Firefly Spotlight: Community

My camp mates and neighbors from last year
One incredible and I think unique aspect of Firefly is the sense of community that exists both at the festival itself and year-round. Whether it's through camping, ambassador programs, or message boards there are always ways to get to know other members of the #fireflyfam. The first way I got to know other members of the community was through camping. In 2013 our neighbors were four friends in their 20's from Virginia and they were extremely excited to see Vampire Weekend. They helped us get settled and learn how to properly camp. Last year my group had some great neighbors and we hung out together all weekend. We played games, made a couple meals together and combined our campsites to make one big community area. I love getting to know new people and when we have something in common such as our love for music, it's really easy to become friends quickly.

Last year I decided to apply for the Brand Ambassador program since I wanted to help get the word out about the festival and also didn't mind the possibility of getting a free ticket. I expected to just submit my tasks and get my work done but it turned into a whole lot more. We had a Facebook group where we started talking between tasks and even started a group chat with a whole bunch of people in it. When it came time for the festival in June we got to meet up and finally see our new internet friends in real life.
The great part is that after the festival we became even better friends. Between Snapchat, the group chat, and other social media I talk to these people every day. Firefly has such a strong community that there is even a reunion event in February every year called Winterfly. People gather for a long weekend at Dewey Beach in Delaware to reconnect, make new friends and start planning for the next Firefly. This year some of the Brand Ambassadors from last year all rented a house together and had a blast. We got to meet a lot of other people in the Firefly community and the weather was wonderful. It was incredible to finally spend time in person with the people that I talk to online every day. There were about five houses that were rented out for the event and we made our way to most of them to hang out and make new friends. There was also an event at Dogfish Head which is a sponsor for Firefly. My buddies and I got there a little early and we actually got to meet the owner which was cool.
Another great way to get involved in the community is the Firefly Fan Page on Facebook. This is a group of about 10,000 people that is pretty active all year long. People plan for the festival, share tips, talk about new music and let people know of other exciting festivals and live shows. This is an easy way to get to know people before heading to Delaware in June. There are also the message boards which have topics ranging from camping essentials to "Shower High Fives". Be sure to check it out and sign up. Have a great week!

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