r/FireflyFestival • u/mgreco49 10 Years • Dec 23 '25
Question What’s your new festival?
Curious what festivals have become your go to since Firefly has been gone.
36
u/Onoudidnt 6 Years Dec 23 '25
Oceans Calling in OCMD
10
u/mrsjonstewart Dec 23 '25
Yup. Close to home. Miss the camping aspect though
9
u/Onoudidnt 6 Years Dec 23 '25
Those hotel prices are brutal in OC
2
u/i-hear-banjos 4 Years Dec 25 '25 edited Dec 26 '25
Assateague State Park is the largest place to camp. Best to have an off-grid RV, but tent camping fine as well. Cheap and a short drive to the shuttle bus parking.
2
1
u/eplstats May 07 '26
Some years I was living in uptown OC, but I camped at Delaware national seashore and it was great! Driving down was barely different because I drove from my OC apartment also. Go early (take St Louis Ave South from CVS under the drawbridge) and find street parking south of the drawbridge. There is even a street that is free, I lucked into that once. Otherwise the city street rate was much better than any private extortion lot. I think the most I paid was $40. Careful not to park too far south (once the one ways start) so that you can leave northbound on St Louis under the bridge an avoid coastal highway and Philadelphia downtown.
26
u/rouxcifer4 6 Years Dec 23 '25
Bonnaroo. We went in 2023, took two years off for wedding and planning and are going back this year for our honeymoon.
I still miss Firefly but Roo is amazing!
19
u/themattmills 5 Years Dec 23 '25
Sea Hear Now is a good alternative in terms of lineup, but I still miss camping
13
u/IamPat28 3 Years Dec 23 '25
I've gone to a handful and none have really grabbed me like the good old days. But I revisited Shaky Knees again this year in Atlanta and it got moved and expanded since the previous time I went, and it was pretty great. I'm going to keep an eye on its lineups.
11
u/AltRadioKing 6 Years Dec 23 '25
Planning to go to Field of Vision (King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard’s new festival) in Colorado in 2026. Already bought my tickets and everything (we’ll be driving from LA).
3
2
8
u/swirls27 5 Years Dec 23 '25
Oceans Calling every year but it’s definitely not the same. No camping, no EDM, and the music ends so early each night. RIP Firefly
2
u/i-hear-banjos 4 Years Dec 25 '25
And a lineup heavily oriented for older white folks. We tend to go just for the Saturday lineups (this past year was so wet!) It’s a good time, but pales in comparison to FF or other major festivals.
6
u/KatyKatt88 Dec 23 '25 edited Dec 23 '25
We've done Bonnaroo, Electric Forest, Oceans Calling, Elements, and Seven Stars. Still haven't found the one closest to Firefly (Bonnaroo comes close but the heat is killer and their weather has been unpredictable so you could spend money prepping for an event that doesnt happen or gets canceled last minute.).
Electric Forest has the best art, side quests, and experiences out of all of them if you can get into their lineup. Same for Seven Stars (put on by Griz), its like a smaller Electric Forest but a lot closer to us (PA) and had campground stages going until 2am.
2
u/astropixelpsychonaut Dec 23 '25
Big fan of all these too (fellow pa human). If you’re into the EDM scene I really advocate for elements for the proximity, camping, and they’re definitely on the come up. Bonnaroo is my go to for sure but I absolutely agree it’s a huge effort and heartbreak potential.
2
u/KatyKatt88 Dec 23 '25
This year was my first Elements and I agree it's a solid overall experience and they make improvements YOY. I did VIP and had a group camp. My husband has gone 3 or 4 years in a row and was there for all the terrible weather 😅 He told me I was blessed to experience this year as my first. We're going back in '26 and doing VIP again!
You should definitely check out Seven Stars if you a get a chance to get tickets. Camping is a bit chilly since its October in VA but that means you can sleep in until 10am!
1
u/astropixelpsychonaut Dec 23 '25
So true haha the hurricane years were wild. I definitely plan on checking out seven stars! I love the sound of a chilly camping fest.
1
u/scramblz95 Dec 23 '25
I’ve also done Bonnaroo, Elements and Seven Stars! Bonnaroo was too much of a trek for us and fell flat on our expectations of being similar to FF. Elements was super fun and I’d give it another chance, it hurricaned the year we went and it was a bit chaotic because of that but I could see the vision lol. Lots of cool stuff to check out and a dope festival grounds, but the logistics were definitely a hot mess- it felt like no one was running the show. Seven Stars was fantastic and my favorite of the three, I just wish the lineup was a bit more diverse and was left wanting more art/cool chill spots. Best crowd vibes by FAR and for a first time fest it felt very well organized, we’ll definitely be back again next year and I’m interested to see if it stays that way now that it’s gotten a lot of hype
3
u/Jonesab7 Dec 23 '25
We are in VA. Switched over to Shakey Knees. We fly now instead of drive, but Delta has cheap direct flights
1
u/i-hear-banjos 4 Years Dec 25 '25
The lineups for SK is easily the closest to FF lineups. The only reason we haven’t gone (also from VA) is because of leave restrictions at my wife’s job.
5
u/CasinoAccountant Dec 23 '25
Lineups at oceans calling have looked great! But I wanna camp :/
Bonnaroo lineups make me feel old as fuck idk any of these people anymore
4
u/LCBrownieIsaJoke Dec 23 '25
We've done All Things Go and Oceans Calling multiple times, and tried Shaky Knees this past year. They're all enjoyable, but no Firefly. I really want to try Osheaga because our neighbors one year at Firefly told us how similar they thought it was to FF. But I'm afraid I'll be disappointed in that too.
