Every student should experience at least one festival in their entire school life. Festivals are beautiful community events full of colour and culture. Music festivals incorporate various activities, all with a dash of cultural element to them. In particular, music festivals weave together diverse activities, infusing each element with a cultural flair, from the performances and attire to the culinary delights and beverages.

The music festivals are known to be held outside in tents or structures with a temporary stage where the performances will be conducted. Let not the name “music festival” lead you to believe that music is all that happens in such events. The festival also hosts other artistic crafts like dance performances, fashion shows, Food and drink vending, and merchandise selling.

An excellent example of a music festival that took place this year and takes place every other year is Save The Rave 2023. This is an event that is enjoyed by all ages, including students.

Having ascertained that music festivals tend to be fun and exciting, the events aren’t free, and thus, there is a need for festival budgets. This article aims to offer indispensable tips to ensure that attending a music festival doesn’t strain the limited financial resources of students.

Understanding Music Festival Expenses 

Before one even gets to budgeting, one should be aware of all the activities in a music festival to understand what they will be spending money on. The factors to be considered include:

  • The festival’s location – the expenses here could range from car rides, transport money, or hiring a car expense to even flight fares if the festival is miles away from your current location.
  • How long the festival is running for is essential in determining whether they’ll need to look for accommodation around the festival’s location.
  • The number of people you are going with – this factor matters in understanding and making every decision related to the music festival because it determines whether you all will be cost-sharing.
  • Food and other essentials you will need to shop for. It is crucial to understand whether bringing snacks and drinks is cheaper than purchasing them at the music festival’s venue. The same applies to the other essentials; students should know what else they will need at the festival and where to buy them.

Going through articles or other students’ term paper writing with titles like “How much do festivals cost?” will help understand festival expenses clearly.

Early Planning and Budgeting

Start saving early

Being a student means you have a lot of things you want to experience and own, but funds may limit you. That is why students master the art of budgeting and saving. For better organisation, a student looking to attend a music festival should have a student festival savings account and strategy. The savings should start early enough so that there’s minimal strain on normal day-to-day activities.

Budgeting for the festival

A robust budget will be implemented once the student understands all the festival expenses. The budget should be realistic and should be broken down into transport, food, drinks, accommodation, essentials, and miscellaneous expenses.

There are sites that are known to provide festival guides; if, as a student, you want to have an unforgettable experience, you can probably get an affordable festival guide on such websites that can be included in the budget.

Affordable ticket purchasing strategies 

The expression “the early bird catches the worm” applies to ticket purchasing. Since music festivals happen annually or after a particular period, the calendar is usually known. Therefore, when the music festival dates are approaching, you should be keen on checking if the tickets have been made available for purchase.

Usually, several categories are determined by the time of purchase. Generally, buying the tickets among the first is usually a plus because they are usually cheaper. When the festival is fast approaching, and there is a lot of hype around it, the ticket prices tend to be higher.

Students should, therefore, avoid last-minute buying, especially at the gate, to save on the money to be used in the festival for other activities.

Remember that many music festivals occur in different parts of the world. Therefore, depending on budget, you can find some of the cheapest music festivals and also those that are relatively expensive.

Economical travel and accommodation options

As mentioned earlier, it is essential to understand the expenses associated with the location of the music festival. Planning to go as a group is economical in a lot of sense. If the location is not very far and does not require flying or long bus or train rides, a group of students can opt to hire a car because it will be cheaper, and they’ll save.

If the festival requires catching flights, some specific days and airlines are cheaper, and students should look into this before making any flight decisions.

The group fact also applies to accommodation. The more people you are going with, the easier it becomes to find affordable and economical places to stay. You may need to check out some budget travel tips to make sure you can afford the trip to the festival.

Food and Drink: Eating Economically

A key piece in the music festivals is the eating and drinking part. The vendors in these events usually prepare amazing food with an inviting, cultural appeal and are often not cheap. Because no one would want to miss out on the full festival experience, there should be a small budget for purchasing some of the food there.

Packing Essentials and Money-saving Hack

In general, a lot of people struggle with packing for trips. There is the usual struggle of how much is too much? What to take to a music festival arises during the festival seasons. Packing for a festival can be a task students want to avoid because of the mental debate it comes with.

A basic festival packing list
  • A charger – this is one of the most important gadgets; always double-check its existence.
  • Comfortable clothes – as it is a music festival, you want to be able to move around freely without restrictions.
  • Rain attire – this includes something warm just in case the weather randomly changes.
  • Comfortable shoes – during festivals, walking around can be included as one of the activities. This is because there will be a lot of movement, moving from one performance area to another.
  • A reusable water bottle – a lot of hydrating is required for a festival as there is a lot of movement.
  • A first aid kit with the medications that may be needed. Include painkillers, gauze, and bandages for emergencies.
  • A camera – (most students often have camera-worthy phones, but carry a camera for assured quality).
  • Identification document – this will include documents like your student ID or driver’s license. It is also useful to include an emergency contact number.

There are mini-festival activities; the purpose is to attend such free mini-performances to save money. Another money-saving hack would be to have a specified and broken down daily budget so you don’t exceed your means.

Finally, always remember to refill the snacks in your bag, carry your water bottle everywhere, and refill water around the festival’s venue.

Staying Safe and Enjoy Yourself, Responsibly

Sometimes, cheap may be expensive; even though students opt to save, it is important to certify that our decisions are safe. The decision of what means of transport to use and the accommodation to settle on.

Going in groups and sticking together is helpful and goes a long way in ensuring the safety of each individual. Have fun responsibly when you attend such events; not everyone there has good intentions; therefore, watch what you eat and drink.

Conclusion 

Music festivals are a chance for students to bond with other students and experience music and art in a unique. All students must strive to tick this off their bucket lists. With the above-shared insights, students must attend a music festival – you will have the best experience on a budget and be well prepared. Enjoy!