With my fanny pack, hair braided, and glitter sprinkled on my face, I was ready to truly experience Bumbershoot. After seeing years of Bumbershoot pictures, I was excited to finally see what all the fuss was about. Looking back, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Little did I know, that I would be drenched in other people’s sweat, have my phone die twice, and be trampled at a G-eazy concert. At the end of the day, despite being completely exhausted, I realized I had learned a lot about the festival. Listed below, are nine things I learned.
1.The crowds should be in height order.
If you are under 5’5, you know exactly what I’m talking about. At my short 5’2 stature, mosh pits are a living hell. No matter how close I was to the front, I could barely even see G-eazys head. And, on top of that, there will always be that 6’5 man who stands right in front of you. All you can hope for is that he sees you and lets you sit on his shoulders.
2. People are generally really nice.
This goes for all festivals that I have been to, but was especially true for Bumbershoot. Sure, there are a few assholes, like the aforementioned 6’5 man, but most festival goers are great. The amount of people that offered me water or asked if I was okay is endless. When everyone is in the same boat, jam packed in a mosh pit, you have to look out for each other.
3. Silent disco will be the most fun thing you have ever done in your entire life.
If you haven’t heard of a silent disco, you are missing out. At the EMP Skychurch, we wore wireless headphones and rocked out to DJs playing live while the room was completely silent. No matter where I was in the venue, everyone was listening to the same crisp sound. This was basically just a fun dance, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a unique experience. Maybe Roosevelt should revamp our Winter Ball to a silent disco this year?
4. Sometimes, it’s okay to grab a snowcone.
Don’t forget that it’s okay to take a break. After being packed like sardines for five hours, take a break and grab a snowcone. Skip out on the band that you don’t really want to see, and instead enjoy a refreshing cherry snow cone. Then, you will be hyped to jump right back in for the next concert.
5. GLITTER.
I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t excited to deck myself out with glitter. There were free glitter stands, how could you pass up that opportunity? I would say though, there is a high chance that I will still be finding glitter in my clothes weeks later.
6. Some of the lesser-known artists are even better than the headliners.
While Death Cab and Macklemore are great performers, don’t miss out on the smaller bands because you were waiting in line for the headliners. This year, I really enjoyed the singer Barnes Courtney, who I had never heard before.
7. It’s really hot.
This one goes without saying, but it’s really hot in those mosh pits. Before Bumbershoot, I was confused as to why girls wore shorts to a festival in Seattle, but now I understand. I can’t believe I was considering wearing pants, which would have been a huge mistake.
8. Your makeup and hair will be completely destroyed by the end.
This is something that I wish someone had told me before I went to Bumbershoot. I spent hours trying to make my hair look festive, only for it to be ruined by the end of the night. Word to the wise, I saw so many people with smeared mascara, waterproof makeup is the way to go.
9. Bumbershoot is the heart of Seattle.
Lastly, this is something that I realized in the middle of G-eazys song “Fuck Trump”. Bumbershoot really captures the essence of Seattle, whether it is the smell of marijuana or the register to vote booths. For a festival named after an umbrella, nothing can be more Seattle than Bumbershoot.
Featured photo by Alison Lane
