Photos and story by: Joe Runge

Euphoria is something I look forward to all year. Texas and especially Austin are filled with some of the most friendly and down to earth people I’ve ever met and the festival is a massive extension of that. Euphoria is in its sixth year and the title holds strong for such a fantastic event. From the beautiful landscape to the friendly people to the inspiring art and extensive lineup, this festival is truly euphoric making it no question why its the largest festival in the region.

When you're at a music festival you know you are surrounded by tons of people just like you and as a community everyone has each others backs. From production to security, vendors and volunteers The staff was hospitable and always ready to lend a hand. Even while attracting 50,000 patrons throughout the three days it maintains a quaint vibe. Everyone does what they can to make sure everyone around them is having the best time. This year there was a giving tree, white elephant candy exchange, giant bubble blowers, pro flow artists, and the largest silent disco Hush has ever done with 2,000 headsets going all night.

The workshops at Euphoria have become a favorite, allowing people to experience and learn about new things. This year’s workshops included: educational sustainability programming with Austin Permaculture Guild, yoga, hooping, meditation, activism talks, acrobatics, DJ instruction, the Carson Creek River Clean Up, botanical medicine talks and many more.

Another interesting thing and a first this year was weddings. Euphoria created a space to host weddings, including hair and makeup artists, photographers, and a reception with dessert and champagne. Even if couples were not ready to tie the knot, they were still invited to celebrate their love for each other.

All in all I've had some of my favorite times at Euphoria with my Friendphoria family whether it be at one of the unique stages, under the Tree of Life, in the silent disco or back at camp resting and reminiscing. If you haven't attended Euphoria and are looking to make some life long friends I'd be hard pressed not to recommend it.