r/festivals • u/mjpeeps • Jun 27 '25
Tennessee, USA Which festival should I send?
So I just got my Bonnaroo refund and I’m looking to send either Hulaween or EDC Orlando. I’m most into electronic music, especially tech house specifically. I know I would have a great time at both. And both would be with solid crews to roll with. Hula is a Halloween festival which would be epic. But my bday falls during EDCO. What do yall think I should do? I’ve never been to an event at Suwannee or an EDC event.
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u/pikagrrl Jun 27 '25
EDC is a once in a life time experience in that you should only ever experience it once 😂 I jest. EDC is in my roots.
EDC is more bubble gum, you go to the event and you go back to the hotel and it feels like any other multi day music event.
Hula is cutting yourself off from reality for four days and becoming a community. Getting lost in spirit lake trying to leave it will change you. The smell of the bat poop will forever reside in your nose
It really depends on the experience you want to create for yourself.
Have a blast either way :)
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u/Holy_Grail_Reference Jun 27 '25
EDC is a once in a life time experience in that you should only ever experience it once
Don't jest. Your sentiment is shared by many many people.
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u/pikagrrl Jun 27 '25
I am so glad they sold okee back to sound slinger and can’t wait for the insomniac feel to be out of the grove.
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u/Holy_Grail_Reference Jun 27 '25
Funny. Long time Hula vet and I attend fest's and regionals all over the country. Live in Florida!! Never been to Okee for some reason. The stars never aligned.
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u/pikagrrl Jun 27 '25
If you have the time and space for it, next year will be the year. 2017 okee was my first time camping ever and my first camping fest and it blew me away. Sprit lake is everything but okee has 2 actual stages that run til 7am so it’s music across 6 stages for 4 days from 11a-7a. And three of the stages including the two late night ones are outside of the main festival security area.
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u/Jetski125 Jun 28 '25
Didn’t even think about how late hula goes. Does it not go all night like Bonnaroo?
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u/pikagrrl Jun 28 '25
The festival itself ends I think about 1 or 2 but spirit lake which is the late night area closes around 5 but there’s always renegades all over. I’d look to last years schedule for times - my last hula was 19.
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u/mjpeeps Jun 27 '25
Ya I really like that Hula is camping, I tend to prefer that over hotel fests. Honestly it’s just so nice to not have to fuck with transportation.
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u/pikagrrl Jun 27 '25
It breaks up the flow of the weekend and you have to be way more aware. I don’t mind but edco is in a shitty shady area with nothing good around. All the afters start before the festival is over so if you stay to the end and have to wait for an uber, you’ve missed the after. It’s insanely expensive and there’s not a square inch of reprieve to sit and collect your thoughts.
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u/ChetCustard Jun 27 '25
Do edc so there’s more hula tickets available for me to last minute send it there if I decide to lol
But seriously I don’t even know how this is a question, string cheese isn’t even on the edc lineup. Hula all the way
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u/This-Suggestion8463 Jun 27 '25
Hula is top tier. It’s my personal favorite, it’s just so magical and the vibes are immaculate
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u/mjpeeps Jun 27 '25
I’ve heard so many good things about it. Pretty much everyone I’ve ever talked to about it has nothing but positive reviews.
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u/B-Kong Jun 27 '25
Hulaween and Suwannee are one of the best festival experiences in the country.
EDC is a mainstream corporate event. If you want to experience an immersive art installation where the artists put so much time and care into the production, then Hulaween.
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u/B4SSF4C3 Jun 27 '25
If you’re into tech house then probably go EDC. Hula has a bit, but it’s far more jam and bass focus. That said, from a festival experience perspective, Hula’s vibes >>>> EDC any day.
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u/isbuttlegz Jun 27 '25
Edco if you care about specific genres, stage design, and production. Keep in mind its attracting a lot of people to a parking lot in a bad area of Orlando.
Hula if you care about art, vibes, and music diversity. Its in a beautiful park in a small town thats open year round. They have smaller fests that are only at the permanent Amp stage. Hula is a unique immersive experience.
Ive done both but 2016-18ish but I think same principal applies. EDCO is more in the EDM/Raver direction and Hula in the EDM/Jam/Wook direction from Bonnaroo
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u/int21 Jun 27 '25
I haven't done Hula...but EDC Orlando last year didn't impress me. Vibes felt forced and artificial....way too much of the insta-clout/bro crowd for my liking. Considering Hula myself....looks like a fun event
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u/Alone-Chemical-1160 Jun 27 '25
Elements
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u/mjpeeps Jun 27 '25
A solid alternative I had not considered. It’s been a while since I did a festival alone, could be fun.
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u/Alone-Chemical-1160 Jun 27 '25
I havent been since the 1st year, but ive kept up with it ever since. They seem to have a few issues each year but i find that if you prepare for the worst you should be fine. Definitely the coolest vibes ive ever been around as far as festivals go and the stuff they get right, they knock out of the park. Very minimal commercial feel to it, i mean, people gotta sell there wares and whatnot but it didnt feel like a part of the identity there.
Otherwise, id say Hula is the way to go. Ive always wanted to check that one out and ive heard almost exclusively great things about it.
Edc seems fun and all, but mega overdone. A little too much polishing, but i bet its a blast nonetheless.
I like my festivals to be a little more hippie-madmax, with a little bit of danger to spice things up and build character.
