This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at USFSP chapter.

Festival season is fast approaching.

All the major music festivals are announcing musical lineups and tickets are selling out fast.

Festival goers who bought pre-sale tickets are already receiving tickets and passes in the mail.

Image from billboard.com

However, there are a few of us who still haven’t decided which festival to attend this year. Our emails are filled with notices saying tickets are almost gone and it’s time to decide!

Every year, more and more festivals begin to pop up. Recently, it was announced that the organizers behind Coachella and Bonnaroo are thinking of creating a “super festival” that would be held in Denver, Colorado.

North America is killing the game in music festivals, we have Coachella, Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, South by Southwest (SXSW), EDC, Firefly, Sasquatch, and Governors Ball just to name a few.

As a Florida native, I am proud to say that the sunshine state has our fair share of festivals that are putting us on the map. Some of the ones we have in Florida are Sunset Music Festival, Welcome to Rockville, Sunfest, Tortuga, Ultra, Gasparilla, and the largest one- Okeechobee Music and Arts Festival.

Image from okeechobeefest.com

Okeechobee Music and Arts Festival truly put Florida on the map in 2016, its inaugural year. It returns to Sunshine Grove for its second year, March 2-7th.

However, even with a variety of festivals to choose from to attend, many still complain about the disappointing lineups. Tickets continue to sell but social media is flooded with negative comments on the artists hired to perform.

I believe there is hope. Through the ashes, I believe there is a festival that rises above them all this year.

Hangout Fest. Held May 19th through the 21st.

Started in 2010, Hangout Fest is a music festival held in Gulf Shore, Alabama. When you think of music festivals, the location that comes to mind is more of a desert or a large open grassy area.

However, similar to few festivals, Hangout is held on a beach. Massive crowds flood the beautiful Alabama coastline for a weekend of electrifying musical performances.

I truly believe it is the “IT” festival to attend this year. Who would want to miss the headliners which include: Mumford & Sons, Twenty One Pilots, Chance the Rapper, and Frank Ocean?

The headlining acts are some of the biggest names currently topping the charts! And that’s not even the entire lineup!

Image from hangoutmusicfest.com

The lineup this year, believe me, has something for everyone. And even if you don’t know the names of all the artists, who does?, you may find your next favorite performer! All while having the time of your life and chilling with your friends on the beach. This year, general admission tickets are being sold for a reasonable price of $289 each.

Music Festivals should be enjoyed by everyone. I know it can be overwhelming deciding which one to buy tickets for, especially with the prices that just seem to increase every year. But don’t fret, there are payment plans available and where there is a will, there is a way. In the end, everything will work out in your favor.

If you still are not sure which festival to attend or you simply do not know what is out there, here are a few sites that could turn that beginning search into an experience that you won’t forget.

HCXOXO,

Vanessa Rivera

THE Music Festival to Attend in 2017

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