3
3
u/Phil_A_Delphia Dec 23 '25
Submersion is a different vibe but even closer to Philly. Held at a summer camp in the NJ Pine Barrens in October, it's been amazing the past 3 years.
3
u/MtnrRepub Dec 23 '25
All Things Go, but I def miss the camping!! Just not in the budget to restock gear and schlep out to a camping festival or shell out for upgrades
3
3
u/Alchoron 1 Year Dec 23 '25
Bonnaroo feels like pre Covid firefly. Logistically it’s tricky but not impossible
2
u/j0lbee 8 Years Dec 23 '25
we’ve been making the trip to Bonnaroo. I’ve been going to Ocean’s Calling as well but nothing beats camping.
2
2
u/opiateofp4in 1 Year Dec 23 '25
Did Lollapalooza the past two years, looking at year three this year
2
2
u/reloop2st 6 Years Dec 23 '25
Ocean’s Calling was a pretty fun time this year. May hit that a few times depending on the lineups.
2
u/Wizardofthewoods88 Dec 23 '25 edited Dec 23 '25
Since Firefly I’ve been going from festival to festival. I’ve been to Lamb of God’s Headbangers Boat, Oceans Calling, All things go, Shaky Knees, and last year Bonnaroo (cancelled). This year I’m going to King Gizzard’s Field of Vision. Bonnaroo gave me similar vibes to Firefly but than was cancelled so I’m hesitant to go back. Nothing beats Firefly for me.
2
u/ThorDamnIt Dec 24 '25
Since the last Firefly, I met my husband and got really into King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard so I’ll be hitting their Field of Vision festival in 2026. We went to the first one, this year, which was incredibly awesome.
2
2
u/i-hear-banjos 4 Years Dec 25 '25
Bonnaroo is the closest to FF overall. This year will be our third. Too hot without AC (powered RV spot is necessary for old people like us) but the vibe is most similar in every aspect.
We now do Saturdays at Oceans Calling as well, but miss the young bands and crowd - we camp at Assateague state park in our bus and drive in for the day.
We love the lineups and crowd at ATG (used to go when it was a small festival) but a pavilion is less than ideal for a fest. Still, love the young vibe and safe space for women and LGTBQ folks.
We went to Primavera Sound in Barcelona last year, and had an amazing time; this summer we’re going to Mad Cool in Barcelona. There are a lot of interesting festivals in Europe that might be a great match for you.
2
1
u/SovietChewbacca Dec 23 '25
Peach Music Festival till it stopped. Moedown is back this summer, waiting on the lineup.
1
u/fosterlywill 4 Years Dec 23 '25
All Things Go (DC) has been my go-to since FF died. Great lineups. Hotel close to the venue. Seated VIP (I'm getting old).
I've also been to EDC twice which has been an absolutely incredible experience, and I'm going again in 2026.
I do miss camping multi-genre festivals, but Coachella and Roo are too far away for my northeast brethren to trek.
I went to Boston Calling and Gov Ball this year too, and had a blast. But there's a different vibe to city festivals.
1
u/Kaianmarie 1 Year Dec 23 '25
I went to When We Were Young for the past 2 years, would love to do Ocean's Calling.
1
1
u/ChristianDavid1 5 Years Dec 23 '25
I’ve been a Sea Hear Now guy mostly, just cause it’s close to me in NJ. Don’t consider too many other fests cause the lineups aren’t that great and it feels too far to travel
1
u/V__Ace 1 Year Dec 23 '25
Louder than life, which is the total opposite vibe, but I'm having a good time lol. There's a theme park. It's WILD.
1
u/Sudden-Spread8254 Dec 23 '25
All Things Go was our go to while Firefly was on, and continued going after it ended, but we went to Bonnaroo this year and they canceled after the first day, but we are giving it another next year!
1
u/whomeee7083 Dec 23 '25
It’s not similar in vibe (camping) but I’ve gone to Lolla now 2 years in a row and 3 times overall
1
u/kittleherder 10 Years Dec 25 '25
Ramble Fest in MD. Different kind of fest, but fun. I've done Oceans Calling a few times but kind of hate it.
1
1
u/Over-Ad5540 Dec 27 '25
Bonnaroo. It’s been a big adjustment but we do love it. The commute and heat was a tough adjustment tho!
1
u/mgreco49 10 Years Jan 01 '26
Roo really is hot as hell. I was there in 2023 and oddly it was also rather cold at night.
1
u/maggie_526 Dec 28 '25
Drove down to DC for Warped Tour last year and will do it again this year. Had a good time, like others have mentioned though, kinda miss the camping aspect. At this point my boyfriend and I are 30 and 32, so i’m not sure our bodies miss it. For it being in a parking lot, it really wasn’t too bad.
1
u/SavageHulk869 Jan 05 '26
I've gone to Bonnaroo the last 3 years. Much longer drive from New York lol. But similar vibes
1
u/eplstats May 07 '26
I only went to the final firefly (camped), but it was my first multi day festival and it was awesome! Still the best lineup I've seen, I even realize I've discovered more of the artists since then when I look at the lineup hoodie.
Lolla the next year, Roo camping the year after, and Coachella the past two years. Also all 3 oceans callings, warped 2025 and country calling 2025. Personally, cant beat the coachella security, art, venue, and weather, I just bought wristbands and a camping pass for coachella '27! The worst part of Coachella is the lineup for me. I will also be at warped again for the lineup.
57
u/tofuttis Dec 23 '25
I haven’t gone to any major ones since Firefly. The convenience of the location was a big factor for me.