There’s no denying the explosion in popularity music festivals have enjoyed the past few years. The opportunity to leave every day life to escape into a world where your only obligations are to creatively express yourself and listen to the music you want to listen to is now available more than ever. People used to be able to personally connect with their favorite festival and turn it into their yearly oasis, but now these events have scaled astronomically to host hundreds of thousands of people with large corporate partners to fuel their expansions.
This exploration of new musical territories have lead many to gravitate towards smaller, more intimate festivals that differentiate themselves as more than just glitz, glamour and music…but that offer culture, spirituality, and more as points of differentiation. The Huffington Post recently ran an article titled “5 Smaller Festivals That Are Actually Better Than Coachella.” Now, besides taking a serious blow at last weekend’s Indio festival, the Huffington Post compiled a list of five festivals that “get you off the beaten path and into some of the most vibrant locals and euphoric dance parties North America has to offer.”
Their top five are Mysteryland USA, Wakarusa, Shambhala, Camp Bisco, and AfroPunk Fest. All of which are smaller-scaled festivals than your Coachella, EDC, or Tomorrowland, but most of these are well-known to the avid festival-goer. But the question is what makes these festivals different?
Take for example Mysteryland USA. The festival located in Bethel Woods, NY, where Woodstock once took place serves as a cultural experience that looks beyond just music and art. As the Huffington Post describes who should go, it is for the fan that “believe PLUR is a lifestyle choice and jump at any chance to let your inner rave goddess run free around the campfire.”
While Mysteryland USA is only just about to embark on their second year, the three-day event boasts a lineup of Kygo, Porter Robinson, Diplo, Empire of the Sun, Richie Hawtin, A-Trak and many more in an attempt to prove that it is possible to draw an eclectic roster of premier artists while still maintaining a close-knit setting. It is here that veteran festival-goers are finding new homes because these smaller festivals provide the intimacy they once had while still attracting a star-studded roster. Will the bigger festivals suffer from the rise of the minors? Probably not initially, but the rift distinguishing the two is sure to continue expanding along with the smaller festivals’ loyal attendees which in the long run could prove to be a problem. Mysteryland will take place this Memorial Day weekend and tickets are still available on the festival’s website.
Source: Huffington Post
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