Photo by Jason Kaczorowski A music festival is so much more than its lineup. While the headliners draw in the crowd, it’s the vibe of a fest that seals the deal for most repeat customers. I have attended dozen upon dozens of music fests in my time and there are quite a few ingredients that really set Summer Camp apart from other festivals. Here are my top 7 reasons Summer Camp is the bee’s knees:
1) The Community
After attending Summer Camp for over a decade now, I can honestly say that this community is one of the best on the scene. Our ability to roll with the flow and still give it all they’ve got is unparalleled. Our sense of humor shines through every activity we tackle and our dance moves are as solid as a GodBoner. Because we have to haul all your gear into the festival, we are forced to camp very close to our neighbors, which means we quickly forge friendships that will last a lifetime. After all, it is our love of good music binds us all in a very special way.2) Food Vendors
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Npkx5R28mZo Three years ago I decided to stop bringing food to Summer Camp altogether because the vending at this festival is that good. Sure, I usually pack a few snacks to fuel me up between meals, but with most food stands open 24 hours a day and conveniently located throughout Three Sister’s Park, I’ve never run out of options for sustenance. The best part is Summer Camp has had the same vendors dishing out delicious goodness year after year. My top three favorite foods are Manolo’s Empanadas, Minglewood’s brick oven pizza, and the egg sandwiches at Cracked food truck. All three of these food vendors offer some great meals for less than $10 and I know I’m not the only one that looks forward to eating their fantastic dishes. An honorable mention also goes to Uncle Bob’s Ice Cream for making me feel like a kid every year.3) The VIP Lounge
I know not every festival goer gets to experience the luxury of Summer Camp’s VIP Lounge but in all honesty, this upgrade to the music festival experience is really unbeatable and with cheap drinks served by fabulous bartenders, you really can’t go wrong. The minute you walk into the lounge you experience a very relaxed atmosphere with couches and intimate tables scattered under and enormous shaded tent. The VIP bar is probably the largest at the festival and regulars tend to establish themselves there fairly early in the weekend.
But the best part of getting access to the VIP Lounge is the intimate shows put on by some of the most notable acts on the fest’s lineup. Everyone from Keller Williams to Turbo Suit will take over the intimate VIP stage, bringing the lounge’s exclusive vibe to a whole other level consistently throughout the weekend.
4) The MAKE A DIFFERENCE Options
Each music festival out there likes to boast their efforts of taking care of good old Mother Earth, but I have never seen any take on this job quite like Summer Camp’s Make A Difference area. Located in the stretch of space between the Moonshine and Sunshine Stages, this umbrella of goodness covers everything from the fest’s Green Team to nonprofits. It even has it’s very own Soulshine tent with a live art gallery as well as a stage that hosts notorious late night shows. Positive vibes from this area of Summer Camp spread throughout the rest of the fest faster than wook flu. The best part about Make a Difference is the repeat offenders that volunteer their time and energy year after year to make the fest a catalyst for goodness.5) The Workshops
Summer Camp’s workshops are a magical place where talent meets teaching. These daily pow wows are held in the early afternoon at the Church and are probably one of the most unique ways to connect with festival musicians.
Each workshop focuses on a specific instrument and brings together some of the lineup’s most talented musicians to help showcase and share insight into how they play. Each workshop features a little bit of playing, some instruction, and plenty of opportunities to ask questions.
6) Field Day
Pick a color, choose your alliance! Field Day at Summer Camp Music Festival is a friendly, yet serious competition between festival goers that involves a variety of activities. From a pizza eating competition to twister, there is every opportunity to find a skill you excel at and dominate over other festival goers. On the last day of the fest the winning team gets a trophy as well as a kegger thrown in their honor!
