When spring finally begins to tiptoe back into our lives this May, New Englanders certainly deserve to celebrate their release from hibernation. What better way to celebrate than with live music, local beer, and delicious food?
Luckily, Boston Calling, Boston’s largest biannual music festival, will be coming in clutch this year with artists like Sia, City and Colour, Janelle Monae, and many other national and local talent. The three-day festival has strong footing in Boston’s art scene and has constantly been evolving since its conception back in 2012. The festival has since brought thousands of music lovers to our beloved city on the harbor—not only to participate in festivities, but also to get in touch with the city itself.
Mike Snow, cofounder of Boston Calling and currently working full time organizing on-set operations, explained, “We encourage people to come out and support a Boston company. I grew up here, and there is a tourist element to all of these people coming here.”
Snow explained that since Boston Calling has always been set up at City Hall Plaza, which is right in the middle of downtown, festival goers have the opportunity to explore nearby parts of the city like Boston Common in between performances. Snow and his team hope to not only bring attention to artists and vendors participating in the festival, but also to promote Boston as an enjoyable and beautiful city.
“We want our attendees to have a paramount experience. Over the years, we have been figuring out how to make the space come alive. Since City Hall Plaza is always changing because of construction, we are always forced to change things up as well. We are toying around with different features to add once construction finishes up, such as including wine vendors,” Snow said.
The organizers at Boston Calling have a truly organic way of picking the lineup each year. After talking to a couple hundred bands and going back and forth with numerous agents, the organizers begin with the top of the bill and get a sense for the kind of vibe they want to encourage, whether it be pop, EDM, or any other genre.  
However, Snow explained the process as akin to working out a “big jigsaw puzzle, with a lot of elements out of your control.” He cited an example of a band from last year requiring much more stage space than they anticipated and working on solutions to problems at the drop of a hat. With three days to manage over 20 bands, various vendors for food and alcohol, two stages for alternating performance, a VIP section for some guests, and proper security, a lot goes into making Boston Calling the music festival legend it has become in the Northeast.
To purchase your tickets for this May’s Boston Calling festival or learn more about what is going on this year, check out http://bostoncalling.com.