Wow, what a weekend! I am not sure where to begin with this festival recap. Summer Camp was a long weekend full of great music, beautiful art, delicious food, and incredible people. It had everything you could want at a festival. So let’s break down the highlights of Summer Camp 2021.
The Music
Probably the most important element of any music festival is… the music; and Summer Camp did not disappoint. Their lineup for 2021 was probably the best lineup I have ever seen at a single festival. It all started on Thursday, Summer Camp’s early arrival “Pre-party”. This was far from any kind of early arrival put on by other festivals. Not only were the main stages open, but headliners like Manic Focus and The Floozies played throughout the day and into the night. Truly a crazy way to begin a festival, but every day seemed to level up from the last.
No matter what vibe you were feeling, there was a set for you and just about any time of day. Jam bands strummed in the sun, funk was bumping all around, house and techno sets had the people shuffling through the woods, and the heavy bass took control over the crowds at the main stages. But the highest of highlights over the weekend was on Sunday: the night started off with Tipper, and after everyone had been melted by the mysterious artist the crowd migrated to see Detox Unit. Directly after Detox, G Jones played a beautifully heavy set that cleansed the soul and mind. And to close out the festival on the main stage, GRiZ threw down a wild set with an insane laser and light production. After a long time of being away from the festival scene due to COVID, Summer Camp 2021 was the perfect re-introduction into an environment that I know and love so dearly.
The Venue
The venue for Summer Camp was great, which is something I cannot say about many festivals. The layout of the grounds made for very easy navigation between stages and very rarely did one feel lost. Another great thing about the venue was the plethora of vendors. You were never far from street tacos, some amazing BBQ, shwarma, smoothies, and a crowd favorite: Hippie Dips. The only two things that could use improvement on the venue side would be having a little more space between a couple of the stages and having a few more water-filling stations around the venue.
The Vibe
Overall, the feeling throughout the festival was great. Everyone was there to have a good time and enjoy some live music. Everywhere you looked there were people smiling and laughing. There was something in the air that made the days energetic and the nights captivating! When the sun went down the festival grounds lit up with life, brightly colored lights, and lasers. Every day felt like a new adventure with friends, old and new. Summer Camp 2021 was one for the books, I will never forget that weekend and I cannot wait to go back!
Links
For more information about Summer Camp Music Festival, check out their website.
Find Summer Camp Music Festival on Instagram and Twitter.
PHOTOS BY: Keith Griner, Carlie Adair, Austin Friedline
