Summerfest Music Festival Creates a More Exciting Experience [OPINION]

Music festivals have become the fan-favorite way of seeing artists and musical groups live in recent years. At these festivals there is so much more of an experience than there would be at a traditional concert, where you pay for an expensive ticket that may take you far away from the stage.

Music festivals tend to create a more even playing field just because there is not assigned seating or levels and balconies. They also give attendees the opportunity to move around and be close and personal at some stages and concerts and farther back at other times. There is more freedom at a music festival than there is at a traditional concert.

Summerfest, a local Milwaukee festival, brings together both popular and lesser known bands which gives Summerfest goers better variety. Summerfest is also one of the longest running music festivals because it’s two weeks long. This opens the experience to more people because it has more openings for people to attend.

At a festival there are more opportunities to interact with different genres and artist, while enjoying the grounds and all the food and other entertainment the festivals have to offer. Festivals are a step up from the traditional concert experience because it is more of an experience.

For example, Coachella tends to focus more on the fashion industry and highlights brand parties more than the actual concerts. Media outlets like Vogue and E! News often talk more about what celebrities are wearing and how they are styling this year’s trends. A Coachella goer would not be able to enjoy or claim to have the full experience if their outfit isn’t carefully selected and broadcasted on social media.

Coachella also is incredibly photogenic which makes taking pictures of all the outfits even better and more creative. Each year there are different art instillations and interactive décor pieces that those who attend the festival can enjoy. They’re often overcrowded and getting an interesting and unique picture is difficult, but it is all just part of the experience.

Lollapalooza is less about fashion and more about food and music. The streets are lined with food stands for local Chicago restaurants and each stand is original and delicious. People tend to spend more money on food and drinks than on their tickets. The experience of enjoying foods like a classic Chicago style hot dog or a lobster corndog is worth the money spent.

The experience focuses on another sense, not just taste. The music is a much bigger aspect because there is more variety and there are some stages dedicated to one specific type of music. For example, there is a stage purely for Electronic Dance Music, which is where all the teenagers and young adults tend to migrate.

Music festivals have always been unique depending on where in the country or where in the world they are held. The small comparisons between Lollapalooza in Chicago versus Lollapalooza in Germany can be found in the overall experience. The outfits are different and there are bands specific to that culture and bands that make the rounds to every Lollapalooza. The Lollapalooza website does it’s best to show and highlight the different and unique aspects of each festival in each country that are held in.

Despite the differences that can be found in these music festivals they each hold an exciting and energizing experience that keeps audiences coming back. The music is a large factor, but the experience is what makes music festivals special. There is something to be said about being in a crowd of people who are singing, dancing and enjoying the company of those around them.

It is a musical experience that is meant for all generations and festivals continue to evolve just as their audiences do. Woodstock was very different from the musical festivals we have now, but Lollapalooza, Coachella and other smaller festivals grew and came from older festivals like Summerfest and Woodstock.

These older festivals understand that music is already an experience and by adding more dimensions to their festivals the experience can be better. Music is already an experience and there are so many ways to listen and enjoy it. Musical festivals are one of the better ways because it has more to offer and has other elements that add to an already fun and communal experience.