Music is a very powerful and influential part of many people's lives. So when Vans Warped Tour began traveling the country in 1995, people noticed. Since then, this tour has become one of the largest music festivals in the United States. It has become a safe haven for so many people who look forward to attending this event every year, sometimes multiple dates. This diverse music tour has been a major part of the up and coming artists' careers and has brought many bands to the places that they are today. It's evolved and changed over the years but it still draws in thousands upon thousands of people to the tour dates all over the country. It's heartbreaking to see something truly so special come to an end.

By coming to the tour this year, I go to see some of my favorite bands on the tour. I was also exposed to bands that I would have never thought to listen to otherwise. There were six stages throughout the festival, each varying in the type of music that was put on at that stage. Whether you were into heavier rock music or not, there was a stage for you to hang out at with people who liked the same music as you and experience bands both familiar to you and new to you. There were popular bands who had been around for years, and smaller bands just starting out. It truly is a place for everyone to find their home.

What makes this place so special is that you can see so many of your favorite bands in one place, as well as, attend their signings/meet and greets for little to no extra cost. Typically VIP tickets to meet one band can run upwards of a couple hundred dollars. But the ticket to get into the venue is about 60-70 dollars which still isn't cheap for some, but it is worth so much more than the price. Being able to meet the band behind the music that has saved your life or gotten you through the tough times can bring so much joy to a fan. Then through this tour, getting to do that to multiple bands is a monumental day for so many people. Sometimes, you can catch a band walking throughout the festival or buy a ticket to hang out with them backstage.

One of my favorite moments was running into a band outside of the venue as I was just walking in with my friend I was going to the festival with that day. They spoke to us for a few moments before inviting us to their show later that day. We had no idea whose these guys were, but we made sure to find out the time and stage they were performing at. When we showed up to their set, they remembered who we were and that blew my mind. We even got to hang out with them at their merch tent afterward and we were lucky enough to get to watch a set with them as well. It absolutely blew my mind that I got to experience any of it.

But this tour showcases so much more than music. Alongside the musical acts, are a number of nonprofits that come on the tour to share with festivalgoers what they are about. I learned so much about what these nonprofits stood for by going to their booths or seeing them walking throughout the festival sharing their platform. They made an impact on me and countless others throughout the years, and I would have never heard of some of these nonprofits and learned about their platforms if it weren't for this tour. This tour truly pushes you to get involved and to get your voice heard on the issues you care about.

To have a traveling music festival with the capability to do so much is truly unique. They have made an impact on so many lives to bring the fans such an amazing life-changing experience. It's the end of an amazing era. I am truly so sad to see this era of Vans Warped Tour come to an end, and I am so thankful for what they have brought to me and so many others.

Thank you, Kevin Lyman, for bringing the vision of Warped Tour alive, and for the countless other staff members who have worked so hard to make the magic happen.

Forever Warped. 1995-2018.