The whole vibe of a music festival is the epitome of summer. Whether it is bringing out your most extra clothing without being judged, sampling food from some of the most delicious food trucks, or trying some unique rides, music festivals have activities for everyone. Many PDS students, as did I, attended various music festivals including the Governors Ball, Firefly Music Festival, Bonnaroo, and possibly the most popular within our school, Made in America.

Governors Ball is a unique festival because it takes place on Randall’s Island in New York. Festival fanatics must take a ferry over to the quaint island in order to rock out and have a good time. Lorde, Childish Gambino, Flume, Logic, Cage the Elephant, and Chance the Rapper sang at this festival. If you are not as into the music, but rather, prefer the experience of attending a festival, Governors Ball is perfect for you. It prides itself in having very clean grounds and the most trendy food trucks in New York. Although Governors Ball takes place from June 1-3, which unfortunately is often right in the middle of PDS finals, I highly suggest attending this festival if your tests do not fall between these dates.

The Firefly Music Festival in Delaware is another popular music festival. What sets this festival apart from the rest is the extensive camp grounds it has for festival goers – people can even set up tents and hammocks and sleep right on the grounds. If you are not one to sleep outside for this four-day festival, which runs from June 15-18, there are many other accommodations nearby. Headliner performers this year included The Weekend, Muse, Twenty One Pilots, Chance the Rapper, and Bob Dylan.

Moving down south, the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Manchester, Tennessee is a huge four-day festival that takes place in mid June. It is known for having an insane number of performers, including dozens of comedians. People have access to endless inspiring activities like outdoor yoga, multiple art installations, and the festival’s annual 5k. As shown through the headliners of this past summer which included Travis Scott, The Weeknd, Flume,The Head and The Heart, Marshmallow, and Red Hot Chilli Peppers, this festival has a wide range of music for everyone to enjoy, from rock, rap, and pop.

The last of the summer festivals, and possibly the most talked about at our school, would be Made in America. Over the summer, I attended many concerts, but my most enjoyable experience was going to MIA, which takes place from September 2-3 at Penn’s Landing in Philadelphia. Many PDS students went to this festival, and despite the rainy and cold weather on day one, it was a blast, with performances by Jay-Z, J.Cole, Migos, 21 Savage, and the Chainsmokers. Festival goers wore their most patriotic clothes including American flag socks, bucket hats, and sunglasses. Food trucks from all over the city came and served $5 lemonade and $7 french fries. Overall, Made in America was a perfect end to the summer and the festival season.