Music festivals: are they really worth it?

Festival season is a time of joy for music fans of all genres, with so many different festivals around to cater for everyone. However, due to the dire state of the economy there is a common question that springs to mind once a festival line-up is announced: how much will it cost this time?

Festival tickets, as with many other products and items, often increase in price every year. The price increase is usually an extra £10 every year, which may not seem like a lot, but added on top of an already expensive ticket (plus booking fees, plus delivery fees) all adds up. This means that the common price for a five day camping ticket to a music festival is usually around £200. The high price often means that many music fans often substitute going on holiday for going to a music festival, meaning that once they are there they want to have the best time possible.

The ticket price isn’t all that needs to be paid for. Transport is another expense of the festival experience. Rising fuel prices mean that it is now even more expensive than ever to travel and car parking tickets at festivals often cost over £10 for the weekend. Many people car-share, meaning that it is more cost-efficient for both the driver and their friends. Many festivals also join forces with coach companies, allowing customers to get cheaper travel to the festival. Another key expense is camping equipment: tents, sleeping bags and wellies can end up costing a fortune. Food and drink inside the arena also isn’t cheap, often with a pint costing you £5! Bringing your own food and drink can help bring the costs down, but make sure that you don’t try and bring it into the arena or it will be confiscated.

Despite being expensive to attend, the main aspect of a festival is the music. With hundreds of bands playing across the weekend, you have the opportunity to watch some of the most popular bands in the world, as well as exploring the hottest new talent in the music industry. With so many stages, festivals such as Sonisphere and Download enable you to watch bands across five different stages on three different days: there is always something for everyone. With the average concert costing around £25 to see three bands, during the festival you only need to see twenty four bands/acts to get your money’s worth. For a dedicated music lover, this is an extremely possible situation.

All in all, if you embrace every aspect of a festival, rather than just paying to get drunk, you can definitely have an amazing experience at a music festival. With their popularity rising, it’s easy to see why so many people attend festivals every year.