I’m still recovering from the mixture of last weekend’s sensory overload experienced at the Outside Lands Festival, which took place at the always-impressive Golden Gate Park. The occasional cool breeze added to the already refreshing atmosphere. The combination of food, art, music, and education sent an undeniable energy throughout the flocks of locals and visitors that I’d like to share with you.

The Outside Lands Festival never ceases to impress me with the musical acts as red-hot collaborations, oldies but goodies, and upcoming superstars electrify the stages. Patiently, I took in sounds of performances – both familiar and new to me – from the powerful voice of Cat Power to the liveliness of Janelle Monae. Soulful crooner Al Green also proved that he still has the ability to groove a crowd. This year, acts were spaced out enough where I didn’t have to make the mad dash from one stage to another.

The presence of sustainability and green living was strong at Outside Lands. Garbage cans clearly marked Recycle, Trash, and Compost dotted the grounds. Where else will you find a popular event that offers a can solely designated for composting?

My stomach still craves the barbequed oysters from Anchor & Hope and taste of custom-crafted wines. This year, more wineries were represented at the festival and are said to have sold more vino than the two previous festivals put together. I wasn’t able to indulge cuisine from all of the nearly 35 food stalls, but was able to bring home a few goodies from the onsite farmer’s market.

One thing is for sure, I thoroughly enjoyed myself and will definitely be in attendance next year.