Just last month, thousands of festival-goers and tons of talented artists gathered at the Atlanta Motor Speedway to celebrate Imagine Music Festival's fifth year anniversary. And let me tell you, it was the best year yet.
I attended Imagine for the first time back in 2017. Being from Florida, going to this festival seemed like a no-brainer (since it was so close and hosted a wide variety of artists). However, last year the festival faced some organizational problems, including long will call/box office lines and even longer lines going into the venue. Although I still had a good time at the Festival last year, the kinks made me hesitant to return to the festival this year. Eventually, the lineup and Imagine’s promise to fix out all the kinks from last year persuaded me to go.
Driving into the campgrounds, I knew I had made the right decision. The cars filed in smoothly with assistance from staff everywhere. The whole process took less than an hour, and getting into the venue took no more than 10 minutes each day.
The campgrounds vastly improved from last year, with more activities to do during the day and tons of vendors to buy food, drinks, and merchandise. There was even a juice stand giving out free cups of juice to keep everyone hydrated in the hot sun!
And I’m not kidding when I say it was hot. With averages around 80-90 degrees each day, this is one festival I highly recommend you bring a hydration pack to. Thankfully, the lines were decent and getting water was a breeze.
The stages were also a vast refinement from last year. The main stage looked like it came straight out of an aquatic fairytale!
Photo Credit: @senior_gringo1
And there were tons of lasers when the sun went down.
Photo Credit: @senior_gringo1
If I had to pick a favorite set from the weekend, it would hands-down be Zeds Dead. They never disappoint, and Imagine Music Festival was no exception. Other honorable mentions include Bassnectar, RL Grime, and Liquid Stranger.
If you weren’t too busy catching the sets, there were tons of activities to explore inside the speedway. The wading pool was a popular spot and kept all of us cooled off during the hot sun, and was personally my favorite. There was also a water slide, a ferris wheel, and countless art exhibits. Another amazing part of IMF? The food! If you’re a foodie like me, you NEED to go to this festival. The vendors had a great selection of food, ranging from noodles to southern BBQ.
Aside from the amazing food and the activities, my favorite part of the entire festival had to be the vibes. For many, Imagine is the end of the summer festival season, and everyone is out to have a good time. From laying in the grass at the Oceania stage to boogieing all night at the disco inferno stage, there was never a dull moment.
All in all, I was impressed with all the improvements the festival managed to make. I would highly recommend Imagine to anyone interested in attending. It’s not only the perfect finale to the summer festival season, but the festival shows Atlanta’s southern hospitality with good vibes and amazing attendees.
