It’s that time of year again! Music festival lineups are being released left and right. Have you noticed?

As often as they’re mentioned, there’s still people who have never actually attended a music festival. Some people aren’t interested, which is always okay. Others simply have no idea what to expect. So this post will be dedicated to my experience with Firefly Music Festival and some words of wisdom for anyone interested in attending.

So let’s start from the top. What is Firefly?

Firefly is an annual music festival that takes place in Dover, Delaware every June. An assortment of artists perform throughout the day for four days straight. These artists range from indie-alternative to hip-hop/rap. Whatever your taste in music is, Firefly certainly delivers. Every festival is a little bit different. Some are only two days, some have a different range of musical genres. Here’s a look at last year’s lineup:

Expenses

1. Tickets: These vary depending on how early you purchase. Firefly costs range from around $249-299 per ticket. While this seems a bit over the top, it’s actually quite the bargain. Roughly 124 artists attended Firefly last year. That means the average festival attendee paid a little over $2 per artist. All festivals seem to float around a similar price range. Some may be higher and some lower.
2. Food: Unfortunately in most cases, outside food is not allowed in. However, there’s no short supply of variety. Prices are pretty reasonable and most food and drink is great. People usually expect your run-of-the-mill, secondhand slop at places like these, but that certainly was not the case at Firefly. Some food options last year included: Hawaiian noodles, Philly cheese steaks, and bacon avocado grilled cheeses to name a few. Music festivals seem to take food pretty seriously, as they absolutely should.
3. Lodging: Now, depending on your personal desires, there are always several lodging options. The easiest but often times most expensive is camping on the premises. Yeah, you’re paying for your plot of land, but you’re mostly paying for convenience, which adds up pretty quickly. Other people choose to camp at a surrounding campsite and drive back and forth to the festival. This is much less expensive and with a group of people, splitting makes it even more affordable. If the campground scene isn’t your thing, there’s always a few hotels up for grabs. However, book a room well in advance, because the good ones will fill up fast. The final expense is spending money and that’s all up to you. Bring as much or as little as you see fit.

The Experience

Firefly isn’t selling tickets to a show. They’re selling tickets to an experience. While music performances are a huge aspect, there is so much more to explore when you attend an event like this. To put it simply, a music festival is an environment that cannot be recreated. Every day is spent making new friends, trying new foods, listening to new and old tunes, and most importantly, having a great time.  All music festivals have their own, unique touches. By going to each website, you can decide which experience suits your needs best. There’s no denying that Firefly was the best choice for me, but that doesn’t mean every other festival isn’t just as great. It just requires some research. So below, I’ve listed a few top music festivals along with links to their websites.

• Firefly Music Festival: Click here. 
• Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival: Click here.
• Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival: Click here.
• Lollapalooza: Click here.
• Governors Ball Music Festival: Click here.
• Electric Forest Festival: Click here.  
• Electric Daisy Carnival: Click here. 

Important things to keep in mind:

• Pack light. Festivals are very picky about what can and cannot enter the grounds. Be sure to check these guidelines ahead of time to ensure no personal items will be confiscated.
• Drink lots of water. Dehydration happens fast, so be sure to constantly be drinking water, whether you want to or not. It’ll save you a big headache later (literally.)
• Bring a charger with you. Festivals have phone charging stations in select areas. If you’re a big picture/video taker, then it is absolutely necessary to charge your phone throughout the day.
• Plan your schedule beforehand. More than likely, you will run into conflict when trying to see every artist you like. Sometimes, you need to choose between two really great performances. Still, it’s better to have a plan than to panic about it five minutes before showtime.
• Get comfortable with Porta Potties. They’re gross and unappealing and no one likes them. Sadly, it’s the only option in this scenario. So get to know ’em, embrace ’em, and try to love ’em.
• Stay close with your friends. Losing people in big crowds is terrifying. Especially if your phone is dead. Be cautious of where friends are and where they’re going.
• Have fun! Music festivals are enchanting experiences and I can’t recommend them enough. Be safe and have the time of your life!

Have you already attended a music festival? Tell me about it! 

Much love as always,

J.