I recently met a girl who has quickly become one of my best friends (and before you suggest that this belongs in the Fest Sex thread, its not like that...sorta.) We were talking a week or so ago about how I'm having a rough go of it recently and I told her that the last time I can remember being totally, truly happy was surrounded by a thousand strangers, a thousand miles from home watching my favorite band play my favorite song. She told me that whenever I talk about The Fest I glow...she said she could tell it really made me happy.

I say it a lot, and I'm never lying when I do, The Fest was the most fun I've ever had in my life. Ever since I got back, I have known that it has become a part of my life now. I have to go every year now because its part of who I am. It reignited my love of punk rock, and the people who love it as much as I do, I think about that feeling whenever I'm at a show now, and I can feel it a little bit. Its nice to have that feeling I remember from when I was young and have it stay and not be a cynical prick about it.

I don't really know where I'm going with this...the last couple of weeks have been pretty rough, and I guess I'm living through some nostalgia recently and thinking about this stuff a lot...*shrug*

Sorry to get all emo on the board...last time, I promise...probably.

awww. we heart you, too!

My year sorta does revolve around the Fest, though. For the last 6 years I've Told bosses/professors/girlfriends/etc I will be completely and utterly unavailable for one weekend at the end of october. No exceptions, no refunds, no rainchecks. I Fest, therefore I am.

Yeah, next semester day one I'm telling all my professors that I'm going to be gone that weekend, end of story...

I tell them the day I get a syllabus. I reschedule exams and whatever else is happening that friday, right then and there. "Sorry, I can't be here, period. I hope 3 months notification is sufficient!"

'family business' is typically my reason. I mean, my brother and I have gone to all of the fests together, it's like ritual bonding and we only see each other a few times a year. Plus Festers are like my other brothers and sister... so yeah, family business.

Yeah, for years now I try to make sure i have the week following Fest off...and try not to work the friday of Fest at all.

I took Friday off and a half day on Monday.

I want a whole week off this year, but I don't think it will happen.

The Monday after the Fest has always been an official holiday at the No Idea office, sometimes Tuesday too. None of us really feel human again until about a week later.

Exactly the way I feel!

most of my friends get pretty tired of me talking about The Fest because of how I'm just excited all the time and ramble a lot.

I can easily say that it's the best weekend of my life every year

next Fest i'm actually going to leave my apartment

i swear

Wow...so, something just happened, and I really don't know how to feel about it.

All I know is that today, I'd rather be Festing.

I think I'm going to go put my fist through a wall and drink myself into oblivion. Have a good day, guys!

dude. i know. sean penn is a huge cock and shitty actor. HOW does he keep winning awards?


just playin, hope it wasnt anything super serious. We'd all rather be festing,man. Just keep your head up until october!!

we should make shirts that say "I'd rather be Festing"

exactly the same with me.. my best friend lately always comes with the bands he recently discovered on last.fm ... the Riot Before, O'Pioneers, banner Pilot and other stuff that is not really known over here and I'm always like - I saw them at the Fest and I guess if taht happens one more time he will kill me

reflecting last year - it was really lame, except two -three really great moments, being on tour with a wilhelm scream, snowboard vacation and especially The Fest /my US trip... can't wait for this year, already checking out flight prices and getting two mails of germans who read my livereview and wann go this year as well and asked me for tips, just makes me more excited...

Is it possible to fully convey how wonderful and weird Fest is to someone who has never gone, let alone someone who doesn't really understand punk rock?

My year pretty much revolves around Fest too. Fuck Woodstock (or rainbow gathering, or what have you) there is no feeling of community and togetherness like The Fest.