I scan the license plate of the car in front of me and see that it reads California, I smile and wish of a vacation in the beautiful state right next to mine.
Mid-day dream, I see all four doors of the black Jeep Wrangler in front of me fly open and release three girls and two guys into the Arizona air.
They seem relieved to finally get out of the car and stretch. A song came on that turned all five of the people in front of me into joyful, head banging, laughing creatures. The jeep I once saw sitting still is now rocking back and forth with girls wearing what looked like metallic bathing suits and had glitter for hair. The guys had bandanas around their face and colorful bracelets filled their arms. Once the beat dropped the girls turned and looked at me, they smiled so big and I felt as if they were inviting me into the party they were having.
Straight ahead of me was the "stereotypical ravers" but when they looked at me I felt like I was reconnecting with friends from the past even though I had never met them before.
Minutes pass by and they open up the parking lot and the next thing I knew I was scanning my ticket and on my way inside to Gold Rush Music Festival 2017.
Personally, I don't like calling Gold Rush a 'rave' because when I think of raves, I think of drug addicts in every corner, people freaking out frantically, girls who just throw themselves at anyone they can find, etc.
Let me assure you, none of those things are what raves/festivals are about, I learned that first hand.
Gold Rush was life changing. I have an entire different view on festivals and I think that everyone should at least attend one before being able to ridicule ravers.
Why is everyone joining the rave scene? Like why the hell would you wear such little clothing and dozens of beaded bracelets. I don't understand why they think jumping up and down for 8 hours straight to the same music is so fun.
I can tell you why.
It's the feeling you get when you look to your right, your left, in front and behind you to see everyone smiling ear to ear. Every person you pass by is feeling each song run throughout their body and you can tell that all the stress everyone had, disappeared for the weekend. At festivals you are allowed to dance however you want, whenever you want, wherever you want and no one will judge you. Hell, most of the time they will join you and smile with you as you head bang to a collection of songs you have never heard before because this is your first ever show.
For a couple of hours split between two days, you feel alive. You feel like you are surrounded by people you have known your whole life and you can conquer the entire world. You laugh and love all the crazy costumes you see and you appreciate the time people spent on making their totems look amazing. Random strangers will approach you throughout each night and tell you your gorgeous, they like the way you dance or that they can tell you have a beautiful personality. That is festival culture.
I will never forget the things I saw at Gold Rush and the people who made me feel welcomed into this new family.
Raves, festivals, shows, concerts, whatever you want to call this world of colorful bracelets and music that "sounds exactly the same." It is a world of acceptance, appreciation and love and I can not wait for my next festival to finally feel free from this crazy, cruel world again.
To anyone who has thought about going to a rave but has always been too afraid to attend one, get your best friend and yourself a pair of tickets and go. I promise you won't regret it.
