10 Reasons why I loved Imagine Music Festival
Imagine Music Festival took place in Atlanta, Georgia this past weekend but sparked some controversy over its apparent lack of preparation. Although they were understaffed and seemed to lack some of the aquatic luster they boasted of, most festival goers still had a kick-ass time. I’ve had been hearing more and more people who didn’t go to the festival say “I heard it was a mess”. Well I’m here to set the record straight. There are tons of things that can make a festival unenjoyable, but I didn’t experience any of those things at Imagine. Imagine was awesome, and here’s why.
- The Port-a-Pottys were always stocked and cleaned. We all know how important this is. Disgusting bathrooms can single-handedly make a festival unenjoyable, and I was amazed that these bathrooms were the cleanest I’ve ever experienced at a fest. They even had normal bathrooms we could use too. Brownie points there!
- Free showers. Free showers in a REAL shower facility that had hot water and privacy. Usually there wasn’t a long wait for these either.
- The security line to enter the festival never had a wait. Now, I’ve heard some people complain that “they needed more security and the bag check was a joke.” I’m sorry, but I’ve waited in lines of over an hour at other festivals where the bag check was ALSO a joke. So you’re complaining that you walked right into a festival with none of your belongings taken? Right. It was really hot all weekend, so I for one was thankful that I didn’t spend time in line baking in the sun.
- They did their best to resolve issues from day to day. A lot of times when things are bad at a festival they stay bad all weekend, i.e, dirty bathrooms, long lines, no water, etc. But even while understaffed, Imagine did the best they could to make changes day to day. They added new ways for people to cool down and made more water stations when needed. A lot of other festivals don’t do that. So yes, although it was late August in Atlanta and obviously hot, they did what they could to accommodate us. I even saw a guy peddling a trailer through campsites selling ice, which was super clutch.
- It wasn’t overcrowded. Although there was definitely a great crowd of people at each stage, it was the perfect amount. You could maneuver through the crowds no problem and had plenty of room to dance.
- Two words: Silent. Disco. Although the silent disco was canceled the last night, most of the weekend we all had a fun after party to go to. They made it so the party didn’t have to stop. And we all know that turning down is not something the EDM community does best.
- They had food trucks that were open all night. Thank goodness there was food (and a medical emergency tent) that was open all night and close to camp.
- Awesome stage production. The stages had really great lighting, good fireworks, fire blasts, and really great performers all weekend.
- The lineup was stacked, and music raged into the early morning. Not only was the lineup filled with awesome artists, but I never witnessed a dull set. The last set wasn’t even over at midnight, it was over at 3am, which meant more time to rage. And the music is the main reason we go to these things right?
- The people and vibes. The people of Imagine were some of the best I’ve experienced. Everyone I met was super nice, thoughtful, friendly, and had something hilarious to offer. I walked away with two Pokemon cards, a golden baby, new kandi, free pizza on two different occasions, some hilarious memories, and new friendships.
So maybe it was unorganized, understaffed, and hot as hell. But if people want to focus on that and forget about all the fun we had last weekend, their loss. Imagine did a lot of things right, so I say fuck all the haters. Because most of us had a toasty blast!
Image Credit: http://www.clubbingcentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/imagine.jpg
I totally agree! We had purchased VIP tickets, and unfortunately we’re denied the extra amenties we werected promised. Imagine staff explained the reasons why, and gave us free VIP tickets to get in next year, which they offered everyone who purchased VIP tickets through eventbrite. The production and lineup were untouchable in my opinion. I have yet to see another EDM festival come close to what Imagine 2016 brought to the table. I’ve dealt with bullshit security and lines at other festivals, so anyone complaining about that at Imagine needs to really rethink what that could really be like. We had a great weekend and can’t wait until next year!
Imagine was my first real music festival. I camped all three days and my God what a life changing experience that was. I had no idea what I was getting into. My GF has been going for years. I’m a military veteran, just got out of service and this festival has literally changed my life and the way I see human beings. I’ve been hit hard with the PLUR. Months after IMAGINE I have now gone to 6 shows and EDC Orlando. Already have tickets for LIC2017 Miami, Excision Paradox tour, EDC Vegas and Imagine 2017. My only complaints during imagine were the ants at the camp grounds which can happen anywhere camping, and the heat. That was pretty much it. Two things the coordinators have no control over. The line up was stacked beyond belief. This festival is definitely UNDERRATED. And I will be there 100% next year. I recommend It to anyone.
Hey Justin! We’ll email you now! We LOVE hearing from fans and their unique experiences and we’d love to feature you if possible. Being your first festival, we’re glad you had a blast. We’d love to hear more about it!