Am I Too Old For Raving?

It’s no secret that most of the people present at a festival are under 25. The EDM community is mostly dominated by college aged people. Walk around any festival and you’ll plainly see that the majority of people are in their 20s. And it can be rare to see older people at a show.

First off, I’d like to frame the question. I’m 27 years old. Many people have said to me, “Oh, you’ll stop going to all these festivals soon. You’re getting too old.” These are typically people who are not in the scene such as coworkers and of course, my parents. They all have a preconceived notion that all these festivals are for college aged “kids.”

I have noticed that going to concerts and festivals is just harder than it was when I was younger. I find myself tired earlier and there are days during that camping festival that I think, “What the hell am I doing here?” In addition, when I was 20 I could drive three and a half hours to Chicago, go to the concert, and drive back home after. I tried that a few months ago, yeah, let’s just say, I won’t be doing that ever again. While going to festivals and concerts is harder on my body, I just have to watch myself and respect my body’s limits. I cannot handle the drive home from Chicago at 2 am. My buddy likes to argue and say, “I’m older and can do it.” Great, do it then. I know I have to respect the limits my body says.

While it is true I started going to festivals when I was 20 and a junior in college, I still find them to be just as fun as I did when I was younger. If this isn’t me and my husband when we’re older, I don’t want it!

You Are Never Too Old

You are NEVER too old to enjoy music. Just because the majority of people attending festivals are under 25, doesn’t mean that you can’t. Music is supposed to unite us and create a sense of joy for us. I find these concerts and festivals to be very euphoric and they help with my mental health. Honestly, I enjoy the feeling of listening to the music. These virtual streams have been amazing- but they aren’t the same. Nothing beats being in the crowd. You feel this sense of togetherness with these strangers and honestly, it’s a beautiful thing. 

I have to say, there is this woman who inspired me to keep raving. At Summer Camp Music Festival a few years ago, it was sunset and we were eating dinner at the campsite quickly. All of the sudden, this elderly lady came under our canopy and started talking to us. She was definitely someone’s grandma and mentioned to us that she was in her 60s. She asked us to help her set up her tent, which we did, and then she talked about how happy these festivals made her. They made her feel like a kid again. She looked at me and said, “Don’t let anybody tell you you’re too old to have fun.” Then, she ran off to the Ferris wheel. 

What a woman. I’ll never forget her and her passion for the music. She was right, too. You are NEVER too old to have fun. So go out- enjoy that festival and the music. Live in the moment. Because you’re never too old to listen to music. Let’s just hope it doesn’t turn into this!