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A Thought About Music Festivals

Well it's the 4th of July... Happy 4th!  I'm sure you've heard it a lot today.  I didn't really hear it too much because I stayed in all day.  Just kinda didn't feel like being all uncomfortable and sweaty and gross next to a thousand other people all sweaty and gross as well.  Actually I just took a shower and I've got the AC on and I'm in my PJ's... it's glorious.  I even had some ice cream.  Today is top of the pops.

Ok well I've been thinking since 4th of July is like the official summer holiday that iconifies everything summer it's made me think back to my summer post about all the things I wanted to do this summer.  I actually did a good deal of things on there.  One of the things I did was go to the little jazz fest down the street... although I've been thinking about other summer music festivals.  The only super duper actual summer music fest I've ever gone to was Mountain Jam at Hunter Mountain in NY.  THAT'S a music festival... there's camping and crazyness and of course...

Drinking and drugs.

That was the part I just didn't really like very much.  In fact I didn't like it so much that I never went back.  IN FACT... I've never gone back to ANY music festival of that sort.  There was beer at the festival down the street but it was just expensive craft beer and people only had like 2 or 3... no one was REALLY wasted.

So for many years I've been thinking... I REALLY want to do a music festival with camping again!  But I just can't do the people around me doing drugs and drinking to the point where they need to be med-e-vac-ed out of there.  Over  the 3 days I was at Mountain Jam, there were about half a dozen ambulances taking drug related incident people to the hospital... and one person was helicoptered out because of drugs and alcohol.

That just takes the fun out of it!  That makes it just plain scary.

Well... recently I've found out of a festival that has no drugs or alcohol.

Here is the official FAQ from the festival website on the topic of Alcohol and Drugs:

"These are absolutely not permitted on the festival grounds and those found under the influence of, or in possession of such will be escorted off the property, and or, turned over to the law enforcement officials."

My response to that is... Yes.

ANNNNNNND... some pretty awesome bands play the festival too!  Two of my favorite bands just played the festival that was last weekend... Switchfoot and The Rocket Summer.

So what is this AWESOME festival that has camping and goes on for a few days and doesn't have drinking or drugs?????

It's called: Creation

Here's the link: http://www.creationfest.com

I've decided next summer I'm gonna go!  Actually there are two of them.  One is in the north west and another is here in PA.  The north west one is actually in 2 weeks.  In theory I could still go to that.  But I'm going to wait until next year and go to the PA one.

I was kind of browsing the website a couple nights ago and looking up the history of it and what they have that goes on during it.  I liked it all.

It's probably one of the best music festivals out there as well I think because rather than just going to camp/blow your mind with drugs and drinking/listen to loud music...

There's a real and great purpose to this music festival.

Another thing I think is cool is they have an "Indie" stage where they allow people to sign up and enter to play the festival!  How sweet is that?  I think it's pretty neat.

So yea... next summer... I'm sooooo there.... and it's cheaper if you book a group ticket!  Who else wants to go?

I mean the alternative is you can always go to one of the other music festivals and get your face eaten off by a guy high on bath salts...

Or you can spend an amazing few days with lots of other amazing people being as the website  for Creation states in its purpose statement "...changed, restored, and challenged to serve the Lord and to make a difference in this world."

I vote for salt of the earth... not bath salts.