“Over the weekend, we could turn the world to gold,” sang Canadian singer Carly Rae Jepsen, as if she knew Wanderland: The Comeback would do just that. Wanderers got the brain-chemistry-altering weekend they signed up for the minute they stepped through the gates at Filinvest City Events Grounds, Alabang on March 4 and 5, 2023.

It was the biggest music festival comeback ever and the energy from excited Wanderers was contagious. Wanderland: The Comeback, presented by Globe, showed everyone how a comeback is artfully done – a solid lineup of performances, booths with good food, and activities that give Wanderers a chance to win tickets, get roundtrip rides, and more. These are 8 reasons why Wanderland: The Comeback gave us the best weekend ever.

1. Anticipating Wanderland’s epic comeback

It has been four long years since we last saw Wanderland come to life. Although the annual festival was put on hold in 2020, Karpos Multimedia made it clear that they will make an epic comeback. Presented by Globe, a Wanderland partner since 2014, they brought out the big guns this year. We speak for everyone when we say that weekend is now a core memory!

2. Dancing to electrifying performances

Wanderland brought global, regional, and local artists to share the Wanderland and Globe stages throughout the two days.

Filipino acts like internationally-acclaimed 88Rising star Ylona Garcia graced the stage and iconic rockstar Rico Blanco sang his classic hits. OPM bands The Ridleys and Flu also raised the Philippine flag and had Wanderers bopping their heads to their tunes.

Much-awaited Asian acts like Bangkok-based duo HYBS and South Korean musical collective Balming Tiger gave performances with unique musical flavor. Meanwhile, American singer-songwriter Raveena, goddess that she is, serenaded everyone with her soulful music.

But perhaps Wanderers were most excited for the headliners. Carly Rae Jepsen shone and sparkled on stage as she delivered banger after banger. She capped off Day 1 with an electrifying performance of “Cut to the Feeling” which “Iglesia ni Carly” members sang back wholeheartedly.

Day 2 saw Florida rock band Dashboard Confessional sing nostalgic tracks that made everyone emo for the good ol’ days. And finally, French pop rock band Phoenix capped Wanderland’s comeback with a setlist Pinoy fans could only dream of.

3. Trying out a ton of fun activities

Whenever Wanderers were not jumping up and down in front of the stage, they got to explore a wide range of activities that suited anyone’s fancy. At the Globe Homecoming Art + Music Playground, Wanderers were greeted with a number of booths that helped take their festival experience to the next level.

At the Questune booth, Wanderers won fun prizes by guessing songs. The School Spirit corner offered face paints and hair braids, and the Distort Monsters Exhibit made for an awesome IG-worthy background. Over at the Merch corner, Wanderers had a chance to play with the claw machine and win prizes. There were also immersive experiences like the Globe VH Metaverse and the Giant Gumball for the kids at heart.

Wanderers got cute temporary tattoos for finishing activities at any Globe booth. Once they collect five tattoos, they get a chance to win P5,000 GCash credits.

Globe’s variety of activities tickled every Wanderer’s competitive streak and had them busy trying out each one.

“We have always patterned our booth concept aligning it to the main theme of Wanderland,” says Pia Colby, Chief Marketing Officer of Globe Telecom. “We listen to what our customers want and what they’re looking forward to for us to create a memorable festival experience for them.”

Aside from these delightful activities, Globe also provided lockers, alcoholic beverages, and free water too. And since Globe couldn’t have folks running out of battery in the middle of a festival, their dedicated Living It! booth allowed everyone to charge their devices for free.

You could literally spend a good chunk of hours in the Globe Homecoming Art + Music Playground and never get bored!

4. Taking IG-worthy pictures

One day isn’t enough to explore every nook and cranny at Wanderland. Towards the back of the venue, Wanderers got to shoot some hoops at the Wanderland Homecourt. The gigantic floor art and giant dartboard were also IG-worthy hotspots.

Meanwhile, at the Wanderland merch booth, Wanderers got to splurge on shirts, shorts, bucket hats, sweaters, bags, and keychains to commemorate their golden weekend.

5. Being immersed in spaces dedicated to the arts

Since Wanderland is a music and arts festival, it also shone a spotlight on local artists. Alaga, Amiel Rivera, Faith de Leos, and Wika Nadera were in charge of creating inspiring live art murals. Meanwhile, Wanderers got to express their creativity too, thanks to the giant #GlobeWanderland marquee.

6. Experiencing gastronomic delights

Wanderers’ stomachs stayed full thanks to a wide range of food and drinks – more than enough to cater to everyone’s tastes. Kiosks offered Filipino, Japanese, Thai, Chinese, and American cuisines. There were stalls by Shake Shack, Salad Stop, Sushi Nori, Manam, 8Cuts, Din Tai Fung, Ooma, and Mo’ Cookies! The picnic area was also a great place to spend lounging with friends while waiting to chow down.

Wanderers also had the advantage of paying for their meals via GCash for quicker transactions. As expected from a music festival, the lines did get long, but nothing could deter Wanderers from hunkering down with a much-deserved burger-pizza meal!

Aside from food, bar and drink booths were scattered across the venue.

7. Vibing with a crowd that’s up for anything

Whether that’s slow dancing to a Raveena song with phone flashlights on or helping Phoenix frontman Thomas Mars crowd surf, Wanderers proved they were there for a good time. Barkadas, couples, solo Wanderers, first-time Wanderers, celebrities, and even foreigners – you name it, the crowd has it.

One thing is clear – Wanderland’s three-year hiatus only made everyone miss it more. And when the weekend arrived, they were more than ready to have fun. Coupled with perfect weather for an outdoor festival, it was a golden weekend indeed!

8. Getting hyped for Wanderland 2024

Perhaps a testament to this music and arts festival’s awesomeness is that some folks have already secured their tickets for next year’s edition. When Karpos Multimedia announced the Loyal Wanderer Pre-Sale for Wanderland 2024, many immediately snagged tickets at super-discounted prices – a sulit deal that made everyone all the more excited for what was to come.

Wanderland’s comeback is real and it’s never been this good! With a stellar line-up that gave us unforgettable performances plus thrilling activities to boot, it gave Wanderers a much-needed rest from the daily grind. As if they can’t get enough, Wanderers are also looking forward to creating more memories next year.

See you there!

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