With the arrival of the music festival season, California Baptist University students will decide if festivals are a worthwhile experience and outweigh the high price of admission.
Music festivals have been around since the ‘60s and their popularity has grown ever since. Festivals have expanded into huge events where attendees can witness a dynamic atmosphere, meet new people, listen to artists and maybe catch a glimpse of some celebrities.
Not all music festivals are the same. There are different festivals for genres of music, attracting a variety of backgrounds.
Some well-known music festivals include Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, Stagecoach Festival and Beyond Wonderland. Festivals can be a place to hear live music and have fun with friends but with the price of tickets, food and souvenirs, the experience can be costly. Tickets can range anywhere from $300-$600 depending on the festival.
Two friends- — Cassie Vela, senior early childhood studies major, and Abigail Cathcart, junior early childhood studies major — have attended Coachella for the past two years and will attend again this month.
The lineups, the stylish outfits and tasty food attracts music festival fans to keep attending. Vela said Coachella is a remarkable experience and she looks forward to it every year as each year brings a different vibe.
“Festivals, in general, bring people from all walks of life together to bond over music but Coachella does it on another level,” Vela said. “I have met and seen people who travel from all over the world just to experience it and continue to come back every year.”
Cathcart said the experience is unlike any other.
“It’s true that it is a pricey weekend but it is so worth it,” Cathcart said. “Simply getting the opportunity to see multiple bands you love is worth any expense.”
Although a popular event among young adults, some CBU students do not attend because of the cost. Breanna Carter, junior biology major, said she would go if te tickets were not so expensive.
“I would love to go to a music festival like Beyond Wonderland just to get the experience of being there and seeing artists perform live,” Carter said.
Though prices may be high, students said they feel festivals have the potential to be phenomenal events. Upcoming festivals are Coachella, April 13-22; Stagecoach, April 27-29; Bottlerock Napa Valley, May 25-27; and Lightning in a Bottle, May 24-28.
