You may or may not be familiar with a little music festival in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin called Country Thunder. If you aren't, let me help you understand why these four days are the best days of the summer. If you are, here is a little reminder of why you keep coming back every year. Four days of nothing but camping, drinking, listening to hot country artists and spending time with your friends.
1. Rookies Getting Too Drunk on Thursday.
If you're like me, you probably didn't anticipate the effect Country Thunder would have on you. Tip to a first-time goer: pace yourself. You'll thank me later and hopefully you won't end up passed out by 4 p.m. the first day. Or noon, if you're the girl in the photo.
2. The Hottest Weekend of the Summer.
Being at the end of July, CT usually falls on the hottest (or what seems like the hottest) weekend of the year. Don't even bother putting make up on or trying to look nice, everyone else is a sweaty mess too, and it's just something to embrace.
3. The Most Camo and Confederate Flags You'll See in the North.
Who knew Wisconsin was a southern state at heart? Come to CT and you'll see what I mean.
4. Sleep is for the Weak.
Because you're only going to get about three hours of sleep each night if you're camping. Whether it's from those obnoxious neighbors blasting music at 3 a.m. or the hot sun in the morning making it unbearable to sleep in your tent, you should maintain the "we can sleep when we're dead" attitude all weekend. And if you get too tired, drink some more and you can sleep through anything.
5. Dizzy Bat, Beer Bongs & Bags.
Three of your most commonly found items/games at CT. Be sure to keep your bags set away from the path where vehicles drive, you never know if your set may get run over (son of a b*tch).
6. Busch Light in the Campground, Miller & Coors in the Venue.
You can't go wrong with a $13.99 30-rack of Busch Light. It's cheap and it does the trick. But my favorite drink inside is Smith & Forge, which kicks Reds and Angry Orchard in the ass any day.
7. The Showers.
For the low price of $6, you can take a shower in the shower trailers, but if you go too late in the morning you may be stuck waiting two hours in line. You're also going to be sweaty again right after you get out of the shower, so maybe you should just forget the whole thing and pack some baby wipes.
8. The Porta Johns.
Are gross, but if you happen to be up at five or six in the morning, they will be freshly cleaned which is the prime time for their usage. (And you'll probably have toilet paper for once, win-win)
9. Protecting Yourself from Drunk Jail.
Yes, it is a thing. It happens to be in the Miller camping area which is where my lots usually are. Stick with people who are 21, or don't be an idiot and you should be set.
10. Don't Let Your Car Die.
If too many people are charging their phones all weekend and you don't drive your car for three or four days, you might have an issue when you try to start your car. Just so you know.
11. The Best Fair Food.
You get the benefit of great music and your favorite county fair in one. Corn dogs, funnel cakes, cheese curds and any other fried food you could imagine.
12. Kick Ass Lineup.
In the two years I've been to CT, I've seen Miranda Lambert, Brantley Gilbert, Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley, Blake Shelton, Luke Bryan and many more. What else you could want? Besides Florida Georgia Line and Eric Church who will be there this summer.
13. Electric Thunder.
A HUGE party tent with a DJ that plays after the last act of each night. Even if you go just once, you should put it on your bucket list of things to try at CT.
14. The Sunday/Monday Hangover
You really don't realize what four straight days of binge drinking does to you until the hangover sets in, but it's all worth it.
I could give you a hundred more reasons why Country Thunder is the best part of the summer, but you get the picture. Half of my hometown usually ends up there and we drink like we haven't seen each other in years. Grab your cowboy boots, a fake ID if you need one, a 30 of Busch Light and get yourself to Country Thunder 2016. Who would want to miss out on this four-day adventure?
