Music: Jam bands, funk, and bluegrass heaven
Peach Music Festival was started by The Allman Brothers Band in 2012, so it's no surprise the lineup is full of rock, bluegrass, jam bands, and funky tunes. It is a fabulous variety of music from the 70s to modern day.
I absolutely loved exploring the art vendors and quiet lawns on Thursday afternoon before the massive Friday crowd arrived. I could truly appreciate the beautiful evergreen woods and crisp mountain air reminding me that music is best enjoyed outside.
Thursday night kicked off with 2 sets of Dark Star Orchestra, and the Peach Stage lawn was EMPTY compared to the following nights. Imagine your excitement the night before Christmas, and that's the giddy feeling of "I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE REST OF THE FESTIVAL" Dark Star left in my bones.
On Friday and Saturday, make sure you have extra energy for the late night sets at both the Mushroom and Grove stages. Beats Antique blew my mind (as per usual) with their theatrical performance, and Lotus rocked all night through the rain. The music ends at 2AM, followed by campsite parties and ~4 hours of sleep, until you naturally wake up to the morning sun and do it all over again.
2015 Standout Performances (in my opinion)
Location: Montage Mountain in Scranton, PA
What a lovely, lovely place to escape for a long weekend. A ski resort in the winter, Montage Mountain is also great for the summer with a full blown WATER PARK (that's right, WATER PARK) on site. Everything from the lazy river to body slides and a wave pool, this venue is the epitome of a hippie's dream vacation.
There are 3 stages at Peach, each with unique qualities:
Mushroom Stage
As you walk away from the campgrounds, you will first come across the Mushroom Stage. Perfectly situated at the bottom of a hill, next to the wave pool, and all of the other water rides, there are countless ways to enjoy the music here. Float down the lazy river, grab a spot on the mountain, or dance on the ground level: You will always find sunshine and groovy music here.
Peach Stage
The main stage at Peach is quite far from the campgrounds, but a beautiful walk through the woods with friendly faces nonetheless. The Peach Stage is covered by a gigantic tent with a couple hundred seats underneath (they're VIP for headliners but open to anyone otherwise), and the enormous lawn behind the tent is WHERE THE PARTY IS AT! Bring your tapestry to claim your spot, and don't forget a sweatshirt for when the sun goes down (even in August it's REALLY cold at night).
GROVE Stage
The smallest stage is just beyond the vendors neighboring the Peach Stage, and it has a quaint but charming energy to it. High quality food vendors are back here with shady spots perfect for having lunch and enjoying the music while laying in the grass. Don't underestimate the bands scheduled for this stage - everyone at Peach has serious musical talent to offer.
Camping: A Worthwhile, Uphill Climb
The hardest part of the weekend is setting up your campsite. After that it is ALL bliss, I promise!
I will forever laugh at how much Derek and I STRUGGLED to carry everything we had in one trip: A pop-up tent, E-Z up canopy, tarp, two chairs, two sleeping bags, heavy backpacks, two pillows, a yoga mat, and a cooler filled with 24 beers and ice. My shoulders were feeling the BURN!
1) Forget waiting in line for the shuttle. It's a tractor trailer that takes a long time to do a full lap. It's at least a 25-40 minute walk from the parking lot (depending on how many breaks you take), so invest in a wagon and drag your shit up the mountain!
2) Get there Thursday when the doors open. DO IT! It's so, so, so worth getting a great camping spot. The best spots to camp are towards the bottom of the mountain. You'll thank yourself once you're walking back and forth between the stages and campsite, and you won't have to climb uphill when all you want to do is rest your dancing feet!
3) Grab your favorite Dead tapestries and hang 'em high! The extra shade is much appreciated, but the vibrant colors and designs add tremendous character to the campgrounds. From dangling wind chimes to hammocks stacked on top of one another, you'll wander by everything you can (and cannot) imagine...including intricate rock castles that make you wonder how the heck they're not falling down the mountain...
4) Whatever you do, remember you are on a mountain and rocks will inevitably be underneath your tent. As Peach newbies, we went for the yoga mat and sleeping bag method, but air mattresses or foldable cots are 100% the way to go. Nothing wrong with treating your sore body after a long day of grooving!
The Crowd: Nicest People on the Planet
As a born-and-raised New Yorker, it doesn't take much for me to be impressed by nice people. But man, literally EVERY person at Peach was genuinely friendly. From serendipitously running into old friends, to lively conversations with artists selling paintings, and becoming fast friends with our campsite neighbors, if anything topped the music at Peach it was the people's collective energy of love and kindness.
When you come to these festivals with an open mind and no expectations for the weekend, the universe will teach you so much about yourself. I learned to not settle for anything but happiness in my life, and that music will always be the universal language for human connection.
Call me a hippie. I don't care! I'm proud to own Birkenstocks and I appreciate music from before I was born. When you put 64,000 people on a mountain who love their family, friends, and music more than anything else, you can truly unplug from our technology-driven world and enjoy a special community of creative souls.