These festivals offer the wholesome experience you need this year.Β
Music festivals have developed into a widespread culture, a socio-cultural expression for the youth. While music has and will always be the primary focus of these festivals, there are many who take it a step further to elevate your experience. Other immersive activities make for more engaging and overall cohesive experiences. From Lightning in a Bottle to TomorrowWorld, these festivals prove brilliantly that there is much more to music festivals than the music. Take a look at these festivals and start planning your getaway.
1. Lightning In A BottleΒ
Where:Β Bradley, CA
When:Β May 25 – 30, 2016
LIB is known for its well-roundedness, with a plethora of activities for all kinds of festival goers. And even though the music is the prime attraction and center of focus, the scope of the festival doesnβt end there.Β Not only does the festival have an incredible musical and art line-up but its list of yoga influencers and teachers is growing by the year. The festival is most famous for its Temple of Consciousness, a visceral space with meditative activities, where artists speak and perform to a host of spiritual ideas, and where dance and music is used sacrosanct with the healing process. The festival even added a non-music day to the schedule in 2015 so attendees get an opportunity to familiarize themselves with the environment and the many activities.
fest300.com
2. Bonnaroo
Where:Β Manchester, Tennessee
When:Β June 9 – 12, 2016
The Bonnaroo Arts and Music Festival has been one of the most exciting and enterprising festivals to showcase a well balanced curation of music and art from around the world.Β While music might be just one aspect of the festival, there have been incredible art installations at Bonnaroo that can rival Β any art festival. From graffiti to giant floats, there is a widespread influx of creativity at the festival that extends beyond the music. Take a look at some breathtaking installations from Bonnaroo here.
fest300.com
3. Wilderness Festival
Where:Β Cornbury Park, Oxfordshire
When:Β Aug 4 – 7, 2016
Wilderness Festival is one of the most eclectic festivals out there, incorporating theatre, music, sports, yoga, art and much more in a humble four-day celebration. Despite its modest and unostentatious demeanour, this festival is far from shy. Buoyant costumes, secret skinny dipping, philosophy walks and the mysteriously discreet night celebrations deem Wilderness an enigmatic boho heaven. Itβs set in Cornbury Park, Oxfordshire, which serves as the perfectly green backdrop to the festival. With secret dinner parties, held in the transcendent hearth facing a waterfall between two lakes at the venue, philosophy walks, skinny dipping, masquerade balls and much more to immerse yourself into, this festival is an enchanting gathering in the forest. Read more about it here.
gocarshare.com
4. TomorrowWorld
Where:Β Chatahoochee Hills, Georgia
When:Β September 2016 (exact date TBD)
TomorrowWorld organizers ID&T are known for their high attention to detail and production. Campers at the festival will have access to a number of amenities not typically found at festival campsites. The βDreamVilleβ campsite of TomorrowWorld features shops, food vendors, and a number of other activities. Campers canΒ also participate inΒ morning yoga classes, workout classes, and speed-dating. Β All of the non-music activities take place in front of ‘The Gathering’ stage. These activities are made to be extremely interactive and inclusive. For example, the fitness front of these activities include fuse yoga, pilates, zumba, etc. A more recent feature – Speed-dating allows attendees to meet new people near the aforementioned stage.
fest300.com
5. Sweetlife
Where:Β Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia
When: May 2016Β (exact date TBD)
The last two days of May will see gourmet and melody heavens fuse together to give a festival each one of us really wants. Sure, music festivals all have food joints. But to offer food and music on equal footing is right up Sweetlifeβs sleeve. The festival brings togetherΒ carefully chosen food vendors, the food items on display are an assortment of various organic elements coming together, like roasted corn, basils, and fresh strawberries for example.Β Sweetlife began as a local food festival, armed with indie, underground bands. Over the years it has grown into a full-fledged event, featuring some of the biggest musical acts of the year.Β With such delectable temptations, what more could you ask of a festival?
Sweetgreen Facebook
6.Β Secret Garden Party
Where:Β Abbots Ripton, England
When:Β Jul 21 – 24, 2016
This annual independent festival for music and arts is probably the most well known and loved boutique festival that exists. It takes place in Abbots Ripton, near Huntingdon, England. Secret Garden Party is one of the most jaunty music festivals out there, including theΒ βColor Battleβ- where you can relive your Holi experience with organic paints & colors made from the fresh flowers curated form their very own garden. Other activities includeΒ exclusive workshops on wine aromas, a labyrinth filled with visual art, and many other avant-garde features that will take you by surprise.
Secret Garden Party/Facebook
7. WanderlustΒ Aspen-Snowmass
Where:Β Snowmass Village, CO
When: July 2016 (exact date TBD)
High up the hills in the morning, or unwind with some great yoga activities. Hop onto some guided adventure trail, or tune in to some local, sustainable food. Do all this while you also enjoy some great live music on display. involving benefactors of cool like Moby, MC Yogi, The SteelDrivers, beatgypsy, and Tasha Blank along with a host of yoga and mindful activity related speakers. Wanderlust Aspen-Snowmass will deliver the unwinding youβve kept on hold for a long time.
Ali Kaukas | Wanderlust Festival Facebook
8. Green Man
Where: Brecon Beacons, South Wales
When:Β 18th – 21st August, 2016
The welsh festival sees an amalgamation of independent folk-inspired music, literature, art and worship in the green countryside of Brecon Beacons, a mountain range in South Wales. Nature and art walks hand-in-hand, as the four day festival watches families have the best kind of British Summer. Like Burning Man, the festival ends with the customary burning of the Green Man sculpture, made with leaves. All of this happens in a more intimate, beautifully lush green surrounding, thereby making it quite the variant to its more radical American counterpart.
Green Man Festival/Facebook
