Not everyone is cut out to handle three full days of music, and you feel sorry for those people. From camping outside to throwing elbows as you work your way toward the stage, there is no music festival experience you won’t try at least once. Well, good news, music fanatic. MusicfestNW (MFNW) is just around the corner. This annual music festival is set to take place from August 21-23, 2015. Where is MusicfestNW? In the fine city of Portland, of course. We partnered with MusicfestNW to bring you the top five reasons to go in 2015:

1. The Jams

Of course the Musicfest lineup is the biggest reason to head to the festval. MusicfestNW stays true to its name, serving up plenty of live bands. Over the course of three days, artists including Foster the People, Belle and Sabastian, and Lady Lamb will take the stage. You can buy a three-day pass so you don’t miss a thing, or pick up a single-day ticket. If you want to put the zoom feature on your iPhone to good use, go ahead and splurge on a VIP ticket so you’re close enough to capture nose hairs on camera (if you’re into that sort of thing).

2. Good Eats

You didn’t think you could go to Portland and miss the food cart experience, did you? Food carts scream “typical Portland” nearly as much as free range livestock using solar powered bicycles. This year nearly 10 food carts will be set up the entire weekend to serve you some good grub. From Asian dumplings at Dump Truck to some sweet, sweet Southern treats at Oregon Beignet, you can indulge in your favorite food without leaving the festival.

3. Location, Location, Location

MFNW is held at Waterfront Park (if we’re being formal, Tom McCall Waterfront Park). If you want to explore PDX while you’re in town, and we really think you should, it’s easy to get around from this venue by foot or on the MAX light rail. Within just a few miles of Waterfront Park you’ll find local breweries such as Rogue Hall and iconic eateries like Voodoo Doughnut. If your MusicfestNW schedule allows for it, you can check out other nearby attractions that range from Japanese gardens to outdoor markets. Oh, and the venue is aptly named. You’ll have views of Willamette River at your disposal.

4. The Weird Locals 

Don’t worry, the good people of Portland love to keep their city weird, so we’re not calling names here. In fact, Portlanders practically wear their eccentricities like a badge of honor. They will gladly go head-to-head with any city that claims to be “The Weirdest” (we’re looking at you, Austin). With that in mind, you should come to MFNW with your people-watching specs on. You’re bound to make the acquaintance of someone with a unique fashion sense or a truly bizarre story to tell.

5. Portland Is at Its Best

Portland enjoys some of its finest weather between July and September. Despite the dog days status usually assigned to August, Portland manages to stay lovely. Not only is the weather comfortable more often than it’s not during this time of year in the Northwest, but some of the best PDX activities are scheduled for August. From farmers markets to the North American Organic Brewers Festival, you can explore the best that Portland has to offer while you’re around for MFNW.

Header photo attribution: From Flickr  – The National