Going to the Montana Folk Festival? Don’t be the clown in the crowd.

This weekend's Montana Folk Festival is going to bring 21 big name performers along with tens of thousands of spectators and fans to the stage at the Original Mineyard and several other locations throughout Uptown Butte.  Now, we've all been to big events and concerts over the years, and we've all seen "those people".  The people who make the concert or festival experience worse for everyone in their immediate vicinity.  What they do, while technically not illegal, is certainly pretentious and annoying.  Who are "those people", but more importantly how do you not become one of them?

THE "TWO-STEPPERS"

These are perhaps the most egregious of offenders and they are present at many concerts and practically every show where a popular country act is performing.  The two-steppers.  Now in and of itself, the two-step is a great dance, but within the name itself lies the problem.  It requires a lot of stepping. And at a festival or concert there is barely enough room to move your head much less send your annoying boot-scootin' partner spinning into the person just trying to get a couple of beverages back to their seat.  And what gets me is that every single time they blast into you, they look at you like you're the idiot.  And why do they insist on doing this in the most crowded area of the show?  Just, why?  Don't be these people.  Dance, but don't destroy.

THE "NATURALIST"

Okay, while we're all about personal freedoms and hygiene being perhaps the most personal at them all, please think about the people who are going to be around you later in the day when you decide to skip the shower or deodorant.  Equally offensive are the people who come drenched in perfume or cologne.  Again, think of the personal space of others and do your best to stay fresh and relatively clean.  A little prevention goes a long way.

THE "CONVERSATIONALISTS"

Every show has the people who have scratched and clawed their way to the best areas only to completely ignore the performances and carry on a full-blown conversation with their buddy next to them, or worse, on their cell phones.  And while we're on the topic of cell phones, don't spend the entire show filming it on your camera.  Put the phone down and enjoy the experience.  And for Pete's sake if you are filming it, don't ruin the view of everyone behind you by holding your camera as far as you can over your head.

More or less, it's all about common courtesy.  Exercise a little bit of kindness and self-awareness this weekend at the Montana Folk Festival and you and those around you will have a fantastic time.