Firefly Music Festival opens June 21 in Dover
Firefly Music Festival is now offering its own beach to campers and visitors.
A press conference June 19 at the festival grounds offered an exciting glimpse into what visitors will find during the popular festival Friday through Sunday, June 21-23 at the Woodlands at Dover Downs.
Fans are encouraged to camp out at the three-day music fest, although for the first time in the event’s history, shuttle service will be provided for fans from the beach areas, University of Delaware, and from Wilmington. Funded through VisitDelaware, the shuttles are already sold out, much to the surprise of festival officials.
Stephanie Mezzano, Firefly director, said there are so many new things to look forward to at this year’s festival, three new stages were added. “It’s definitely fresh and something new at the production level, and it’s gonna be bigger than ever.”
Mezzano said officials are adding more interactive features also, such as comedy shows and dating games. “It’s something a little bit different to keep people interested in between seeing their favorite bands.”
Darcy Rae Johnson, director of marketing, said she and her team have adapted to the interactive world of media and used it to benefit the festival, starting with Start Participating And Receive Karma or SPARK. There is a whole list of SPARK programs on the festival’s website, beginning with a community poster competition where fans and visual artists submitted their own poster ideas to be voted on by the community. Posters by the winners will be for sale at the festival.
The Woodlands SPARK project encouraged artists to get involved in the festival. “It’s basically an art grant from the festival that allows very genius art makers and installation artists to submit proposals. We actually paid them and gave them a grant so that they could produce their art, and it’s going to be at the festival,” Johnson said. “The winner is called ‘Glownation’ and that’s gonna be out in the main stage. You’ll see; they’re like big windmills that are based off the wings of a firefly.”
The biggest change, though, is the North Hub Beach Club. This new area, at the northernmost part of the grounds, is covered with sand and will have its own music stage and tiki bar as well as volleyball competitions. A huge new showering facility has also been built next to the North Hub Beach Club, with more than 200 stalls for men and women as well as locker rooms. The women’s locker rooms will feature blow-dryers and hair-curlers, Mezzano said.
President and CEO of Dover Downs Mike Tatoian talked about his past experience with the Firefly team, recalling, “I was thinking these guys are certifiably nuts. You’ve got to be kidding. Dover, Delaware, world-class event? Right in our backyard? From all over the world?
“But the rest is history,” he said. Firefly has been tremendously successful in its eight years of existence.
“It’s an incredibly magical place,” Tatoian said. “It brings our entire community and state together.”
Gov. John Carney spoke briefly noting he visited Firefly for the first time last summer, and he was blown away. “This is definitely world class,” he said. “It seems they ramp it up a little more every year.”
Firefly Music Festival will take place June 21-23, and an estimated 70,000 to 90,000 fans are expected to attend. Day passes can still be purchased on the website, fireflyfestival.com
