How to pick the best festival for you
With so many options these days, it’s hard to know whether to cop a ticket to the next big festival or save that money for another day.
As the New Years festival season wraps up, we’ve been sitting around the Hendon office arguing over which event brought in 2019 best. We’re pretty spoilt for choice when it comes to festivals here in NZ. We have world-class events like Rhythm & Vines, Northern Bass, Bay Dreams, Hidden Valley, Laneway, FOMO, Auckland City Limits, Homegrown and more, all competing for your precious dosh. So let’s take a look at what makes a festival great and how to pick the best one for yourself.
Don’t sweat the lineup
When looking to book tickets our first stop is usually the line-up, but to be honest, it doesn’t really matter. Obviously, if you’re into folk music, don’t be heading along to Northern Bass, but don’t stress if you don’t know every single act. Festivals are often more about the general atmosphere than any specific artist and the booking coordinators work hard to provide artists that suit the vibe rather than the publicity. If you don’t know the entire line-up you’ll likely discover new music throughout the festival. For events like Rhythm & Vines, it’s worth trusting years of booking experience over the current artist trends. Which brings us to our next tip.
Watch out for infancy
The summer festival scene has boomed in the past five years with lots of new ventures taking off and some falling flat. But longevity is the key — if you’re attending a festival that’s been running for 5+ years, it’s safe to assume you’re in good hands. Festivals are a logistical nightmare and as an audience, it’s easy to overlook the impact a lack of shade, water, space, security and food can have but these are the elements that ruin a good time when poorly supplied. Proper management of these things may make for a pricier ticket but much better value for money. With anything younger than five years, it’s worth keeping in mind how much of a shambles you were at that age too.
Location, Location, Location
This one is MASSIVE. A festival can book the best headliners in the world, but if they’re holding the event in a local community hall — it’s not going to be any fun. The right location can turn a festival from a cramped sweat pit to a sprawling wonderland. Festivals like Splore, Rhythm & Vines and Homegrown have perhaps the best festival locations in the country. Rhythm & Vines in particular, has the benefit of being set on the self-owned Waiohika Estate, giving punters fields and fields to make their own. Also, being set on the Wellington waterfront gives Homegrown one of the most illustrious pieces of festival real estate in the country. If the location is wrong, the logistics likely are too. A festival needs a lot of space and tight areas are more likely to suffocate a good time.
What do your mates say about it?
Your friends are the best reviewers. If a mate can tell you that a particular festival was worth the spend, and why — then it’s probably a decent bet. It sounds obvious but it is an important tip to remember. Festivals often have very enticing marketing so it's easy to be swayed without proper counsel. Don’t dive into a festival recommended by a friend with different music, social or entertainment tastes as it likely won’t be your cup of tea. Pay particular attention to your best bud who has been going to Rhythm & Vines for the last 4 years and doesn’t have a word to put against it.
With that being said, good luck allocating your funds for the 2019 festival season. If your financial rations are light, use these tips and you’re guaranteed a good time. Below we’ve listed some festivals that meet all our above criteria but keep in mind there are still many festivals we are yet to attend:
