Well, Summer nights is back on the website... Special Events and Seasonal Celebrations | Busch Gardens Williamsburg
Busch Gardens Williamsburg Summer Nights 2023
- Thread starter Mwe BGW
- Start date
I just wish this doesn't mean the return of the pop music in the park.
Color me not impressed with this years concert line up. Collective Soul will most likely be the only one I will go to.
I wish they'd get Owl City one year. He's not that popular anymore though so I doubt they will.
That makes it way more likely.
We'd actually make a trip to one of these concerts for once if this was the case.
Would also love to make a BGW night to see some of the old alternative/indie/college rock bands that aren't as popular anymore too. OAR, Dispatch, Jack Johnson, Mraz, etc. Wouldn't complain about Jimmy Buffet and a margarita themed booth either.
EDM might be cool? Maybe some of the emo/punk/rock bands from the 2000's (Taking Back Sunday, Brand New, Fall Out Boy, etc.) would be cool too, and probably hits a big target demographic for the park.
Even though I listen to most of it, I worry that hip hop amps the crowd up in all the wrong ways, have zero interest in metal, pop is often either waaaay too big for BGW or so boringly stale, and the religious genres aren't my thing. I'm very picky about country too.
TBH, as someone aged between traditionally defined generations, my musical tastes are all over the place but I feel like BGW reliably hits every segment that I'm not interested in.
That’s the only one I would care even a smidgen about. I’ve seen them a couple of times and enjoyed them.
100% of my support goes to this. Nothing is more summer than this kind of music.
In modern times, few things are more summer to the younger crowd than house music and festival season. Considering the lack of competition in the area, the park could easily put on a mini festival over the summer. Young people are surprisingly willing to spend large sums of money on festivals, especially in the proximity of a college. I'm not sure where exactly since RPT doesn't lend itself well necessarily but you find a way to put up a couple stages in FHP or even around the park for a weekend or two you could easily charge a bit more and run the place as a festival theme park hybrid. Not a great concept for the family crowd, but I'm surprised we haven't seen a park anywhere do something like that to really grab on to the 18-30 demographic.
Something, something, chaperone policy at nearby parks, something. 
On a more serious note, it would make sense to put this in a gated area and put an 18+ restriction in place if they ever were to revisit the idea. I've said for a while now that BGW needs a proper beer garden before and it would take very little investment to add a DJ booth and some lighting to that type of space to transform it during summer nights even if they didn't want something as widespread as a week-long festival or large-scale concert. With the generational trend being focused on "experiences" over "stuff", things like this would likely be a hit for the GP (especially non-riders). Combine that with the absurd prices BGW charges for drinks compared to many other parks, and I'm sure they can path out a solid ROI and find some budgetary room if they wanted to.
On a more serious note, it would make sense to put this in a gated area and put an 18+ restriction in place if they ever were to revisit the idea. I've said for a while now that BGW needs a proper beer garden before and it would take very little investment to add a DJ booth and some lighting to that type of space to transform it during summer nights even if they didn't want something as widespread as a week-long festival or large-scale concert. With the generational trend being focused on "experiences" over "stuff", things like this would likely be a hit for the GP (especially non-riders). Combine that with the absurd prices BGW charges for drinks compared to many other parks, and I'm sure they can path out a solid ROI and find some budgetary room if they wanted to.
I’d rather BGW not spend more money on mediocre DJs. But that is just my opinion.
I see what you mean, but then think about how they do random live music artists in New France already.
I wouldn't make a point to spend my whole evening at either, but I do stop to enjoy the music and think the continued variation in genre would be welcomed, especially by a younger crowd.
I just want a beer garden, damnit.
I wouldn't make a point to spend my whole evening at either, but I do stop to enjoy the music and think the continued variation in genre would be welcomed, especially by a younger crowd.
I just want a beer garden, damnit.
Especially considering how non-expensive good DJs are. Usually the mid-level artists and the openers at festivals today are cheap, and are all very skilled up and comers.
I do wonder if part of why their DJ work is so restricted is licensing rights to songs. I am not sure how those rules work in the context of a theme park compared to the usual venue where a DJ can play whatever they want. Or perhaps it is just a gray area a big company like SEAS wants nothing to do with, hence why their DJ sets are always prescribed.