The Festival That Doesn't Know When to End

On paper, NSFF runs 10am to 10pm. That's what's printed. That's what people plan their day around.

In reality, most editions run way past that. Sun up, gates open, food smells everywhere by midday, crowd building through the afternoon, and by the time it's meant to be winding down at 10, the place is still full and nobody's going anywhere. Most times we don't actually close until midnight.

As stage manager, that's a whole different kind of pressure. You're not just thinking about your own set anymore, you're thinking about every act after you, every vendor still serving, every hour past the plan that you have to somehow account for.

But there's something about a crowd that won't let a festival end on time. It tells you people don't want to leave. That's not really a problem. That's the whole point.

Still, come midnight, my feet know exactly how long the day was.