April, 2015: This persuasive essay was written in ENG 205: Creative Writing at Schoolcraft College. The essay works to try to convince the reader to attend a summer concert or music festival. The central focus/ argument is based on the strong roots in American history, the welcoming atmosphere of music shows and the opportunity for listeners to discover new experiences.

1. Music Festivals: The Indescribable Connection
Warm weather is synonymous for the months of June, July, and August in most of the
United States. The season of summer is a time for vacations, barbeques, and quality time for
friends and family, in varying social settings. Extremely popular among young adults is
attending summer concerts or music festivals. Popularity of music festivals started in the 1960s
and has been soaring ever since then. The biggest names in the current festival business include
Coachella, Electric Daisy Carnival, Bonnaroo, and Lollapalooza. So what is it about music
festivals that attracts so many people from every age group? Music festivals have strong roots in
American history, provide a welcoming atmosphere, and give listeners a chance to discover
many new opportunities and experiences.
In 1969, one of the biggest music festivals in American history took place in Bethel, New
York by the name of Woodstock Music and Art Fair. Over 500,000 people were in attendance
and artists such as Janice Joplin, The Who, Jimi Hendrix, and many more renounced musicians
played at this three day long festival in mid-August. The venue only had planned for 200,000
people to be in attendance and once they didn’t have adequate fencing, it became a free concert.
Since the original Woodstock, there have been five revival tours in America.
While Woodstock is the most talked about historical music festival in America, it was not
the first. In 1954, the Newport Jazz Festival was the first of its kind, where Louis Armstrong
performed and many other big jazz artists. In 1967, the Monterey International Pop Festival
became the first major rock festival in California. Lollapalooza (1991), Coachella (1999), and
Bonnaroo (2002) were festivals that focused, and still do emphasize, alternative music. This type
of music is targeted towards young adults mostly, which make up a majority of the crowd. Since
these three, and countless other American festivals, are so widely known and a part of American

2. history, the early roots of music festivals must be credited to the new wave of popularity in
music festivals.
For those that have attended music festivals, they know it is not the most desirable living
conditions, even if only for a few days. So what is the point of spending hundreds of dollars on
this event that has inadequate facilities, not many means of sanitation, rarely indoor housing
situations, and hardly any privacy? With five to ten stages blasting music from some of the most
popular artists in the country, thousands of friends to be made, and a three day vacation away
from life with the closest friends, music festivals create an atmosphere unlike any other.
Becoming an adult is a hard process for most college-aged kids and a break from reality is
almost mandatory. Attending music festivals help youth connect to those people around them,
gaining a sense of the world around them from a wider perspective than could be gained from
staying at home and not taken advantage of a break from responsibilities.
In addition to an indescribable environment, music festivals provide new opportunities
and networking options to it’s’ attendees. Whether it is the group of people camping in the tent
next to you, the people standing behind you in line for food, or the couple standing in front of
you at a show, there are countless opportunities to make connections and friends at festivals. A
person has to legitimately make an effort to not meet someone new at a music festival. Being
surrounded by people who are all in attendance for the same reason bring a unique bonding
experience between the festival-goers, one as Electronic Dance Music (EDM) users describe as
PLUR: Peace, Love, Unity, and Respect.
Each person attending the music festival is there for one major reason: the music. Being
part of a crowd that are all simultaneously are being affected by the music being played is an
indescribable feeling. The personal connections that grow between attendees of music festivals

3. goes much further beyond the weekend event: it becomes a conversation builder after people go
home. The wristbands, which many people keep wearing long after the festival ends, become
conversation pieces. It is a way for people to connect and share their experiences after the
weekend is done and over with so that they can keep those amazing memories alive and share
them with those around them. The people that regularly attend music festivals are (usually) very
friendly and open to new experiences and creating new connections, making those bonds and
memories powerful and unforgettable.
While music festivals have inadequate living situations, near-dangerous heated
temperatures, and minimal occasions for electric access, the historical roots, welcoming
atmosphere, and opportunities to grow bonds and friendships is an exclusive experience that
cannot be found in any other setting. The excitement and build of the time period preceding the
weekend event immensely adds to the amazing experience. Preparing, gathering supplies,
arranging meetings with your “group”, and making an itinerary for which shows to attend are a
huge part of the full experience. These small moments help build up the event and make every
moment of the long weekend worth the wait. By preparing properly and understanding the
environment that will be surrounding you for the festival, there should be no reason to have a bad
time at a music festival.

4. References
“A History of Music Festivals.” Popsugar. The Good Men Project. 13 April 2013. Web.
25 April 2015.
Gennaoui, Natalie. “Why Do People Attend Music Festivals?” Neon Tommy. Annenberg
Media Center. 2 Jan. 2015. Web. 25 April 2015.
Inscoe, Andrea. “Why We Love Music Festivals.” Bass Feeds the Soul. Square Space.
Web. 25 April 2015.
Shoup, Brad. “Deconstructing: Coachella and the Music Festival Industry.” Stereogum.
SpinMedia, 28 Jan. 2013. Web. 25 April 2015.
“10 Reasons You Should Experience a Music Festival.” The Jetstream. Hubpages, 9 Oct.
2013. Web. 25 April 2015.