new friendships, summer festivals are an experience not to be missed.

For a first-time festival goer an event this big can seem overwhelming. Many people who have never attended a festival would argue that they are over crowded, too loud and too dirty. In some ways they might be right, but at the same time, music festivals are an experience unlike anything else.

There is something electric about a stadium full of people, all there for the same reason. There is a strong sense of community and companionship in the thousands of people sharing this once in a lifetime experience. Suddenly, after just three days the mass of people in attendance becomes a sort of family.

There are countless reasons that music festivals are an eye opening and life changing events that everyone should experience at least once. Here are the top five reasons to check this experience off your bucket list.

  1. The Line-up

At music festivals you will witness some of the most talented artists all in one place. And unless the festival is genre specific, there really is something for everyone. You will get to see not only your all-time favorite performers but experience new great bands as well.

  1. The New Friendships

Whether you go it alone, with a group of friends or attend as a family, you are guaranteed to meet a bunch of great new people. The atmosphere and open culture make creating new friends inevitable.

  1. The Fans

From the waving hands to synchronized singing you wont find more dedicated and happy crowds.

  1. The Team Spirit

Everyone in attendance realizes that they are all there for the same reason. This creates an understanding and a team spirit that you cant ignore.

  1. The Priceless Moments

This is not the trip to forget your camera. Music festivals can produce some of the most priceless moments you will never forget.

How to Prepare for a Music Festival

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Photo credit: Kristen de Golia

Here are some tips on how to prepare for a music festival. If not well prepared, odds are you’ll still have a good time. If well prepared and you put in some effort to plan your adventure ahead of time, you’re destined to have an amazing experience!

Where to stay?

Plan ahead and be frugal.

Use websites like www.kayal.com or www.priceline.com to compare hundreds of travel sites at once.  On websites like these you can compare rates on hotels, flights, cars, vacation packages and various other deals.

Who to go with?

Make sure you have a good group of friends to travel with.

The wrong crew can really mess up the vibe of your trip. Make sure you plan your trip with a group of people that can go with the flow. Attending a music festival is supposed to be a fun and stress-free experience, so really take into consideration who you want by your side.

Carpool

Figure out which of your friends has the most fuel-efficient car.

This is a vital part of your trip. The expenses are bound to add up, so you should plan ahead and save money where you can. Depending on the location of the music festival and whether or not you will need to stop numerous times for gas, use a phone application called GasBuddy or visit www.gasbuddy.com to compare gas prices near you. The app compares the surrounding gas stations to your location to find you the best deal.

It’s essential that you make a killer playlist for your car ride and re-listen to songs you think are likely to be played at the festival. This way the experience is more enjoyable and you can embrace every moment and easily sing along!

Photo credit: Kristen de Golia
Photo credit: Kristen de Golia

“The Look”

Depending on the theme of your festival and the genre of music, outfits will range across the board. For country music festivals cowboy boots, hats, flannels, sundresses, jean shorts and things of that nature are normally acceptable. For EDM and rave festivals, more colorful and flashy bedazzled outfits are generally worn. Girls often make these outfits themselves with flowers, jewels, glow sticks, ect. More elaborate outfits can be purchased and even rented for special events from sites such as http://raecostumes.com.

Regarding skin protection and makeup, musical festivals generally run for long hours from early in the morning until late at night. Everyone should be sure to wear lots of sunscreen! Ladies should invest in some tinted moisturizer and waterproof mascara so that they don’t have to reapply their makeup throughout the day. There are also makeup sprays that can be applied that “set” your makeup to stay for long hours such as Urban Decay’s All Nighter Long-Lasting Makeup Setting Spray, which is available at Sephora.

Taking just a few of these tips into consideration will be sure to enhance your experience and enable you to have an even better time at a music festival!

Visit Buzzfeed for a few additional tips and a laugh!

http://www.buzzfeed.com/mariasherm/music-festival-hacks-that-will-make-your-experience-way-more