It is right around this time of the year that thoughts of summer begin to creep into our heads. We exchange our sweaters and boots for swimsuits and make darties and pool parties a priority in our busy college schedules. A new phenomenon has developed out of the general summer season during the past few years. Now with the impending summer upon us, we have another season to look forward to: festival season.
Music festivals are arguably the best part of summer. There's nothing quite like driving across the state, or even the country, to hear hundreds of artists with good friends and thousands of good people around you. I have made my own memories at some music festivals, but turned to others to share with me their personal experiences with this magical season. The result was a number of opinions about festivals that all shared an overpowering sense of love for the experiences they had made there.
Kelly Ann Kennedy, freshman, was one of my most detailed interviewees, raving about her experience at Counterpoint last year with what I could feel was genuine excitement. Counterpoint is a music festival located in the beautiful fields of Kingston Downs, Georgia. It's a camping festival that brings every type of genre from electronic to folk. When I asked her if she would ever go again, she informed me that she had already bought her ticket for 2015, and added that, “Music festivals are unlike any other experience I've had, and with a beautiful environment, great music and even greater friends how can you go wrong?"
Take a trip up north at the end of June and one can find themselves in Rothbury, Michigan for Electric Forest. It is pretty obvious from its name that this festival brings all electronic acts and is set in one of the most magical environments in the country. Breanna Raspopovich, sophomore, is a lover of this festival and goes every year. When I asked her to describe the community of Electric Forest she said, “The 'Forest-goers' really represent a family. Everyone carries a smile wherever they go and good vibes are always surrounding you. In addition, the styles, ages and overall characteristics of people are so diverse. I've seen young babies not old enough to walk and elderly people all enjoying the beautiful music and display the Forest puts on." It's easy to imagine what an amazing environment Electric Forest offers. After talking to Breanna about it, I have officially added it to my list of festivals I must attend in 2015.
These are simply two opinions from a number of people that I interviewed. Although each of my interviewees had gone to different music festivals all over the country and the world, they all shared one opinion: they would absolutely go again if they had the chance. I share this opinion for each and every festival I have attended.
Festival season sets itself apart from plain old summer in a lot of ways. The experiences one can create at these music festivals are unmatched by any other experience this season has to offer. Some of the best days of my life have been had at music festivals and I encourage anyone who hasn't been to one yet to make it a priority very soon.
