When life becomes normal again, the first thing I am doing is buying a ticket to a music festival. The thing I miss most since the pandemic hit is the euphoria of being in a crowded field of maskless strangers, singing and dancing to the music that makes us smile from ear to ear. I miss the vibrations of music filling my body and the goosebumps it leaves on my arms in the process. Most importantly, I miss the human connection that comes along with seeing live music.

My first music festival was Camp Bisco in 2013. Looking back at my sixteen-year-old self, I was in way over my head, and I’m shocked my parents even let me go. It was a three-day camping music festival at the Indian Lookout Country Club in Albany, New York. With a group of first-time festival-goers, we were all miserably under-prepared. We had no canopy to get shade from the 100-degree heat, no rain gear to save us from the storms we endured, and no clothes to keep us warm from the freezing temperatures at night. However, it will remain one of the most memorable experiences of my life. It opened a door to a new world for me; One where groups of diverse people come together to form their own community for three days and listen to the music that makes their hearts sing. It was a place where strangers turned into friends, and friends turned into family. The three days were incredibly freeing, exhilarating, and exhausting all in one; and I knew I would continue doing it until I was old and grey. 

One of the things I miss most about music festivals is the journey of getting there. I crave traveling to different parts of the country for music. Festivals have allowed me to visit new places that I never thought I would before. I have ventured to places like New Orleans, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Telluride, Michigan, Alabama, and a plethora more. I am eternally grateful that I had the chance to explore different parts of the country with some of my best friends at such a young age.

Attending music festivals also let me make meaningful connections with people from all over the country. It paved the way for some of the most genuine friendships I ever had. I never thought I would have the opportunity to create friendships with people that live twenty hours away from me, but that is the magic of live music. If it were not for music, I most likely would not know the people I now consider family. 

I am ready to continue on this crazy musical ride, and I hope 2021 allows me to do so. There is nothing that I long for more than traveling the country, making new friends, and witnessing the most unforgettable live performances.