Hangout Music Festival 2015 • Gulf Shores • May 15-17
Written and photographed by: Beth Childs
Around 40,000 festival-goers flocked to Gulf Shores, Alabama for Hangout Music
Festival 2015. Held on sugar white sand beaches, Hangout Fest is one of a kind. Now
in its sixth year, Hangout Fest is holding its own and standing tall next to festivals
like Coachella and Bonnaroo. There has been a tremendous amount of growth since
the first year that hosted only 15,000. Logistical improvements like shuttle routes,
security teams, vendors and general layout improvements have made the festival run
like a fine oiled machine. Festival organizers along with the City of Gulf Shores work
tirelessly throughout the year to make Hangout Fest a memorable experience for
ticket holders without too much disruption of the small coastal community. The festival is strategically placed in a time after the spring break rush but before the summer
tourist season. There is usually somewhat of a lull between the two but the festival
gives the city quite an economic boost. Gulf Shores business owners are pleased with
the rush and local realtors are happy to team up with organizers to offer affordable
travel packages for ticket holders. A 10 year contract extension was put into place
with a unanimous vote by Gulf Shores city officials back in January, thus further
solidifying that the festival is here for the long haul…something that’s been up in
the air for quite some time. Also partnering up with Goldenvoice Entertainment,
Hangout Fest has officially staked its claim as a front runner in the festival scene.
Bringing Goldenvoice Entertainment on board will open new doors for Hangout
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JULY 2015