By Sarah Reese (Instagram: @snicholefit)
Festivals are magical. The lasers, the fireworks, the people, and of course the music. We have built a culture around acceptance and love, revolving around a commonality that pulls people together. Random strangers become friends and we leave feeling whole.
Yet sometimes, despite the organizers best efforts, a festival does not always go as planned. Each and every festival I have attended so far, something has not ran as smoothly as it should. How we react to these situations, strangers and friends alike, plays a big impact on how we view each other and how the public views our community.
At EDCO 2018, the main stage caught fire, and though some were sad to not see their favorite DJ play his set, people waited patiently, moved onto other stages and made the most of it. Things like this tend to run smoother than most. No foul play, no bad attitudes, PLUR all around. Yet, Miami Music Week had a different outcome, with people having to walk miles to get home. People complained for days, some didn’t go back after day one. Those who have love for ULTRA and veterans of the community, brushed it off and continued the weekend.
More recently, Ubbi Dubbi night one left people stranded waiting on Uber drivers in the rain, after pushing and shoving on a tiny bridge to get back to the parking lots. Rave lovers seemed to be on one of two sides; some were singing songs and chanting trying to hype up the positivity, while others kept a negative attitude, creating bad vibes and at times unsafe circumstances. The staff worked hard to listen to complaints and day two was a blast. The first year of Ubbi Dubbi will be one to remember.
We have to all remember that things will happen. Water station lines will be long, parking lots after events are going to be crowded and slow moving, the rain might cancel out an event, and shuttles might break down. Patience and PLUR go hand in hand. Yes, much money is paid. Yes, everyone needs to be happy. Yes, we all have expectations of how these things should go. However, life isn’t that simple. Go into your festival with the mindset that anything could happen, good and bad. Spread good vibes at all time, especially during the hard ones. Everyone is at these events for an escape from real life. So remember why you came, why everyone else came, take a deep breathe, and enjoy even if it is not going the way it was planned.
