I’m going to the circus,
I’m going to the fair,
To see the pretty ladies
With flowers in their hair!
Getting ready for a festival day in NYC combines the best of both worlds; the sense of being free that comes with the festival life, and the hustle and bustle of a large city. I always look forward to this time of year — when the weather is just right, the atmosphere in the city is hopping, and everyone is ready to do something fantastical. Including me!
I have set my sights on a Music and Arts Festival on Randall’s Island, an island sitting northeast of Manhattan on the East River. After receiving multiple mobile push notifications regarding upcoming events, this festival resonated the most with my speed and personality. After picking out the perfect outfit and some proper shoes for the day, I head out to my local café for a morning breakfast sandwich and coffee. I love my local shop, and my coffee cup and sleeve have a nice, little ad telling me not to forget my mints. Which of course I did, so I buy them at the counter too!
Along the way I spot the bright screens of the newly installed digital street kiosks on 3rd Ave. These are great because they give me the perfect route as well as a little cell juice before heading down into the subway and hopping aboard the 6 train. As I wait on a slightly warm platform, I see some posters about new TV shows coming this summer. A few of the shows look really interesting, I’m going to need to check those out!
Once the train arrives, I hop on (you have to love that ice-cold AC!) and take a seat. I gaze up and see some interior cards for a new exhibit coming to the MET. I have been meaning to visit the museum again so I’ll need to check that out too. I also notice an ad for a storage facility near my apartment. This is just what I will need to store my winter gear, since apartment square footage in the city ain’t what it used to be.
Once I get off the train at 125th Street, I’m in perfect proximity to jump on the bus over to Randall’s island. The transit shelter I’m standing in, shows an airline announcing new routes to London. Perfect! London has been on my bucket list for some time and I’ve been itching to check it off. I definitely need to remember this because I’ve been dying to go and this deal looks too good to be true. I snap a picture on my cell phone to remember it for when I get home and can research the deal.
Once the shuttle whisks us over the bridge, I can see the newly wrapped ferries taking folks from Manhattan along the East River. Boy, do those look cool. I will need to catch a ride on one soon for a unique way to travel around the city of NY! Even as a New Yorker, I can appreciate the little thrills, like being on a boat in the middle of a huge city, especially during some of the hottest months in the year.
Finally, I arrive and it’s right where I need to be, in the heart of the music, food and art. I’m ready for a full day of fun festivities! As I enter, there are these amazing pop-up experiences; miniature events within the main event. One is for a beverage company, another for a credit card, and even one for tech accessories. Ok, this makes me love these brands even more than I did before!
I head to the pop-up booth my credit card company has set up on the festival grounds. First off, I didn’t even know my credit card company offered me perks within a festival I paid for, including access to private bathrooms! Always a bright spot during a day at an outdoor festival in a crowded city. The brand ambassadors are also able to show me all the great perks and discounts I can get at other events around New York, as well as to festivals I’m interested in completely different states and cities, like Los Angeles! Adding ‘research through my credit card company’ to my things to do list, especially with all the summer events I have access to.
Then I head over to check out the tech accessories company. They are showcasing a great new wireless headphone option, and I’ve been looking to cut the cord for a while now. Not only do I get to try them out, I give the brand ambassadors my email on a cool-looking tablet I haven’t used before, to send me future discounts for other electronic gadgets I tried out during my experience at the booth. They give me a small, branded, portable charger for being one of the first 100 people at the booth. Yay! Probably one of the best things I could get, especially once I start taking pictures, videos, snapchats and trying to add everything to my social media accounts. I leave extremely happy, and even more likely to get those wireless ear buds.
I head to the beverage tent before I go grab a spot at the front of the next set. Free beverages in a sea of expensive options? Yes, please. They also hand out some delicious cookies with their logo frosted on! I love that! I want to capture all the action, and grabbing some sustenance before the day really gets going is so helpful. Making sure I have all my new goodies; I decide to head out into the festival.
As I walk out into a field full of festival goers, I think to myself ‘This day is gonna be all right. I’ve arrived. And yes, there are plenty of girls wearing flowers in their hair. Good thing I went with the kitty kat-ear headband instead.
