This year we have seen the return of many events that we all had to miss out on last year due to COVID-19. One of the things that I missed the most was live music in all forms. Recently, I was lucky enough to attend Music Midtown 2021, a music festival in Atlanta, Georgia. I have only previously been to concerts, so this was my first festival experience, and I don’t really have anything else to compare it to.

Policy Changes
A policy that Midtown put in place was that individuals who were vaccinated had to print a copy of their vaccination card and present it before entering the park. Those who were not vaccinated (including people who were half vaccinated or had not received their second shot by Sept. 3), had to receive and present a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of attending the event. These individuals were also asked to wear a mask at all times at the festival, but this was optional. The festival also asked that anyone  exposed to COVID-19 within 14 days of the event to not attend. There were also restrictions on bags, being that any bags over a certain size had to be clear, and fanny packs had to be limited to one zipper. These policies were really the only major changes and focused mostly on arriving at and entering the festival rather than what happened once at the event.

Overall Experience
Even though this was my first festival, I would easily give it a 10/10. Of course, like with any musical performance, there were a few technical difficulties here and there, but nothing that took away from any of the performances. It was honestly so nice just to be back listening to live music and spending time with my friends. Everyone was really happy to be there, including the artists. Almost everyone I saw had a giant smile on their face, which was such a refreshing sight. Seeing the artists I bought my tickets for made it worth every penny I spent. It honestly even made the $5 waters worth it. I know that there were a lot of controversies online surrounding the lineup this year, but I do not regret going in the slightest. I had so much fun and every single artist I saw was so talented and made my two days unforgettable. Since many of the artists have not been able to perform in a long time, they were so excited to see real people enjoying their music live. The performances were so energetic and meaningful that it made the experience even more memorable and magical.If you have the opportunity to go to a festival anytime in your life, I highly recommend doing it. Make sure that you know at least a few of the artists so you have concerts to look forward to and know some of the songs you get to hear ahead of time. This was honestly the most fun I have had in a really long time, and I could tell that it meant a lot to the other attendees and the artists as well. It is an exhausting experience that is, in my opinion, completely worth the sore feet and scratchy throat afterward.

Link to Midtown Music Festival Information: https://www.musicmidtown.com/information