Summer is my favorite season. When May arrives, I begin to feel the buzz of excitement of everyone around me. There is so much to look forward to, like the beautiful weather, the bonfires, the barbecues and the long drives at night with friends. Perhaps my favorite thing about summer is the beach concerts.
Beach concerts are becoming more and more popular across the country. Whether it's the latest country superstar performing, a pop act whose songs you hear regularly on the radio or a great EDM act, all genres of music can be enjoyable from a beach chair. Recently, musical acts have taken their talents to the East Coast. There are the Virginia Beach Patriotic Festival and the Tortuga Musical Festival in Florida, and now there are beach concerts in Atlantic City. Two summers ago my best friends and I took a road trip to see Lady Antebellum perform on the New Jersey beach. It was easily one of the best days of our lives.
Unlike other concerts in a theater or music hall, beach concerts offer the best of mother nature. It's so enjoyable to sit under the warm sun on a sandy beach. The oceans' waves are peaceful to view and also nice to take a dip in when it becomes too warm. An added bonus is that for a few hours you get to work on your summer tan. But if your pale skin burns easily, don't forget the sunscreen!
While waiting for the band to hit the stage, there are many things you can do. Beachgoers often have their own radios on, listening to the current top forty hits. Some skim magazines or devour the latest summer beach read to pass the time. Many bring a frisbee or beach ball to play with. Others bring snacks or buy a pizza on the boardwalk to share. Beware of seagulls! They tend to like flaming hot Cheetos as much as the rest of us.
When the musical act finally arrives on stage, the crowd gets to their feet and begins to clap their hands. Everyone begins to sway and dance to the music that floats through the salty summer air. For a little while, the thousands of people standing around you are sharing in this magical moment. You laugh and cry with your friends to your favorite songs. You savor every moment.
Take pictures, too. You'll want to remember this day. It will be a memory that stays with you for the rest of your life. And when you hear that band again in the days, weeks, months and years to come, you'll remember it all. The band that's still your favorite, the best friends who you still speak to everyday and the beach that feels like home.
