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Camping represents an economical way to stay close the action of nearly 50 bands and the wide range of activities. With more than 12,000 Weekend Campers at Vibes, the camping experience with loved ones varies from family to family, But two sensations are shared among all campers at Gathering of the Vibes: community and fun!
“Camping at Vibes we go with the flow, but each activity seems more structured – whether cooking, eating, going to see what band, or just walking down to the beach it’s always family fun,” says Stephen Zipp, a VibeTribe camper since 2008 who now camps with his own family. “We mostly stay together and do activities together over at the Kid’s Corner or Teen Scene.”
The Kid’s Corner – open from 9 a.m. until sundown – engages children in fun activities that range from artistic events like face painting to physical and spiritual events such as yoga. The Teen Scene offers a range of age appropriate activities that includes the rare opportunity to learn a musical instrument for free.
With the phenomena of Gathering of the Vibes, it’s not uncommon to see individuals becoming couples, and couples having children with Vibes becoming an annual family outing.
“Family camping at the festival becomes more of a community with the passage of time,” Zipp said when asked about the camping culture.
However, Zipp isn’t the only attendee who feels the sense of community – ask any camper, and you’ll receive a similar answer. New bonds form on the campgrounds, and The VibeTribe is like a second family.
“Over the years, my new family that I’ve met at Vibes keeps growing. We attend weddings, celebrate the birth of children, and share losses – things that happen with all families,” said another longtime Vibes camper.
"Gathering of the Vibes is THE family trip every year,” Zipp concluded. “My whole family loves it and everyone is sad when it is over. On the way home, our exhausted kids sleep in their seats, and my wife and I discuss what we will do … at next year's Vibes.”
Weekend camping tickets are still available at the Vibe website. Gathering of the Vibes runs from July 30 to Aug. 2 at Seaside Park in Bridgeport.
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