20 per cent of Brits will choose a festival over a holiday this year, with 32 per cent saying a festival counts as their main summer trip. Rising holiday costs, hotter British summers and Brexit uncertainty were the most popular reasons given for attending more live music events instead this summer.
Research by OnePoll for Barclaycard also found 20 per cent of Brits feel festivals are a rite of passage, while 19 per cent said their summer would be incomplete without a festival. 11 per cent create their own playlists in the months ahead of attending.
Over a third of parents surveyed said they’d like their children to attend a festival to enhance their social skills and build confidence. Just under one in ten people gave this as a reason for going.
Scottish radio DJ Edith Bowman said: “I’ve spent half my life going to festivals and I am thrilled to see that their wider value in society is starting to be truly recognised. From self-confidence and open-mindedness to new tastes and unforgettable live music – there is so much on offer.
“I can’t think of a better way to spend my summer than with those who have an appreciation and love for the same thing that I do.”
One in four people surveyed said they prefer festivals for making monumental memories with friends, and one in ten admit to experiencing a fear of missing out if their friends go without them.
Top 10 reasons Brits go to festivals:
- 46% – To see bands and artists that they love
- 34% – To discover new music
- 27% – To try new foods
- 27% -To enjoy experiences unrelated to music such as yoga or comedy
- 25% – To meet new people
- 24% – To become more open-minded
- 14% -To find new brands/products
- 11% – To visit interesting pop-up bars
- 10% – To experiment with fashion
- 9% – To build social skills
Despite rising holiday costs and Brexit uncertainty being popular reasons to choose a festival over a holiday, the research found a festivalgoers average spend to be £549.76. Most of this goes on travel, clothes, and tents.
22 per cent of festivalgoers said they worry about running out of money, with 16 per cent admitting they don’t know how to budget. 38 per cent will spend money on new clothes for a festival.
Around a third of festivalgoers said helpful stewards and phone charging points are great additions to a festival environment.
Barclaycard will be bringing their ‘Sensorium’ to Download, Latitude and British Summer Time, billed as: “a multisensory journey designed to open the mind and prime music fans for discovery.”
Back in February, Glastonbury had a capacity increase to 210,000 approved. Boomtown Fair has grown from a capacity of 1,000 to 65,000 in ten years, with proposals to increase this to 80,000.
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