The Festival, otherwise known as the perfect place to bring out every 20-something year old's inner hippie, is something that must be experienced at least once. Whether it is because of your love for music, or your love for experiences, festivals are the epitome of our generation and have made an unbelievable comeback in recent years. From indie electronica, to pop and rap, and even 80s synth throwbacks, every festival is different and unique in its own way. With a little research, some serious saving, and a little determination, you are sure to have the experience of a lifetime at these festivals below. It’s time to put on that flower crown and buy that ticket to make memories that you will never forget.
1. Bonnarroo
The 2016 dates have not been released yet.
Bonnarroo is held in Manchester, Tennessee and is famous for its combination of various genres of music. You can either camp there, bring your RV and join the oasis, or rent a hotel room nearby. The choices are endless, but the true experience happens when you go back to the basics. In other words, pitch that tent. You can play backyard games, do yoga while listening to music from environmental speakers, or take a walk through their art exhibits. The options are endless, and the experience is priceless. Bonnaroo 2015 brought acts such as Kendrick Lamar, Hozier, Mac Demarco, G-Eazy, and many more to the stage. On top of that, they put an effort into maintaining the festival in a sustainable way offering deals for carpooling with other people, and using part of your festival ticket to help keep the site clean. They even ensure that the waste isn’t just thrown on a landfill, but rather reused as material or compost. Either way, this festival is one that most certainly has to be on our festival bucket list.
2. Governor's Ball
June 3-5, 2016
A relatively new festival starting in 2011, Governor's Ball is placed on Randall’s Island in New York City. You know they mean serious business about the culinary experience when they have an entire tab dedicated to the food vendors on their page. Food trucks along with various NYC restaurants all gather to make unbelievable food ranging from Korean barbecue to lobster rolls. On top of the endless food opportunities, activities ranging from lawn games, to art installations, and even a flower crown booth to create the crown of your dreams, are all offered at the festival. 2015 brought artists like Lana Del Rey, Drake, and Odesza to Randall’s Island, a beautiful park in the center of NYC. A trip to the Big Apple is always worth it, especially with a festival like this one on the itinerary.
3. Coachella
Weekend 1: April 15-17, 2016
Weekend 2: April 22-24, 2016
If you follow Kendall or Kylie on Instagram, Coachella is an annually broadcasted event that makes all of their millions of followers have severe fomo. Famous for its celebrity presence amongst other things, Coachella is located in Indio, California and is not only a center of heinous yet unbelievably cool fashion, but also mind blowing art installations and a mix of multiple different genres of music. This past year, Coachella presented acts such as ACDC, Angus and Julia Stone, The Weeknd, and David Guetta. You can choose to camp on site, grab a hotel room, or even camp off-site with a tent, car or RV. Coachella is classic for our generation and is quickly becoming a house-hold name due to its growing popularity with tons of teen celebrities. While its fame can be a turn off for some, it will definitely be fun to tell your kids that you went to something so iconic for our time. On a side note, I can only imagine that this butterfly installation made for some amazing Instas.
4. Osheaga
July 31 to August 2, 2015
Located on Parc Jean-Drapeau in Montreal, Osheaga offers one of the most influential and famous festivals throughout all of Canada. The park is placed on an island with breath-taking views of Montreal to add to your experience. The site is dressed up with art installations featured by artists from all over the U.S and Canada, and the festival features artists such as Schoolboy Q, Kygo, and What So Not. Not only is the festival itself well designed and created with experiences in mind, but the setting of Montreal offers a bustling nightlife and artistic environment. Typically known as an Indie festival, Osheaga offers all types of genres of music, combining different styles to create a festival that appeals to all tastes. It takes place on five different stages and meshes all different types of talent from nationally known groups to more local, small bands. According to their website, the festival's funky name originates from a name given to the Montreal region by European Settlers. Though partially lost in translation, Osheaga is derived from a saying of the Mohawk people known as “O she ha ga” meaning “shaking hands.” However, Jacques Cartier wrote that Osheaga meant “large rapids.” Check out more of the story here. Tickets are still selling for this festival, so it's time to grab your passport and head to Canada as soon as possible because this festival is revered to be quite the experience.
Whether you hop from festival to festival or just make it to a few, the memories that you will make will last you a lifetime. Do your research and find the festival that fits you the best. Then, gather a group of friends together and figure out all of the expenses. If you start your search early, saving for a festival is as simple as cutting out some Starbucks every week. Either way, I promise you that one less vanilla chai will be so worth the memories from a once in a lifetime experience like this. Be smart, be safe, and be open minded to new music, crazy types of art, and a plethora of memories to be made. Above all, go out there and wear that flower crown, lose your voice from singing along so loud, and leave with the experience of a lifetime.
