4 Of This Year’s Best New Festivals Are Only A Road Trip Away From Delaware
It’s a new year in Delaware and that means a lineup of the best new festivals for 2024. And, lucky for us here in Wilmington, a several of them are a road trip away.
Of course, those of us from Delaware and neighboring states miss the Firefly Festival. It’s been almost two years since promoters announced the festival wouldn’t return in 2023. At the time they said they would be taking a break from the festival for a year and would return in 2024. But, it’s January of 2024 and we still haven’t heard about a date or lineup, so in my opinion, maybe we shouldn’t be holding our breath. Fingers crossed for a return!
Best New Festivals of 2024
The crew over at USA Today has been at it again, this time looking for the best new festivals for the new year. And, as I mentioned before, some of them are just a road trip away from us here in Delaware. All of these festivals were new in 2023 and we are hoping to see them return.
These are the festivals we can look forward to in 2024 and beyond. For the full list, click here to read more.
Coming in at number 10 on the list is the Adjacent Festival in Atlantic City, NJ. Of course, we know AC is only about 90 minutes away, so this could even be a day trip! In 2023 the event was held on Memorial Day Weekend and Blink 182 performed.
Next up, at number 9 is the Black Authors Festival in Sag Harbor, NY. This festival is about a four hour drive away, but it’s typically held in the summer so conditions on the road shouldn’t be too bad. Maybe typical summer traffic.
Another festival is happening in Washington DC. You can drive or take the train from downtown Wilmington and be there in a couple of hours. This festival is the Because They’re Funny Comedy Festival. Held at The Wharf in the month of October.
Finally, we’ve got another festival in New York, this one is also about a four hour drive. It’s the Troy Art Block, celebrating art and creating a space for art lovers all over the region.
From Woodstock to Coachella: 50 Historic Music Festivals
Before Woodstock and Coachella, the earliest recorded festivals date back to ancient Greece. The Greeks honored the gods by holding competitions in drama, poetry, music, and athletics. To honor Dionysus, the God of wine and ecstasy, the Greeks would hold the festival of Dionysus, which consisted of tragedy and comedy performances. Well-known Greek playwrights, such as Sophocles, Euripides, and Aristophanes, participated in these festivals.
Fast-forward to modern-day, and festivals have survived the test of time to evolve into a mainstream business. Since music is practically free with a minimal subscription-based fee through streaming services, artists can have a hard time making money in record sales. Instead, they financially depend on ticket sales for live performances. This also works in the fan’s favor as more people are looking to spend their money on experiences, such as travel and festivals instead of material goods.
Perhaps the most sought-after music festival experience was Woodstock in 1969. To this day, festival producers and organizers attempt to recreate the peaceful atmosphere of love and music. That event directly shaped the way we experience music: Attending a music festival has become a cultural phenomenon and right of passage that serves as a timestamp of popular music of the moment.
Stacker compiled a gallery of 50 historic music festivals, linking to video coverage of the shows when available. Read on to see if any of the music festivals you attended (or wish you had) made the list.