Exploring Music Festivals: My Journey with Flow Arts
The first music festival I ever went to was Electric Forest in 2018. My friend Christian invited me after telling me about the epic time his group had the year before, and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity. It completely changed how I viewed music events. I was introduced to a whole new world—a community, a culture, and a deeper connection to creativity and nature. I had been to concerts before, but nothing even close to this scale. Camping for the weekend and fully immersing myself in the experience made it something I’ll never forget.
Festivals like Electric Forest are overflowing with creativity. From live art being made right in front of you, to interactive installations, themed areas, and constant music, there’s always something going on. I quickly realized they were way more than just music events—they’re hubs for artists of all kinds. This was also my first introduction to the flow arts scene: people spinning poi, staff, hoops, and other props, often lit up with LEDs or fire. I didn’t have any flow props of my own at the time, but some of the girls we camped with brought their hoops, and I was fascinated watching them. It looked so fun and effortless, and I immediately knew it was something I wanted to try someday. Just like with the festival culture, there’s a sense of community within the flow arts world, and it really spoke to me.
The next year, I went to Sonic Bloom in Rye, Colorado—about an hour and a half south of where I live. Unlike Electric Forest, where I was with a huge group, this time I invited a few friends and my cousin to join me. Sonic Bloom was my first Colorado festival experience, something I had always imagined when moving here from Wisconsin. It’s the state’s largest EDM festival, with around 10,000 people attending over four days. Sadly, the festival hasn’t happened for the past two years, but it left a lasting impression on me. After Sonic Bloom, I knew festivals were going to be a big part of how I spent my summers. They combine so many of the things I love: music, art, meeting new people, and disconnecting from everyday life.
Of course, COVID put the festival scene on pause for a couple of years, but by 2022 I was ready to dive back in. Over the past five years, I’ve attended Electric Forest, Sonic Bloom, Arise, Badger Basscamp, Unison, and Dreamtime. Each one has offered something unique, but they all share a sense of freedom and self-expression that’s hard to find anywhere else. Festivals give you the chance to reset, meet like-minded people, and expose yourself to new ideas and experiences.
It wasn’t until 2023 that I really started diving deeper into the flow arts. That summer, I went to Badger Basscamp (BBC), a grassroots festival in its first year. It was such an inspiring event—around 500 people showed up, almost all of them part of the Denver music scene. Seeing a festival start from scratch and have that kind of energy and success was incredible. I brought my LED juggling balls and poi pods, and something just clicked. I spent hours flowing with the music, fully in the zone, and realized how much I loved combining movement and rhythm with flow props.
The next year at BBC, I decided to bring a couple of cheap kendamas (Japanese skill toys) with me. I didn’t think much of it at the time; I just wanted something easy to use during the day. But once I got there, I was hooked. I spent hours obsessing over new tricks and even found other people with kendamas who helped me learn over 10 new moves. Since then, I’ve added more props to my collection, including burned kendamas, LED juggling clubs, a single-hand LED staff, and a devil stick setup.
After that, I tried starting a flow arts meetup at Memorial Park here in Colorado Springs. It was in November, though, and the early sunsets and cold weather made it tough to keep going. I decided to pause and wait until the weather warms up to start it back up again. I know there’s a community here that would love to come together and practice flow arts, and I’m excited to help create that space.
Festivals have become such a huge part of my life, and I plan on making them a priority for as long as I can. There’s just something about the energy, music, people, and overall vibe that keeps me coming back. Flow arts, for me, are an extension of that experience. They offer an amazing mix of creativity, exercise, and skill development that’s endlessly fun. If you’ve never seen flow props in action, especially with modern LEDs that can display full images and patterns, it’s something you have to check out.
For me, practicing flow arts has become a way to stay connected to that festival feeling year-round. I’m excited to keep building my skills, trying out new props, and sharing what I learn with others. Just like with my art, flow props are about expression and connection—something I think everyone can benefit from. If you haven’t been to a music festival, I highly recommend it. It’s hard to put into words how transformative the experience can be, but trust me—there’s nothing else like
