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How a Dope Music Festival Should Be: Mo Pop

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Why Your Festival Should Be Like Mo Pop

If you haven’t been to a music festival you’ve either been captive, super broke, or living under a rock in a country without music festivals. For the rest of us, even if you’ve just been to one, you know that some aspects can be utterly awesome while others are just the pits. Coming up on its sixth year Mo Pop Festival has honed how to do a festival right, so other festivals take note (after you read this rundown of amazing artists).mo pop music festival

Things that should be free are free! A/C (which is inside the Mo Arcade that has a DJ), shade (commodities, who needs them, right?) clean bathrooms, hammocks, bike parking, adult Nerf gun battles, and hugs (with consent).

No overlapping set times.

Not too early, not too late,  and none run over or into each other. Plus, the stages are mere minutes from each other. No need to run half a mile hurdling unsupervised children and hipsters making out in the grass to see half of a set.

Special Stuff

Beer – For the second year, Griffin Claw Brewing Company and Mo Pop have put out an exclusive brew available in stores, at the brewery, and at the festival. This year it’s a deliciously refreshing golden ale!

Coffee – I mean if you party you’ll need coffee and Mo Pop x Populace Coffee has released a special blend for pre-purchase and will also be available at the festival. You’ll have no excuse to be tired, it also goes well with whiskey.

Keep It Local

Fancy Fare – Almost all of the things you will put in your mouth… err food and beverages come from in and around Mo Pop’s locale. Equally impressive is the diversity of the food options too, literally something for everyone (also a rarity).

Crafty Mementos – The artists and makers all hail from reasonable driving and walking distances to the festival. Just in case you need to pick up or have some shipped inexpensively or want to buy something else… or you spent all your money on beer.


Near for Your Ears – Very few music festivals who pull big names will incorporate some of the best local acts to share the same stage with each other. It pays to show up early and stay late as you’ll get the best of both worlds.

Detroit Hip-Hopper Curtis Roach

All-Encompassing Playlist

Most festivals give you one or two songs from some of the artists. Mo Pop’s 2018 Spotify playlist has almost 400 songs/ a day worth of music from EVERY artist! Give your ears the full experience before the rest of your senses are pleased by the real deals.

Long story short other festivals: Necessities should be free, source local as much as you can, give people time to see the artists they want to see, be unique, and offer experiences that differentiate you from the other 400+ notable musical festivals across the country.


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Curtis Conrad Schabath

Curtis Conrad Schabath

Prof. Curtis Conrad Schabath loves being a third-generation Detroiter, dog dad, vinyl slut, and old-school fool. This queer Cancer can be found equally at marches and rallies, on the trails, beach, or streets, taking time to volunteer and teach, and micro-dosing in the morning plus meditating at night just to handle it all. Phone on DND, camera on hand, a few dollars in the pocket, and heart full of love and protection is how they emote and float through this crazy thing (and electric word) called"life".