Too Many Festivals?

I think overall you may be right, but I think you underestimate the rabidity of Phans. I predict Lockn will have record-setting attendance.

The newer wave of MUSIC festivals providing lots of non-essential amenities to crowds is really interesting. The creature comforts offered at today's MUSIC festivals are crazy, and I can't imagine what it looks like in comparison to some of you with more years under your belt. XBox gaming tents, Football game viewing tents, air-conditioned cinemas, pop-up water parks...Garcia's Forrest. I suppose there are some attendees that make value decisions about which festivals to attend based on these types of amenities? I wonder if that makes it more difficult for the festivals who say "here is a field to camp in, no security guards, poorly cleaned toilets, and a stage with lights on which music will be played", even with a killer lineup? Would you pay more for a festival based on non-essential amenities/entertainment other than music?  What festival today doesn't have an "Attractions" tab? Sure, we are a music festival, but check out all this other cool shit you can do besides music or drugs when you tire of those! Sorry, can't make that 11am set...I'll be somewhere between my personal yoga session, my disc golf round, and the "how to compost with worms" workshop. 

Not bashing non-essential amenities...just find the economics and scale of it all interesting. Different Strokes for Different Folks in terms of why they do/don't go to one festival over another. I do wonder if there is a pressure to "keep up with the Joneses" that will start squeezing medium-sized and regional festivals outside the costs of bringing in the actual musicians, thereby thinning the herd. As far as providing essential amenities, that has been a really positive thing to watch as more people can enjoy the experience regardless of age/disability/Trilesalectinophobia, etc.

With all that said...I am sure you will find me wondering through Garcia's Forest visual/audio playland chomping on my organic-grass-fed-local-tofu-burger (yes, they feed the beans organic grass), with an $8 micro-brew in tow. Yum.  

The thing with festivals is there's a ton of people now & coming soon that want to go, & a lot of them can do multiple festivals. And they all seem to have plenty of money for VIP & SVIP. Not like like my first real fest, Woodstock "99". You bought a ticket & did your best in a crowd of 300,000 people, everyone equal, first come, first serviced. Park your car load up & find a camping spot inside. I was lucky & found a spot in the shade. People were real cool, helped you set up & enjoy the weekend, despite all the bad things you have heard. But that's the main thing for me is the people, & whatever they spend all that money to be there, good for them. Even Woodstock had their artsyfartsy stuff there & some of it was cool. But it was the music that got my attention, & you can't go wrong at Lockn' with the music right there all day & night.

Sue likes to shop when a band she's not that into is on. Just sayin.

@blueindian that was a very entertaining post. Thanks for that.

What, no frisbee yoga golf for you?

When one "tires" of these things it's time to sleep.