The Firefly Music Festival, labeled by the festival’s organizers as "The East Coast's Premier Music Experience” is my all-time favorite summer activity. With the bitter cold winter now upon us, snow and all, I thought it could not be more appropriate than to share an experience for everyone to look forward to this summer in order to get your minds off of the nasty winter! Headliners that will be performing at the June 16-19 festival include: Florence + The Machine, Mumford and Sons, deadmau5, and Kings of Leon (who are returning after their headliner spot was washed out last year.) The full lineup can be found here or you can see it down below!
Without further ado, here is a list of the top ten reasons why you should attend the festival that I look forward to every year:
1. New Bands
At Firefly, you have the opportunity to hear bands before they make it big. Two excellent examples of bands that played Firefly before becoming famous are Imagine Dragons and Walk the Moon. Both of these bands played Firefly twice. The first time was in front of hundreds and the second was in front of tens of thousands. It is an incredibly rewarding feeling to experience a band so intimately before that isn’t possible anymore.
2. See your Favorite Bands all in One Place
There aren’t many places where you can see over 100 bands all in the same place for the price it would cost to see one of the headliners on their own.
3. Camping (if that's your thing)
Many festival goers enjoy the camping experience. With multiple camping options available, you are sure to find one that’s right for you. It is certainly an experience you’ll remember! (Find out more about camping here!)
4. The Food
After partnering with Coachella founder, Goldenvoice, Redfrog Events (the company that makes Firefly possible), brought in even more delicious food than ever before! From Ben & Jerry’s ice cream to Korean BBQ and everything in between, there is an option for everyone. There are even vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options! My personal favorite food from last year was the Old Bay mac & cheese. Mmmmmm. You could also try a favorite of Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl -- the local Grotto Pizza. As Grohl mentioned when Foo Fighters headlined in 2014, “Every time I smell a Grotto pizza, God damn!”
5. The Fashion
Unleash your inner banana! At Firefly, nobody judges the guy wearing a banana suit! Many festival-goers choose to dress up in unique costumes or themed outfits. Others simply rock the latest summer trends.
6. The Activities
Despite music being the focal point of the festival, there are so many other activities to do! You can dance the night away at the silent disco, relax in a hammock or get your own pair of custom designed TOM’S shoes! (More information on activities can be found here.)
7. Location
Dover, Delaware is at the heart of the North-East and mid-Atlantic mega-opolis. With New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington D.C. all relatively close by, the festival is conveniently accessible, but still remains enough off-the-grid to get away without really getting away. (You can get directions to the festival here.)
8. The Mass Exodus
Anyone who has gone to Firefly before can fondly recount the nightly mass exodus. This is an experience that is best left for an experience rather than words.
9. Making New Friends
The vibe at Firefly is like that of nowhere else. Everyone is incredibly friendly and it is very easy to make new friends. Even if you don’t make friends, you will, without a doubt, meet some incredibly kind people who are having just as great a time as you. Also, before the festival even begins, you can chat with other festival-goers here! The message board is a great place to get advice from past attendees and also share in the love of Firefly!
10. The Experience
You don’t have to crowd surf to have a great experience. All you have to do is go with the flow and enjoy every minute. At the end of the weekend, you’ll be riding the metaphorical Firefly “high” and begin counting down the days until the next festival. I can guarantee you that the Firefly Music Festival is an experience that you will never forget and you will have many stories to tell and inside jokes to laugh about after it’s all over.
