This was my second visit to Tanglewood in Lennox, Massachusetts, but the first time on my own. 

I arrived early to get a parking space close to the main gates. Entering at 5 PM, how did I spend the 3 hours until show time?

During the first hour I enjoyed a picnic dinner I brought with me in the beer garden.  The area soon filled up and I accepted all requests to join my table. Conversation flowed!

I wandered around to study picnic styles.  I found table chandeliers, cribbage playing and interesting seating formations.  It was an engaging and entertaining journey.

When I got to my assigned seat inside the shed, those seated near me were chatty before the show started. The performance by Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga was a special occasion and everyone was excited about it. 

Following the concert I took a “wait it out” strategy to try avoid the exit stampede of traffic. I did something different...I hung out with the groupies at the stage exit.  When I headed to my car, my parking lot was almost empty, but the the road traffic hadn’t eased up one bit because of the backlog from the distant lots.

The lesson learned was that the chunk of time spent before and after the concert is viewed as a Tanglewood rite of passage.  One needs to accept this kind of event "sandwich"  - whether traveling solo or in a group.  

When you last attended a large event, what did you learn from the experience?