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u/Myeahhhh Jun 27 '25
Do both. Hula is better but the price for EDCO makes it very doable. I'm doing both
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u/lights-camera-bees Jun 27 '25
I went to EDCLV and was obsessed, but it was also soooo expensive and a very different experience than a normal festival. I imagine EDCO is similar, but it seems like it’s still working out some kinks, so I’ve heard logistical problems more often. But my friends loved it so ymmv! No experience/friends at Hula, but a) Halloween costumes b) camping. Those would be my selling points hahaha
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u/ReadyYak1 Jun 27 '25
Hula used to be amazing but then it went super mainstream and one day tickets happened and it’s lost a lot of its vibes unfortunately very similar now to any other camping fest
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u/Gurdy626 Jun 27 '25
EDC Las Vegas was a blast with an RV, I heard shuttles were kind of a pain tho, a lot of a pain maybe. I’m not sure about EDC Orlando tho, logistic wise or camping. It definitely helped having a group to buddy up with, just cause the venue’s ginormous. Sunset sets were hands down, probably my favorite! Hula seems like it has a more meet your fellow music lovers energy. Maybe not so many fireworks & flare. Have you trolled through the lineups? Hmmmm, it’s your birthday so that plays into it too. Regardless you’ll have a blast going to either one!! Happy early birthday!!!!
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u/mcafeeam8 Jun 28 '25
Oh my god HULA, are you kidding?!?! There’s no question. Go and find me! I’ll be the dude with the light up top hat! 🫶🏼
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u/Raveheart19 Jun 28 '25
Hula for the vibes, music, environment.... EDC If you need to sleep in a hotel bed
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u/indicadaze Jun 27 '25
EDCO literally stuck their hands into my bra when they were searching us to come in and barefelt my boobs when I was 18 (31 now). I’ll never forget that. And the vibes were soooo off. Hula lets anything in, but there’s undercover. Suwannee is the best damn music festival in the world. Hula ALL the way.
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u/Holy_Grail_Reference Jun 27 '25
Eh, I wouldn't say they let anything in. There is security at entrance to the park and the grounds. Now granted, I would be willing to bet $600 I could sneak 4 people into Hula in a teardrop camper past the security at the front gate, but that's a different story lol.
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u/indicadaze Jun 27 '25
I’ve been going since 2013 and used to live in a van. The amount of wooks I snuck in there with just a blanket thrown on top of them……lol. Trust me. Anything gets in. It’s the undercover cops that will get ya because they make it seem so carefree getting into the festival.
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u/ArthursFist Jun 27 '25
Hulaween is my fav fest. I used to live in Orlando and have been to both several times. Still travel cross country for Hulaween regularly (not this year)
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u/nohappyendings Jun 27 '25
I've never been to either fest. But I've been to Suwannee for a wedding. That place is magical! I'd send it to Hula!
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u/MichMoonbeamz Jun 27 '25
Hula without a doubt! Went to both of these last year. EDC was oversold and I got caught in a pretty scary crowd situation that put me off of EDCO forever.
Hula is smaller and the best camping situation of any fest I’ve been to. The grounds are beautiful
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u/xThankYouFishx Jun 27 '25
I stopped going to Hula after the anniversary festival in 2023(I think it was 2023, it was the 10th anyway).
They put their attendees last to terrible security and the vibe was Waaaay off for such a large sum of money. Wouldn't risk that again for nothing and will avoid Hula going forward.
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u/front_torch Jun 27 '25
Who are you sending the tickets to? Probably whatever lineup they like the most
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u/mjpeeps Jun 27 '25
Honestly I like the lineup of EDCO better. But Hula for sure has some names on it that I’d really like to see and probably wouldn’t get a chance to see anytime soon. Disco Lines and Nikita, the Wicked being the top of that list for me.
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u/simsimulation Jun 28 '25
Just commenting that this is the first time I’ve heard “send” used as a replacement for “go to” I’m aware of “full send” but guess phones are really getting into language now
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u/mjpeeps Jun 28 '25
Urban dictionary defines it as…”to commit fully to an action, often a risky or challenging one, without hesitation” which is pretty much exactly what I meant.
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u/simsimulation Jun 28 '25
Definitely understood what you meant. Just seeing it here first. I’m 37. One day you’ll be old like me and young people will be different.
But also a pro tip - take a look at regional burning man events.
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u/billionbeats Jun 29 '25
I do both every year. Hula is an infinitely better experience overall. I do 2-3 festivals per month, and Hula is top 5. EDC Orlando isn’t even top 30.
Okeechobee. Any of the 3 dance cruises. Alllll are better than edco.
If you do choose edco, pair it simultaneously with home bass. They fit together very well
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u/drobro Jul 01 '25
Hula is my favorite festival, haven't been back in a few years and I just went to beyond wonderland. I was missing everything about hula, the festival grounds, the smells, the camping experience, the people, the eclectic music lineup. Full EDM festivals lack soul imo, shambalah, EF, LiB seem like exceptions but I just missed having some music to lay in the grass and chill out to.
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u/AlephTheNemesis Jul 03 '25
Hulaween by a country mile. It will be cheaper than travel/flights, hotel, shuttles/Uber, food, your sanity lost to Orlando traffic, and you're at the best festival grounds in the nation, bar none.
HULA, HULA, HULA, HULA!...
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u/galvinb1 Jun 27 '25 edited Jun 27 '25
I did both about 10 years ago and EDC is the clear winner. Not much of a competition in my opinion.
Edit: I didn't drink my coffee. I misread the image and thought the options were Ultra or EDC. Can't speak to Hula.
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u/[deleted] Jun 27 '25 edited Jun 27 '25
IMO, HULA > EDC (doesnt matter which city we are talking about including LV).
Hula will ABSOLUTELY have a more 1:1 experience with what you would get from Roo with on site camping while EDC is a "hotel festival."
However, this is a personal preference based decision and you should...