60.4 F
Mobile
55.5 F
Huntsville
57.1 F
Birmingham
47.9 F
Montgomery

HANGOUT: How Alabamians built the world’s most extraordinary music festival

ORANGE BEACH, Ala. — Most people know the state of Alabama as the home of many remarkable things, like national championship football teams, rockets that take humans into space and incredible natural landscapes. Now added to that list is Hangout Fest, the annual three-day music festival that takes place on the shores of Orange Beach and welcomes visitors from all across the globe.

The Hangout Fest isn’t just your average concert: it’s a luxury music vacation that consistently boasts top-notch musical artists and experiences unrivaled in the industry.

Hangout Fest founders, Alabama business owners Shaul and Lilly Zislin, launched the Hangout Fest shortly after opening The Hangout Restaurant, which operates year-round on the very site where the festival happens. The husband and wife team created the festival out of a desire to draw more tourists to Gulf Shores during the off-season.

O’Connell said the Hangout Fest team already knew from the beginning they had the potential to create something special.

“Up to that point, music festivals were either in muddy fields or parking lots,” Hangout Fest director Sean O’Connell told Yellowhammer. “Our vision was to create a festival at a high level with amenities not normally found at other events.”

What makes the Hangout Fest stand out? The experience.

“We pay attention to the small details and emphasize making it beautiful throughout the property with palm trees, nautical chandeliers, onsite spas, giant swings in the Gulf. The interactive spaces are designed to inspire and wildly entertain,” said O’ Connell.

From May 16 -19 the 2019 Hangout Fest will welcome thousands to the Gulf Coast to vacation with the world’s best artists including Travis Scott, The Lumineers, Cardi B, Diplo and many more.

How is an event this scale successfully executed? O’Connell says a core team of 20 work on the festival year-round, and a larger group of thousands are employed to work the event itself. Always a step ahead, the team is committed to making each Hangout Fest better than the last.

“We’re already thinking about artists and activations and improvements for the following year before this one finishes,” he said.

Hangout Fest is more than just an event, but a brand that O’Connell says fans are passionate about and will continue to support.

“It’s an epic weekend that people anticipate all year because they want the best of something and we deliver on that. We are that favorite weekend, the place where our fans feel great because we want them to laugh the hardest, sing the loudest and make unforgettable memories to a soundtrack that electrifies them.”

Ready to hang out at The Hangout? Tickets to the 2019 Hangout Fest are still available at https://www.hangoutmusicfest.com/tickets/

Don’t miss out!  Subscribe today to have Alabama’s leading headlines delivered to your inbox.