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Wonder bus Festival
WonderBus Music & Arts Festival – Coming to the gate, I was worried about long lines and negative test results for vaccines, but those fears were unfounded. Once again, one will be at a music festival. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of being able to listen to your favorite artists with others who share your passion. Wonder bus’ overarching theme is gratitude, and there’s no better way to express it.
Bird + Byron, a Columbus, Ohio-based band, kicked off the day. The band, led by longtime pals Nick and Blake, wowed the crowd in their first live performance since going viral on Tik-Tok. Many Wonder bus performers became famous for their Tik-Tok videos, proving that social media saved many music lovers during the lockdown. After their set, they greeted the crowd with genuine hugs and smiles, showing how grateful they were to be a part of the festival experience. Throughout the weekend, It is noticed that Bird and Byron take in the festival’s sights and sounds.
In the second half, a young band from Akron rocked the stage with their filthy, teen-angst-laced music, and the audience was captivated. Detention, a four-piece high school band, drew my attention with unique songs that evoked Hole and punk rock in the early 2000s and even a better Black Keys cover than many veteran bands. Elliot Carter, the band’s lead singer, acted like a veteran performer who had been on stage for a long time. In an odd nod to the band’s current stage of development, she then assigned a “B+” grade to those who participated.
WonderBus Music & Arts Festival – Wonderbus’s main purpose
Founded in Columbus, Ohio, in 2019, Wonder Bus has a greater purpose than music. To further the dialogue on suicide and mental illness, the event’s organizers set out to host the conference. When the flu pandemic struck in 2020, the festival had to take a break. Last year’s Wonder Bus featured an even greater emphasis on mental health.
Dr. K. Luan Phan chairs Wexner Medical Center’s Wexner Psychiatry and Behavioral Health Department.
Last year, Dr. Phan explained to me that “A person’s or a patient’s life has become more complicated, so we must consider all aspects of their situation. Furthermore, people cannot reconnect or perform well in school or at work, exacerbating the problem. As healthcare providers, the challenge we face is to be as inclusive as possible and inquire into how the pandemic has affected different types of people. Individual responses to the pandemic show such wide disparities.”
Phan stresses the importance of mental health despite the recent decline in COVID-19 cases and the easing of safety protocols.
Now, we must continue to build community resilience as we prepare to live through the third year of the pandemic. Thank you, WonderBus festival, for your continued support of our efforts to help people struggling with addiction, anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts.”
According to Rick Milenthal, founder and CEO of Columbus-based marketing company The Shipyard, one of the festival’s partners, mental health conversations are becoming more commonplace.
Before the 2021 event, Milenthal said of mental health, “I haven’t had one conversation where someone didn’t tell me this affects them.” “I think we’re discussing it more now. Because we’re in the business of words, we decided to get involved because words matter in mental health. It’s important how we express ourselves. You have the power to inspire or divide. You can either encourage or demoralize your team. The most important thing for people to take away from this is that nearly everyone you meet is dealing with some mental health issue, whether it’s their own or that of a loved one or friend.
It can assure you that you are not alone; as a result.”
It is owned, produced, and presented by Elevation Festivals, which holds farms, and gives Wonder Bus and Wonder Struck.
According to Elevation Festivals President Denny Young, it was an “extremely successful year” for Wonder Bus in 2021. For this year’s festival, we decided to build on this momentum and are incredibly pleased to present Lorde and Duran Duran in what promises to be a massive and unforgettable event in Ohio.”
University students who have decided to receive a vaccine can now take advantage of a special discount on Wonder Bus, bus tickets. Day passes for the festival are only $57.50 for college students from any university who bring their vaccination card or choose to get a vaccine at the festival’s on-site clinic. Students at Ohio State University can purchase tickets for $45 per day if they are already immunized or choose to get the vaccine at the festival and receive an additional discount. The deal was only available at the festival’s box office on the day of the show.
