Spring has sprung and festival season has begun. Last weekend, thousands of festival goers descended on the Spirit of Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, Fla., for its 9th annual Wanee Music Festival. Good times were had by all during the three-day event. The 800 acres of shade trees and dirt trails were filled with colorful tents, RVs and friendly neighbors. By the end of the festival, strangers had become the best of friends, sharing breakfast and stories by the campfire.
People meandered through the grounds on bikes and golf carts and visited the festival’s two main stages. The larger Peach Stage was located in a big field and featured some of the main headliners such as The Allman Brothers, Widespread Panic, Michael Franti and Leon Russell. The more intimate Mushroom Stage was tucked away beneath beautiful oak trees strung with Spanish moss. Festival goers lounged in hammocks hung between the trees. It was a gorgeous backdrop for the night concerts. One felt a connection to nature while enjoying funky acts such as Maceo Parker, Tower of Power, Steel Pulse and Galactic and Friends.
A festival of this magnitude can sometimes come with its share of problems – heat, traffic jams, aggressive crowds – but, that was not the case at Wanee. Despite the large amount of people, there was still a sense of community and a family atmosphere. The park hosts a variety of festivals throughout the year. Next up: Suwannee River Jam this May 1st – 4th followed by the Purple Hatters Ball commencing May 10th -12th.
Wanee Music Festival Photos
Wanee Festival Fashion