Escape Reality and Embrace Your Surroundings: Why camping festivals reign supreme

There is no question as to whether Australia is going through a festival renaissance period. Boutique festivals deliver a point of difference for punters looking for new experiences, with a focus on making their events stand out, rather than following trends of hype. By having this focus on the experience as a whole, these events deliver quality line ups, interesting and different activities, and intimate set ups that bring everyone together. Instead of aiming for thousands and thousands of attendees, these festivals are special to those lucky enough to snap up tickets, providing moments and memories that last lifetimes.

One particularly great aspect of boutique festivals is they are often camping festivals, providing punters with much more than just a couple of hours to get in on the action. One such festival that is doing wonders for its local dance community is ARCADIA Festival. Set in Goomburra Valley, just outside of Brisbane, this is a dance music community that strives to be different, and because of this it's becoming one of the area's most premier events.

Held over the May long weekend, Arcadia is returning it's third year this year, and with another outstanding line up, it's shaping up to be even bigger and better than before. Two days and nights of music and art, punters can experience a stellar list of artists, both local and international, in a picturesque location. With Dalrymple Creek flowing nearby and only a short distance from Glen Rock State Forest, it may only be a 2 hour drive from Brisbane, but you'll be feeling worlds away from the hustle of the city in no time.

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Featuring some of our favourites like MAY LYN and OK SURE among those playing, this year's line up consists of 11 live acts and 8 DJs all locked in to provide those good vibes all weekend, plus it's also a BYO event. Aiming to be a completely immersive experience, Arcadia symbolises the coming together of a community to celebrate and relish in the talent on offer, and with some interstate and international additions, it won't be too long at all until it cements itself as one of the key events in the dance music community.

As if you need anymore convincing of what to do for your long weekend if you're around the Brisbane area, we've compiled a few reasons why camping festivals really are the best. Sure, we all love our creature comforts, but there is something about camping festivals that takes the whole experience to another level. Take a read below and jump on the last few remaining Arcadia festival tickets here!

Embrace your surroundings

Although one day festivals do have their place, there's something exhilarating about setting up a make-shift home for the next few days, and settling in knowing what lies ahead of you. Kicking back with the friends you've arrived with and making new friends in your neighbours, camping festivals allow you the chance to really embrace your surroundings and take it all in. Often set in picturesque locations, kilometres away from the city, you can really feel the distance between yourself and your realities when you're at a camping festival.

Get amongst it

Once you've got yourself set up with your tent prepared, your camping chair erected and some music playing, the vibes are at a definite high and your environment is inviting you to explore and take in the festival. Where one day festivals are turbo-charged experiences, camping festivals have a more relaxed approach. You can go for a wander to acquaint yourself with nearby amenities, and uncover hidden gems that you would only find by stumbling upon. From mini, secret side stages to incredible food, or even just absorbing the stage set ups before the night kicks everything into gear, camping festivals encourage that sense of adventure that can't be fostered at a one-day event.

Get out of your comfort zone!

With one-day festivals, your entire experience is condensed into maybe ten hours, which makes it hard to shake off the shackles of everyday life. With camping festivals, the exact opposite happens. Not only does the timeframe allow you to shake off the pressures of reality, it allows for you to sink into your environment and get out of your comfort zone. You're in a tent, camped with your friends, at a music festival. If you can't get out of your comfort zone here, then where can you? Get a little dirty and dusty, meet some new friends, have some chance encounters that lead you into a new experience entirely; it's all available thanks to the extended period of time you're at a camping festival. This is your new home for the next two or three days, you might as well own it! Venture into new territory and see a new act or two you haven't heard before, relish in the early morning rises thanks to either native birds or partygoers running on zero hours sleep, and roll with the punches.

Did we mention BYO?

There's no denying that festivals can put a serious dint in your bank accounts, but with boutique camping festivals, they're more often than not BYO. This not only makes it cheaper for all involved, but it also makes the experience less focussed on corporate sponsors and fortifies the community spirit. How long have you spent lining up in a queue to get a drink? Well, that's not an issue for BYO camping festivals. Less time in lines and less time forking out hard-earned cash for a beer means more time with friends and taking in the festival, not to mention not missing out on your favourite artists because you're stuck in a long line with no end in sight. The BYO aspect means more than just having enough booze to last you the weekend, it enhances your good times because what is better than sipping on your favourite drink while having a dance with your mates to your new favourite band?

For all of these reasons and more, we're all about camping festivals here at Purple Sneakers. To get in on the guaranteed good vibes of Arcadia Festival, check out the information below!

ARCADIA 2018

5th-6th May

Goomburra Valley, QLD

Tix here | More info here

ARTIST LINEUP

Live Acts:

LONDON TOPAZ (MELB)

OK SURE (MELB)

FUTURE JR.

KEELAN MAK

PENELOPE TWO FIVE

STEVIE