Why Festivals Are My Happy Place

Anyone that follows me on social media has probably seen the same phrase in the caption of every picture I post from a festival: #yallknowIloveafestival. There is a festival in New Orleans called Jazz Fest which I am pretty sure jump started my obsession for festivals. I literally have not missed a single Jazz Fest since I have been alive (my first one being that one my parents went to when my mother was 5 months pregnant with me). With Voodoo Music Festival, also in New Orleans, having been this weekend, and me still being on a cloud a million from happiness from it, I thought it was only appropriate to explain why I think festivals are the best places in the world. Basically, because festivals have all of my favorite things in one place.

1) Food

Uhh duh. Food!!!!! Limitless options of food at that! So, so, so many options to choose from! I love how most food served at festivals are in small portion sizes, that way, whoever I go to a festival with, have it be friends or family, we always get a few small plates and share. It kind of reminds me of going to a Tapas restaurant (my fave!).

2) Music

Concerts are probably my second happy place, so this is a given. Not all festivals are centered around music and huge performing acts, but they all have some! One of my favorite things to do is discover new music. Have it be scrolling through links posted in my “Music Nerds” group me, listening to cool songs found and suggested by my dad, or just sitting in my room clicking on a random song on SoundCloud, I love it! What better way to find new music than in person? Sometimes I will go to a festival wanting to only see one person. The rest of the time, I walk around until I hear something I like, stop, move to the front, and dance.

3) Art!

This is the part that gets me in trouble. I will put myself into a financial debt over some hand crafted jewelry! Though I am not artistically inclined (bogus because my father is an artist- that gene skipped clean over me), my dad did give me an artistic eye to appreciate art! With that being said, I love walking around all the different art booths at festivals. I love looking at different people’s work, and I love the pride in their voice when I ask them to tell me about their pieces.

4) Fashion

All festivals vary as well as what you wear to them. I love to shop and festivals are an excuse for me to buy outfits without feeling guilty. Whether you are buying a cute cover up or suit for a beach festival, a sundress for a day one, or full costume mode, putting together outfits is always fun. My personal favorite was from Voodoo this past weekend, where I literally wore all gold head to toe. I spray painted my back pack and shoes gold, covered myself in gold flash tattoos and poured. glitter, everywhere. I really wish it was socially acceptable to dress like that every day, honestly.

5) People and happiness

I am such a people person. This is probably my favorite part about festivals: the general vibe of happiness in the air given off by everyone in the vicinity. I love how happy and friendly everyone is at festivals (although this may be attributed to other influences if you catch my drift). My friends always make fun of me for being friendly and striking a conversation with random people, but at festivals it is such the norm. I cannot tell you how many day long best friends I have made at festivals. I think my favorite memory from any festival was from Hangout Music Festival in Gulf Shores, Alabama, during Stevie Wonder’s performance. What started off with just a group of my friends, grew to a circle of my friends and 50 strangers, linked by arms, swaying to the legend himself singing “Isn’t She Lovely” and “Pastime Paradise.” Pure bliss.

Simply thinking of festival memories make my heart jump. Next up on my list to attend is Afro-Punk in Brooklyn!