Words and Photos by Craig J. Sandor

Good Weather, good vibes, good people, good times and all for a good cause (The 2012 Life is good Festival raised over $1 million to help kids in need) – the 2012 Life is good Festival in Canton, MA certainly lived up to its name!

This festival is like no other that I have attended and I have to honestly say, it’s by far the best one I’ve been to. With a crowd made up more of children than adults, it was impossible not to have a smile on your face throughout the whole weekend. This wasn’t all about music though; it was about family fun and family time as well. From BMX stunt jumping, potato sack races, magicians, arts & crafts plus more, the children ruled this festival. There was even music for the little ones featuring such acts as The Fresh Beat Band on the main stage to kick off each day, but the kids even had their own tent filled with live music through the days, so their ears were full of great beats the whole time.

With that said, there of course was a lineup that would keep everyone moving and grooving all weekend long. With a variety of acts such as Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, Soulive, and Michael Franti & Spearhead closing out Saturday night, and Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds finishing up the weekend, who could leave there unsatisfied? Along with the beautiful voices of Sara Bareilles and Katie Herzig, there was also awesome music coming from ALO, The Infamous Stringdusters, as well as festival regulars The Ryan Montbleau Band. R&B Soul singer Allen Stone brought some music to the main stage that kept everyone on their toes. Moreover, being introduced to acts for the first time such as Eric Hutchinson, Sarah Jarosz, Muck and The Mires, Orange Television and Air Traffic Controller will have me attentively keeping an ear out for them in the future.

This is a weekend that everyone should experience as far as festivals go as it was surprisingly clean (no garbage in site), safe, very convenient to get to (via shuttle or public transportation), and there was nothing but positive vibes and smiles to be had all around.