Aiming to join the ranks of the U.S.’ most popular summer music festivals, Firefly, debuting July 20-22, 2012 at The Woodlands of Dover International Speedway in Delaware, is poised for success — it has discovered a niche in the industry.
Minutes after being made available to the public, the fresh-faced Firefly Music Festival, the East Coast’s widely anticipated seasonal event, had already sold thousands of tickets. In their April 2, 2012 press release, the spirited festival producer, Red Frog Events, expressed how humbled and invigorated they are by the popular response. With no other celebration of its caliber in the area, they maintain that Firefly will not just be an unforgettable weekend but the birth of a “summer tradition”.
Fireflyfestival.com, the event’s official website, illuminates the convenience of “The Small State” as the epicenter of the mid-Atlantic. Dover conveniently abuts a web of interstates and public transportation hubs, yet is removed enough to offer 87 acres of wooded festival grounds in the 840 acre sports complex. Enthusiasts routinely travel cross country for the grandeur of festivals that showcase similar music, art, and community that Firefly has slated – like Tennessee’s hosting Bonnaroo and California’s Coachella – which is why it is especially welcome on the East Coast. Organizers have not released how many tickets will be sold, but Delaware’s Cape Gazette projects about 40,000 patrons will attend, adding to the vast infrastructure staff and volunteers who make it all possible.
The Woodlands, famous for hosting NASCAR events, is accustomed to this sort of volume of people. Among the RV lots, abundant space for camping, which is a popular trademark of the music festival experience for many people, and 43 neighboring hotels listed on their website, Firefly will easily house its patrons. The variety of options in lodging is another example of what makes this attraction unique — it caters to a wide market base.
Some festivals’ activities showcase a narrow variety of interests, whereas Firefly has it all. If your idea of a weekend getaway is watching your favorite bands live before showering in the hotel and hitting the local casino, it’s for you. If you want to kick off your shoes and peruse — or participate in — local art, they’ve got it. If you love cuisine and spirits as much as music, check out any of the renowned pop-up restaurants, local breweries, and vineyards. Billboard.com reflected that the “live music is like the cherry on top,” as the event offers such a smorgasbord of activism, activities, and eating.
The Killers, The Black Keys, and Jack White are Firefly’s headliners, while Cake, The Flaming Lips, Death Cab for Cutie, Awolnation, Girl Talk, John Legend, and Passion Pit continue high on the list on the event’s official website. With 40+ rock, alternative, hip-hop, R&B, and popular bands billed — from blues-rockers J Roddy Walston and the Business to The Wallflowers, this festival aims to appeal to the masses. “This music festival will put Delaware on the music map,” a spritely Ohio State student told Cape Gazette.
