It’s October 2021 and things are finally starting to feel like we’re turning a page. Never have I felt so hopeful for the new year ahead and the possibilities of traveling and attending concerts without worry. Two things I truly never mind spending money on because they bring me joy!

 

If you’re much like me then not being able to travel and consistently seeing music festivals get cancelled felt like another heartbreaking year. That energy finally shifted for me last month when BottleRock finally arrived. Since then, it’s felt like a non-stop ride of enjoying all my favorite things. 

I wouldn’t be honest if I said I wasn’t worried about high COVID infection rates, but I chose to trust in the safety protocols that had been set in place by the entertainment companies. After all, Lollapalooza, the four-day music festival which drew almost 400,000 people only had 203 cases of Covid-19. Even BottleRock, which attracts tens of thousands of people, wasn’t a COVID-spreader like many people previously thought it would be. Call me crazy, but I’ll take those odds! 

Since then, I have been embracing my desires to attend concerts and music festivals and end 2021 with a positive bang! Last month I had the pleasure of seeing Chase Rice and Weezer at Silverado’s Resort and Spa with the 2021 Fortinet Championship and the Oxbow River Stage has brought an incredible lineup of artists to perform for the last several months. Just a few weeks ago I finally visited the new Chase Center in San Francisco and witnessed several of my all-time favorite R&B artists performing on one stage—BBD, 112, SWV, Ginuwine, Brian McKnight, 702, and more! Part of me feels like I’m making up for the last year and a half in lockdown…and I don’t want to stop! Next month I’ll be checking out another R&B Only event coming to August Hall, Goapele will be at Yoshi’s in Oakland on November 13th, I’ll be flying to Brooklyn to witness the Queen—Mary J Blige—perform at the Barclays Center on November 18th and wrapping up the month with R&B legend, Keith Sweat, who’s performing in Reno during Thanksgiving weekend.

It’s time to embrace the fun again, Napa! Though it can feel intimidating and somewhat worrisome given the challenges we’ve all faced with the pandemic, it’s important we find joy again. It’s important we bring to fruition that which makes us happy. We all deserve that happiness! 

What does happiness look like for you, and what are you willing to do to give it to yourself?

 

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