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 run 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.
When Plans Go Sideways: Real Festival Moments
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. The rave fam showed up for each other when it mattered most.
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. The difference? Mindset. The ravers who came prepared mentally (and in comfortable rave shorts and supportive shoes) knew that flexibility is part of the festival experience.
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.
The Real Meaning of PLUR When Things Get Tough
Peace, Love, Unity, Respect. These aren't just words we throw around when the vibes are high and the music's bumping. PLUR is tested when water station lines stretch for what feels like miles. When the shuttle breaks down at 3 AM. When the weather turns and you're standing in mud in your favorite festival bodysuits. That's when we prove we're not just fairweather ravers—we're a community.
Here's what living PLUR during tough festival moments actually looks like:
Practice Patience Over Entitlement
Yes, tickets are expensive. Yes, you planned this trip for months and your rave outfits are fire. Yes, you deserve an amazing experience. But so does everyone else around you. When things go wrong, remember that festival staff, security, and vendors are working just as hard as you are to make it right. They're human. They're tired. And they didn't plan for the stage to catch fire either.
Take a breath. Compliment someone's outfit. Share your water. These small acts of kindness ripple through the crowd and transform the energy from frustrated to family.
Be the Energy You Want to Receive
You've heard it before: energy is contagious. At festivals, it's exponentially true. One person singing in the shuttle line can spark a whole carpool karaoke session. One raver offering their festival pashmina to someone cold can start a chain reaction of generosity.
Whether you're rocking men's rave wear, plus size rave outfits, or matching couples outfits, you're representing more than just yourself. You're representing rave culture to the thousands of people around you—and to the outside world watching how we handle adversity.
Come Prepared for Anything
Hope for the best, prepare for the worst. Pack that portable charger. Bring backup shoe options. Layer your festival tops so you can adapt to weather changes. Screenshot your emergency contacts and festival maps before your phone dies.
But more than physical preparation, prepare your mindset. Go into every festival knowing that something might not go perfectly. The headliner might have to cancel. The stage might close early. Your Uber might ghost you. And you know what? You'll still have an incredible time if you choose to.
Why This Matters Beyond the Festival Grounds
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 times, especially during the hard ones.
Everyone is at these events for an escape from real life. Your coworker dealing with a breakup. The college student celebrating graduation. The introvert who saved up all year for this moment. The veteran raver who's been going to festivals since the underground days. We're all here for the same reason—to feel alive, connected, and free.
So remember why you came, why everyone else came, take a deep breath, and enjoy even if it is not going the way it was planned. Because at the end of the day, the stories we tell aren't about the perfect set times or the flawless logistics. They're about the moment we danced in the rain. The stranger who became a friend. The community that showed up for each other when it mattered most.
That's festival magic. That's PLUR. And that's what makes us more than just a crowd at an event—we're a family.
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