As an avid concertgoer, there is nothing that I love more than being able to go to one event to see multiple artists I love back to back. Thanks to music festivals across the world fans are given the opportunity to spend from a day to a weekend watching a multitude of artists perform live. There will be the artists they came for, artists they know here and there, and artists they may not know at all. But the best part? Being able to watch your favorites live and discover new artists to support as well.

There have been so many times that I discovered new artists, that I would go on to love endlessly, thanks to music festivals. To be able to see artists I discovered I liked a festival and then go to another one years later to see the same artist is a full circle moment for me. Being able to check an artist off my concert bucket list for years is always a special moment for me.

Going to festivals has always been an exciting time for me and this year I decided to try a new way of attending, by purchasing a VIP ticket. When I saw the lineup for WonderWorks 2023 and saw 5 artists that I listen to regularly I knew that I wanted to try to go all out for the day they performed. I spent time researching the VIP package and what it included, looked at what my travel plans would look like, and confirmed that I could do it with my schedule. I knew I wanted to purchase the ticket as soon as it went on sale as the price would increase as time went on and more tickets were sold.

The WonderWorks VIP included all the perks of General Admission plus:

• Fast-track VIP entrance lane
• Shade and seating in VIP Lounge
• Air-conditioned restrooms
• Full-service bar with beverages for purchase plus complimentary water and soft drinks
• Catered lunch and dinner
• VIP viewing at main stages

*as stated by WonderWorks on their site + Instagram*

The big seller for me was the VIP viewing at the main stages and a shaded VIP lounge. With it being peak heat in Pittsburgh in May I knew I wanted the ability to have a great view of the artists I came for without worrying about sitting the heat for hours at a time so I wouldn’t lose my spot. Being able to go relax in a shaded lounge with fans spraying cold air with a mix of mist helped me cool down so many times throughout the day, a true lifesaver. The complementary water bottles were also great to bring to different sets to stay hydrated throughout the day.

The VIP viewing was separated from GA and made it incredibly easy to walk up to an artist’s set 5-10 minutes before and get an incredible view of them as they performed. I was able to see multiple artists at the barricade, including Hozier, who was closing out the festival for Saturday’s lineup. It never felt too packed or overcrowded which was especially nice to have in the blazing heat. Creating friendships, singing along to the artists at the top of my lungs, and being able to see them so close was truly an experience that will leave me wanting to do VIP again in the future at other festivals.

Some other VIP perks that I truly appreciated the day of was how quickly I was able to get into the festival due to the VIP entrance lane. I was able to just walk up, go through security, and scan my ticket in less than 5 minutes. The catered dinner was phenomenal and helped me save spending additional money on food the day of. We also had access to an array of snacks throughout the day that I definitely enjoyed.

The power, excitement, and passion that each artist had as they stepped on the stage for their sets was a joy to see live. I was able to get to interact with some of my favorite artists from the barricade and get COIN’s setlist for the day to add to my collection from concerts over the years. Each memory I hold from that day I will cherish forever. A truly long-lasting magical day was spent listening to music with thousands of fans from across the world. Excited to see whom WonderWorks brings next May and will hopefully attend again as a VIP ticket holder.

You can also check out WonderWorks sister festivals, WonderRoad, WonderStruck, and WonderBus which are all happening over the next few weeks!