Move over Coachella: Why I prefer small & local music festivals

Don't get me wrong, I would love to be at Coachella right now, and I hope to go one day (I'm looking at you, sister-in-law!) and experience all the hype of big name acts, desert 'glamping' and Native American/hippie/somewhat confusing fashion statements. Some of my past favorites include Sunfest in Florida and Music Midtown in Atlanta.

But why do I prefer small local festivals? Simple. Because I've got a teeny tiny baby now. But the concept also applies to those on a budget and/or who don't have the luxury of taking time off from work to travel and party hard.

A lot of us dream about exotic travel locations and never get to explore our own backyards. (Unless we have out-of-town visitors!) But chances are we live near something fun and exciting going on, it's just a matter of looking for it. It's the idea of localism, as Elaine & Taylor from Local Wanderer wrote about, and Michelle from A Local Wander focuses her blog on.

Partying with said baby at Goodyear Lakeside Music Fest

Here are four reasons why local and small music festivals rock:

1. FREE ENTRANCE (OR LOW COST) 

Say 'thanks but no thanks' to the $350+ big festival tickets. There are SO many festivals in Arizona during the Fall, Winter and Spring: music, food, hot air balloons, you name it, we've got it. I signed up to get my city's event newsletter (find it on the city's website or social media accounts!) and if something looks interesting, I add it to my personal calendar. If there is an entrance fee, I take it to good ol' discount websites like this or this and almost always find much cheaper tickets.

Lakeside chillin'

2. CONVENIENCE

No need to take time off from work or travel for hours, a local festival is just a quick drive/walk away! Last weekend we attended the Goodyear Lakeside Music Festival and had a blast! The weather was incredible, the location beautiful, and there were families and pups everywhere. The best part, though - we could be home pretty quickly in case of a baby meltdown or code brown situation. (Neither happened!) 

Rocking his cowboy boots

3. SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES

Festival food can be hit or miss. For a food-lover like me, eating the fried/sugary/deliciously bad vendor food is part of the experience. And that way you get to discover and support local restaurants, food trucks and other vendors. At the GLMFest we had some greek food, vegetarian noodles and churros, while Baby tried to eat grass.

4. A FESTIVAL IS A FESTIVAL

Now, I am fully aware that the actual music numbers are nowhere near as amazing at a tiny local gig as they are at a big one like Coachella. You're not going to catch Jack White, Florence & the Machine, Alabama Shakes and Alt-J playing at the local park, but you can still enjoy some sunshine, fresh air, and fun music nonetheless. Baby and I had a blast dancing away during the Blues Jam with Uvon Brooks & the Music Allstars.

My tiny dance partner

Not a bad way to spend a Saturday afternoon at all!

What are some cool things you've done in your area?

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