Written by: Sushma Sharma and Pavita Singh

Music plays a powerful role in our lives. Any time you go to a store or a restaurant, you’re almost guaranteed to hear Music playing in the background. So many of us turn on the tunes during our daily commute. Even while we’re working, plugging in our headphones can help us “get in the zone.” Music is capable of impacting our mood and of inspiring and motivating people on both small and large scales.

Music festivals are an incredible way to experience all of music’s positive effects while creating unforgettable and oftentimes life-changing memories. What are music festivals, you ask?

Basically, they are like extended concerts that take place for anywhere between 2 and 5 days and feature a number of different performers playing back to back during the day. Most music festivals take place outdoors, and attendees usually bring their own chairs or blankets to sit on. Attendees staying for the duration of the music festival usually bring tents so that they can camp out. Some festivals offer camping facilities almost all have bathrooms and showers. In addition to enjoying music, attendees can also enjoy food, games, vendor booths, and other attractions. Tickets vary in price and generally sell out quickly, so grab them while they last! Here are a few reasons you should definitely attend a music festival at least once in your life.

1. The Opportunity to Travel: People travel from all over the world to attend music festivals. Attending a music festival is a great opportunity to travel to and explore a new place, experience the culture and vibe of a new city, and to broaden your horizons. It’s also a chance to meet new people, both locals and visitors.

2. The Music:

   Live performance

   Sure, you can listen to your favorite jams on YouTube, iTunes, or the radio, but nothing beats the experience of seeing them performed live. Plus, how cool is it to be within feet of your favorite artists? Who knows—you might even have a chance to meet them and talk to them! Experiences such as this release dopamine in the brain—as we talked about in a previous blog—giving us that feeling of bliss and positively impacting our life perception.

3. The Food: Music festivals bring together the best food vendors from all across the country, which is sure to make your mouth and tummy very happy. You’ll find everything from deep dish pizza to Indian food to tasty tacos to Amish donuts to local beers. Bon appetite!

4. The Chance to Express Yourself:

   Express Yourself

   At music festivals, you’ll find people wearing some of the most elaborate and creative costumes you’ve ever seen, and most of them have made their costumes themselves. When you attend a music festival, you can proudly show off your personality—the only limit is your imagination!

5. The People: Music festivals are a unifying experience. The atmosphere that these festivals create is one in which people can’t help but have a good time. The positive energy is contagious. Music festivals are breeding grounds for long-lasting friendships that you may not have otherwise found.

6. The Dancing:

   Get your groove on

   Whether you’re outgoing or shy, if you attend a music festival, you can’t help but get your groove on. It’s a chance to let loose and get that dopamine flowing. Plus, you can burn off some of those calories from all that amazing food you’ll be enjoying.

7. Expanding Your Outlook: At music festivals, you’re surrounded by so much diversity—diversity of music, food, people, and thought. This means that whatever your taste, you’re sure to find something that suits you. This diversity also exposes you to new experiences, ideas, and styles that you may not have otherwise encountered. This broadened perspective makes you more open and gives you a greater appreciation of the world around you.

Convinced that you need to attend a music festival? Excellent! Not sure which one to go to? No worries! Here’s a list of US music festivals curated by Fuse that can help you get started.

1. South by Southwest (SXSW): March 13-19, 2017 in Austin, TX

This festival is awesome for discovering raw talent. It’s also great for mingling with music industry professionals. Lady Gaga performed in 2014.

2. Ultra Music Festival: March 24-26, 2017 in Miami, FL

Ultra is the most famous electronic music festival in North America. Past performers have included Martin Garrix, DJ Snake, Kygo, Yellow Claw, AlunaGeorge, Icona Pop, and Chainsmokers.

3. Coachella: April 14-16 and April 21-23, 2017 in Indio, CA

This festival takes place in the middle of a desert, making it feel like the start of summer in April. Some of this year’s performers include Beyoncé, Radiohead, and Kendrick Lamar.

4. Shaky Beats Music Festival: May 5-7, 2017 in Atlanta, GA

This festival brings together electronic, hip-hop, and indie acts. Performers this year include Chainsmokers, Kaskade, Griz, Flosstradamus, Zeds Dead, and Galantis.

5. Beale Street: May 5-7, 2017 in Memphis, TN

This is one of the most eclectic music festivals, perfect for people with diverse tastes. Past performers have included Beck, Zedd, Megan Trainor, Jason Derulo, Indigo Girls, Barenaked Ladies, Lunchmoney Lewis, Bastille, Cyprus Hill, Panic! at the Disco, and Weezer.

6. Shaky Knees Music Festival: May 12-14, 2017 in Atlanta, GA

Shaky Knees is a festival for rock lovers. Some of this year’s performers include The xx, LCD Soundsystem, and Phoenix.

7. Hangout Fest: May 19-21, 2017 in Gulf Shores, AL

As the name implies, this festival has a chill vibe as it takes place along the beautiful Alabama coastline. Past performers included The Weeknd, Ellie Goulding, Chainsmokers, Fetty Wrap, Florence + The Machine, Alabama Shakes, Run the Jewels, HAIM, and Cage the Elephant.

