Music Festival Season Has Begun: Here's What to Expect
Image Courtesy: Esquire
Music festivals are a celebration of all things music and art. With their bright lights, vibrant music, and trendy outfits, music festivals are both thrilling and entertaining. These events are held across the globe, drawing in music festival enthusiasts who look forward to this time of year. Here's a brief guide to the start of the music festival season and what to expect from this season's major festivals, from their lineups and performers to their distinctive cultural backgrounds and fashion trends.
Image Courtesy: Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival
Right around the corner is the Okeechobee Music and Arts Festival, beginning March 3rd and ending March 6th. The event features a star-studded lineup including Tame Impala, Megan Thee Stallion, and Porter Robinson. Typically, this multi-genre festival serves as the start of the music festival season, where fans immerse themselves in art and food, all while camping out at this exciting event. Located in Sunshine Grove Okeechobee, Florida, the event features several stages, multi-cultural artwork, as well as food and beverage trucks selling craft beer and food with vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options. The festival follows the Native American “Okeechobee Ethos” so to revive ancient dance in a collective celebration of yoga, meditation, and holistic workshops. Visitors can camp on Lake Okeechobee's beaches or set up tents and campers in designated areas to enjoy the entertainment all day and night.
Image Courtesy: Facebook
Rock the Ocean’s Tortuga Music Festival is a place for music lovers like you and me to hear some of the biggest names in country, rock, pop, and roots music. The annual festival takes place at Fort Lauderdale Beach in Florida, spreading awareness about marine conservation. The festival itself, named after the turtles that hatch on the sands of the beach, raises awareness and funds to support environmental causes through a partnership with the Rock the Ocean Foundation. Along with the music, attendees will also have the opportunity to listen to conservation organizations on topics ranging from marine pollution to overfishing. During this three-day, multi-stage beach bash, megastars Luke Combs, Thomas Rhett, and Morgan Wallen will headline the festival this upcoming April. Attendees can travel the length of Fort Lauderdale Beach to catch their favorite acts.
Image Courtesy: Coachella
Every year, the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival takes place over two weekends at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California. Known for its dazzling performances, celebrity attendees, and pop culture moments, Coachella does not disappoint! Fashion is another Coachella attraction. Flip flops, sandals, or boots are prevalent footwear options, making your romper, shorts, jeans, and skirts look as fierce as ever. However, because the grounds are grassy and flat, you can expect to see some people walking barefoot. Writer Carrie Battan highlights that “Coachella is an aestheticized striving for desert hippiedom, divorced from any ideology. Viewed collectively, even its lineups form a generic, apolitical group.” For instance, Coachella 2022 headliners will be none other than Harry Styles, Billie Eilish, and Ye, amongst many other renowned artists.
Image Courtesy: Twitter
As one of the world's biggest and most loved music festivals, Lollapalooza is celebrated for its unique history and diverse crowd. The festival, known to music fans around the globe, is held in countries such as Brazil, Argentina, France, and Chile. Chicago's Grant Park Festival has remained an iconic summer event in the Windy City for years, featuring dozens of hip-hop, alternative rock, and techno performers over their four-day event. Lollapalooza draws hundreds of thousands of attendees, including many families. The Kidzapalooza area offers music workshops, interactive art exhibits, and concerts for the youngest fans; the adult side stages provide an opportunity for up-and-coming artists to perform for a wider audience with a varied selection of electronic music in the festival’s dance tent. The Lollapalooza lineup for this year has yet to be announced, but previous headliners have included Post Malone, Tyler, The Creator, and Miley Cyrus.
Image Courtesy: Firefly Festival
Good times, good vibes, and good music are all part of the Firefly Music Festival at The Woodlands. Through its stage aesthetics and astounding performances, this festival has become a hit over the years. Festival organizer AEG Presents held its first festival on July 20th, 2012, at The Woodlands of Dover International Speedway in Dover, Delaware. The festival is known for its unique theme of a carefree summer just camping out with friends. Playing team sports on the North Campgrounds, sipping coffee at the Coffee House, chilling in hammocks in The Nook, and attending dance parties in The Thicket is all part of the experience.
Now that you have an idea of what it’s like to attend a music festival, it’s time you found your perfect fest!
Strike Out,
Writer: Samantha Petters
Editor: Noelle Knowlton
Graphic Designer: Katie Boucher
Tallahassee