Firefly Music Festival 2019: Combining Work and Play
One of the best things about representing brands at music festivals is that it rarely feels like work. Honestly, most of the time you are having so much fun that you almost forget you are technically on the clock. That was definitely my experience working with Toyota during Firefly Music Festival.
Over the last two years, Firefly became one of my favorite promotional gigs. It combined music, travel, camping, brand activation, and unforgettable performances all in one place. As someone who loves live music and adventure, it was pretty much the perfect environment for me.
What Is Firefly Music Festival?
If you have never heard of Firefly, here is a quick overview.
Firefly Music Festival takes place at The Woodlands near Dover International Speedway in Delaware. The festival first launched in 2012 and quickly became one of the East Coast’s biggest music events.
Over the years, Firefly has hosted massive artists across multiple stages while also offering camping, food vendors, sponsor activations, and immersive fan experiences. In 2019, the festival featured major stages like:
- The Firefly Stage
- The Prism
- The Lawn
- The Hideaway
- Treehouse
- The Roost
In addition, brands hosted sponsor spaces, including the Toyota Music Den where I spent part of my weekend working.
Camping at Firefly Music Festival 2019
Because the festival grounds are basically in the middle of nowhere, most attendees camp onsite. The staff and promotional teams do the same thing.
This year, my friend Joseph joined the Toyota team, so we became camping buddies for the weekend. Thankfully, our tents survived the rough weather because the first night brought heavy rain and strong winds that destroyed several campsites nearby.
After realizing how cold the nights would get, we made a Walmart run the next day to grab extra supplies and make camp life a little more comfortable. Honestly, that is part of the experience though. Festival camping always turns into a mix of survival mode and hilarious memories.
Working Inside the Toyota Music Den
For the first few days of Firefly Music Festival, I worked inside the Toyota Music Den as a Brand Ambassador.
I absolutely loved it because I am a huge live music fan. The previous year, I worked in the main Toyota activation area near the larger stages where we handed out giveaways and ice cream. That was fun too, but the music den had a completely different vibe.
This time, I was surrounded by intimate performances, high-energy crowds, and nonstop music all day long. Plus, I got to reconnect with coworkers I had not seen in a while while also meeting new people.
One of my favorite performances in the den came from SHAED performing their hit song Trampoline.
The energy in the crowd mixed perfectly with the dreamy atmosphere of the song. It honestly felt hypnotic in the best possible way.
Migraines and Switching Positions
Unfortunately, standing next to massive speakers for eight hours a day eventually caught up with me.
I started getting severe migraines, and if you have ever dealt with migraines, then you already know loud music and pounding bass are not exactly your best friends. Eventually, I had to ask management if I could move back to my previous year’s position.
Thankfully, they completely understood and allowed me to switch.
In many ways, it ended up being the best thing because Joseph was working nearby at that station too. Even though we were not directly assigned together, we were close enough to joke around throughout the day.
One thing I have learned from gig work is that the people around you can completely shape your experience. A long shift becomes a lot easier when you genuinely enjoy the people you are working with.
Enjoying Firefly After Work
One major perk of working Firefly Music Festival is that most sponsor activations close around 8 PM and reopen the next morning around 10 AM.
That means workers still get plenty of time to enjoy the festival itself.
After our shifts ended, we would head out into the crowds to catch performances, explore the grounds, and soak in the atmosphere. The entire festival feels electric at night. Everyone is excited, emotional, exhausted, and completely immersed in the music.
Post Malone Delivered the Most Emotional Performance
Without question, the artist I most wanted to see was Post Malone.
I have always loved his music because there is so much emotion behind it. He has a way of blending vulnerability, heartbreak, and melody that really connects with people.
When he performed I Fall Apart, the entire crowd seemed to emotionally unravel together.
At the time, I was still carrying pain from a difficult breakup. Hearing that song live hit me hard. For a few minutes, it felt like thousands of people were collectively pouring their heartbreak into one giant emotional release.
It was raw, cathartic, and honestly beautiful.
You can even hear the crowd completely losing it during the performance. That is exactly why I barely recorded anything. I was too busy living in the moment and singing along.
Final Thoughts on Firefly Music Festival 2019
Firefly Music Festival truly is a special event. The atmosphere is energetic, creative, and incredibly fun.
Even though I am not doing as many promotional gigs these days, I would absolutely attend again in the future. The combination of music, camping, community, and spontaneous adventure creates an experience that is hard to replicate anywhere else.
Ironically, I did not take nearly as many photos or videos as I normally would because I spent most of the weekend simply enjoying myself.
Honestly though, sometimes that is exactly how it should be.
