How to Begin Your Own Music Festival

Starting a music festival can be a daunting task, but the rewards are well worth the challenges.

Give Yourself Enough Time

You will need several months, or possibly even a couple of years to get a quality musical festival off the ground, depending on the size of the festival.

This kind of event takes a healthy chunk of time and forethought.

Make a List

There are a lot of details that go into planning a music festival: you need to • Pick a venue • Rent or buy the necessary equipment • Ensure that you’re meeting local safety standards

You’ll also need a solid cash flow from sponsors and artists to play your stage, as well as activities to keep concert-goers entertained between sets.

Make a detailed list of what needs to accomplish and when it needs to be done by, and you’ll be part of the way towards making your dream event a reality.

Put Together A Good Team

In order to pull off an excellent music festival, you need to have a team of reliable, hard-working people.

If you find yourself lacking in a specific area, bringing aboard someone who excels in that area will help fill in any gaps.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help, and delegate tasks to others who have knowledge where you may have inexperience.

Work With Your Local Government

Permits and permissions are all part of putting together an event of this size, and you need the local government on your team.

Don’t place this aspect of your event at the bottom of your priorities. It should be at the top.

Make and keep up contacts in the local government, and give them enough time to process the permits you need for your festival.

Last minute requests will not make you friends in the local government, and by waiting too long you may not get the permission you need at all.

Get A Good Mix of Musicians

If you are just starting out, your budget may be limited as to the level of musicians that you can get for your festival.

You need to search for smaller, local favorites that people will enjoy discovering at your festivals in between the more popular bands they already know and love.

By having a good mix of popular musicians and lesser-known artists you can satisfy your crowd with both the familiar and the excitement of a new discovery.

Great music is the essence of a music festival, but having food trucks other vendors are also a big part of a good time for your festival-goers.

Try to include local foods, awesome clothing pop-ups, and maybe toss in some experiential booths.

You should also keep your doors and eyes open for any other appropriate vendors that fit the theme of your festival.

More Than Just Music

Beginning a music festival isn’t a walk in the park, but it is worth facing the difficulties of red tape and sponsors to make it happen.

Once you’ve pulled off your first successful music festival, the doors for subsequent years are wide open to endless possibilities of sponsors, vendors and great music.