Festival hq
Music festivals have been solidified in society as the ultimate summer vacation for any music lover. Birthed by the iconic Woodstock Festival back in August of 1969, the world's biggest names in the industry have travelled to festivals throughout the world to perform in front of an entirely new type of audience. With the opportunity to see nearly 150+ artists in less than five days, many fans see this as the epitome of a vacation. Throughout the past decade and a half, more and more festivals have emerged, making it a world wide phenomenon.
Like all vacations, it can be incredibly difficult to choose which one will best suit your personal tastes and interests. Who are you going with? How will you get there? Where to stay? And, most importantly, who is performing? All of these are great questions that we hope to give you the answer to. Here at the Festival HQ, we hope to not only provide you with tips on finding the perfect festival, but also provide you with tips on how to choose, and some advice we have gained throughout years of personal experience. Take a look through the Festival HQ and see which is the best fit for you!
Like all vacations, it can be incredibly difficult to choose which one will best suit your personal tastes and interests. Who are you going with? How will you get there? Where to stay? And, most importantly, who is performing? All of these are great questions that we hope to give you the answer to. Here at the Festival HQ, we hope to not only provide you with tips on finding the perfect festival, but also provide you with tips on how to choose, and some advice we have gained throughout years of personal experience. Take a look through the Festival HQ and see which is the best fit for you!
The Process
1. Find Your Crew |
2. Don't Jump the Gun! |
Chances are, you do not want to experience this alone. It is important to have someone to share these moments with, and to make memories that will last a lifetime with friends and family! Whether you go in a pair or with 6 others, we encourage you to reach out and find that all-star group to go tear up the grounds with!
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Trust us, we know. You just got your crew, you are all so excited it almost makes you want to jump out of your socks! But, unfortunately, it is December and the lineups haven't even been close to released. The most important thing to do is not to jump the gun! There is one, four-letter word we tell people in this predicament: WAIT! Hold your horses! Simmer down! You go to these festivals to see the music (hopefully), so wouldn't it be great if you knew who you were going to see before you drop $300 on a ticket? Don't pay attention to the mock line-ups either because chances are, they are nowhere close to being accurate (hence "mock")!
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3. Do Your Research! Please, please, please do your research! Go through the FAQ and see the dos and don'ts, what's prohibited in the grounds and campgrounds, how many are allowed per site, etc. There is nothing more disappointing than getting there and having something be taken away because you did not read! Each festival is different, so you must pack differently for each venue! See what they (the festival/FAQ) recommend you bring! Look up cool campsite ideas! Ask around and see how others felt about the festival because that is extremely important! And also, there is a high chance you will have plenty of downtime between shows, so see what other activities there are besides the concerts!
5. Budget! |
4. Compromise. Don't be "the guy" or "that girl" who decides the trip for everyone else. Please. Big no. Everyone is paying for their trip separately, so everyone should get equal say in the decision. Create a list of potential festivals, wait for the lineups to come out, do enough research to come to a solid, confident conclusion, and come together as a group and see which feels like the best experience. And please be open minded, there is no time for stubborn people when it comes to festivals.
6. Divide & Conquer |
Keep in mind that these festivals can really put a dent in your wallet. We highly advise to spend as little as possible on things you can just bring from home (i.e. food, drinks, etc.), but if you really get a kick out of spending the penny, all the power to you! See how much hotels are, how much food and drink you plan to bring to and buy at the festival, and most importantly, how much you need to spend on the essentials before you leave (i.e. camping equipment, accessories, etc.). Go with a certain amount of cash and cap yourself before things get out of control, which they will if you don't budget properly. Oh, and we advise you save your money for things that you need before you go to the march tent and drop $50+ on t-shirts. Wait until Saturday or Sunday to get that stuff because chances are, it will still be there!
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Divvy up the responsibilities! Each person should contribute an equal amount so nobody has too much responsibility on themselves. Here are a few ideas: everyone pays for the camping pass/hotel rooms. Half supply the food, half supply the drink. If someone brings a canopy, offer them to share the tent with you! Someone brings the cooler, everyone else get the ice. Likewise, someone brings a grill, someone else bring utensils and anything to help make the grill work! Whoever drives SHOULD NEVER PAY FOR THEIR OWN GAS! If someone is offering to drive you up, the least you could do is fill up their tank once or twice, just be a good person! Oh, and do not forget a speaker, or multiple. The only thing you do not have to share is your personal belongings like clothes and toiletries. That's all you!
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7. PLAN THE TRIP! Have a plan of attack. Many goers do not live down the street, but if you do then great! For most, this will be a road trip, and a bad one if not planned properly. First and foremost, know where you are going. Don't waste your time getting lost because you didn't have the directions to begin with! Thankfully the GPS solved this issue pretty quick, but it is important to be somewhat familiar with where you are going. If you need hotel rooms, find one that is relatively inexpensive and close to where you need to go. See how many drivers you will need, who goes in which car, how much gear is going in one car, driving shifts, is there food on the way (preferably near a gas station), etc.
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8. Go Have Fun! There really isn't much to say at this point except to have fun! Take advantage of everything that is there, and make memories that will last a lifetime!
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