8. Sasquatch! Music Festival: May 26-28, 2017 in George, WA

In 2013, this festival sold out in a record 90 minutes! This isn’t a surprise given the breathtaking location. Past performers have included OutKast, Chance the Rapper, Disclosure, A$AP Rocky, Oh Wonder, Andra Day, Lion Babe, Vince Staples, and Bayonne.

9. Governors Ball: June 2-4, 2017 in New York, NY

You can’t beat the location of this music festival at Randall’s Island in New York City. Even celebrities who are not performing attend this festival. Past performers have included Kanye West, The Killers, Jamie xx, Two Door Cinema Club, Miguel, HAIM, Beck, Robyn, and Mac Miller.

10. Bonnaroo: June 8-11, 2017 in Manchester, TN

People describe this “hardcore” festival as the best one for camping. Past performers have included Chance the Rapper, Pearl Jam, and Eddie Vedder.

11. Firefly Music Festival: June 15-18, 2017 in Dover, DE

One of the newer music festivals, one of its highlights is its location in the beautiful Delaware woodlands. Past performers have included Mumford & Sons, Florence + The Machine, Blink-182, and Kings of Leon.

12. Electric Daisy Carnival: June 16-18, 2017 in Las Vegas, NV

Instead of performances during the day like many other music festivals, this electronic music festival has all its performances at night. Past performers have included Afrojack, Marhsmello, Cosmic Gate, Kaskade, David Guetta, Eric Prydz, and Alison Wonderland.

13. Warped Tour: June 16-August 6, 2017 all throughout North America

This festival is a full North American tour that takes place over the course of 8 weeks during the summer. The great thing about Warped Tour is that no matter where you are, you probably don’t have to travel too far from home to attend. This eclectic festival includes pop, metalcore, pop punk, electronic, and more. Many social activism events also take place at this festival. Past performers have included Underoath, Good Charlotte, Less Than Jake, New Found Glory, Wake Flocka Flame, Sum 41, The Summer Set, and Yellowcard.

14. Panorama: June 28-30, 2017 in New York, NY

Can’t make it out west or couldn’t get tickets to Coachella? Panorama is a good alternative. This year’s performers include Solange, MGMT, Frank Ocean, Nine Inch Nails, and A Tribe Called Quest.

15. Essence Festival: June 29-July 2, 2017 in New Orleans, LA

This festival is great for R&B and hip-hop fans. This year’s performers include Chakra Khan and Diana Ross, who will be playing at the festival for the first time.

16. Newport Folk Festival: July 28-20, 2017 in Newport, RI

This is a family-friendly, folk-oriented music festival with a scenic location at Narragansett Bay. Past performers have included Edward Sharpe, Norah Jones, Alabama Shakes, and Father John Misty.

17. Lollapalooza: August 3-6, 2017 in Chicago, IL

Lollapalooza is described as one of the best-organized festivals in the country. Past performers have included J. Cole, Lana Del Ray, Future, Major Lazer, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Disclosure, Halsey, and Ellie Goulding.

18. Riot Fest: September 15-17, 2017 in Chicago, IL

This festival features a mix of mainstream and independent acts of past and present punk rock performers. Past performers have included Fall Out Boy, Blink-182, Death Cab for Cutie, The Flaming Lips, Method Man & Redman, Jimmy Eat World, Morrissey, and Rob Zombie.

19. Austin City Limits: October 6-8 and 13-15, 2017 in Austin, TX

Although this festival always sells out, its timing after the summer festival rush makes for a more relaxed atmosphere. Past performers have included Kendrick Lamar, Radiohead, Mumford & Sons, LCD Soundsystem, Kygo, Willie Nelson, Flume, LL Cool J, and Chris Stapleton.

If you’ve ever been to a music festival or want to learn more about them, check out Konversai. Konversai is the newest platform for sharing knowledge about anything with anyone anywhere in the world via live video. Our mission is to democratize knowledge, but the human connection back into the heart of technology, and to make the world better by facilitating meaningful connections and conversations. One of the company’s core beliefs is that the best way to learn about anything is to talk about it with someone who has been in a similar situation, and geography and technology should not be barriers in acquiring this information. All knowledge, skills, and experiences—no matter how significant or trivial they might seem and no matter your level of “expertise”—have a place on Konversai. Whatever knowledge you have is valuable and has the potential to change the life of someone somewhere else in the world. Those sharing their knowledge are therefore encouraged to charge as much as they wish for their conversations. They also have the option of holding free sessions or donating their earnings to a charity of their choice. With Konversai, you can teach or learn about anything and everything under the sun. The only limit is your imagination. Get started today!

If you’d like to learn more about international music festivals, find someone on Konversai to talk to about them and stay tuned for a forthcoming blog.

Sources:

1. Chtchekine, Nicole. (2016). 5 Reasons Why You Should Go to a Music Festival. Odyssey.
2. Fuse. (2017). 25 Music Festivals You Need to Attend in 2017.
3. Hendrix, Sarah. (2016). 7 Reasons Why You Should Go to a Music Festival. Odyssey.
4. Riotta, Chris. (2015). Going to a Music Festival Not Only Makes You Happier, It Changes Your Life. Elite Daily.
5. WiseGeek. What Is a Music Festival?