How to Score Cheap Tickets to Music Festivals
When temperatures start rising, some people think of flowers and happy birds. Me, I think music. It’s festival season!
It’s finally that time of year when festivals with funny names are announced throughout the United States (and throughout the world, of course). So many great bands and experiences — it’s hard to pick just one or two to check out this year.
One year, I didn’t. I went to as many music festivals as I could. It helped that I had somehow convinced my boss to let me work four, 10-hour shifts each week. That meant I always had Fridays off, so I was able to maximize my vacation days. But even though I was indeed working a second job, I was hit with reality: Festivals can be really expensive!
USA Today reported that ticket prices for the weekend can range from $223 to almost $500. Oh, and that article was from three years ago! So, what’s a music fan to do? Here are four solid ways to score cheap (or free!) tickets and have an absolute blast this festival season:
Volunteer
This might sound obvious, but some people still don’t realize that if you plan far enough in advance, you can apply online at the festival website to be a volunteer. What this means varies greatly, so you’ll want to make sure the trade is worth it for you. You may be picking up trash or sorting recyclables, or you may be handling press in the VIP tent. Sometimes, it boils down to who you know, so be sure to work those connections. One year, I traded a four-hour shift in the book tent at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival for a free ticket. My job? Stand around, bored, until Denis McNalley, who wrote a book about his time with the Grateful Dead, arrived to sign books. I hung around and talked with him. Oh, and all volunteers could buy $1 beers. It was a sweet gig.
However, if that shift interfered with a band I wanted to see, if it started crazy-early in the morning or if it was really hard labor, I might not have felt so good about it. So, know what you’re getting into, and have a good attitude about it.
Leverage Your Talents
My friend JT is an extremely talented poi spinner. That means, for the uninitiated, that he lights on fire two balls and then swings them around his body in a mesmerizing fashion. He also spins around a fire staff and all kinds of other interesting toys. I wasn’t surprised, then, to see that he was able to use his talents to get a free ticket to Hulaween in exchange for performing for 30 minutes each night. I watched him burn his shoulder and just shake it off. That’s dedication, baby.
Of course, you need to be creative here. Perhaps you have experience with media relations or are a trained chef. You never know what organizers need, so don’t be afraid to pitch them your idea. You may end up making the festival even better — while having a bunch of fun.
Live the Vend Life
Know anyone who runs a vending tent at a festival? If you don’t, start introducing yourself. These friendly — yet world-wise — folks often set up and pack down their mobile stores at festivals throughout the nation. If you warm up to someone who vends, they may ask you to work the tent with them. Here is a hint to get these folks on your good side: Offer to run and get them food. Often, they stand around all day while looky-loos are nit-picking their merchandise or are all messed up on drugs and booze. It can get tiring.
You’ll want to keep this reality in mind when signing up to work. The pros are that not only are you getting a free ticket, you’re also getting paid in cash. The cons are that you may be working some long hours, missing some good music and don’t really have the opportunity to let loose as much as you may want to. I had a good deal going with my friend Magoo, who sold cool shirts, hat pins and rope sandals. At Lock’n, he let me pick out some shifts that didn’t conflict with bands I loved. I made money and the sold the crap out of those rope sandals. Own a pair? You may have bought them from me.
Connect with the Artists
Well, yeah. Get rich and famous and that’s how you’ll be able to afford music festivals every weekend, right? It’s actually a little simpler than that. Every artist on the lineup of a festival has tickets to sell and/or giveaway, depending on the festival. These tickets will be at a discount, and it’s not a bad idea to try to hunt one of these bad boys down. Try looking to the small print of the festival poster. Are there bands that you’ve seen in your town that you liked? You can even try reaching out on Facebook, tell them you’d love to see them again but you’re strapped for cash. It’s worth a try.
I personally have had success getting a greatly reduced Magnolia Festival ticket from a friend of a friend of a band member. I don’t even know the band. All I know is that I knew a friend, and what more do you need. You may find success too!
