Summer is just around the corner and people are planning their bucket list vacations, buying box seats for their favorite baseball team or scoring VIP packages for the Country Megaticket Hit List. However, many spend their time traveling and experiencing the largest music festivals across the country --Bonnaroo, Coachella, Lollapalooza. Dressing up in the trendiest boho pieces and soaking up the festival culture seems to be a more popular choice as the weather changes.
Music festivals have always been a huge hit in America, creating a free lifestyle where people can celebrate with drinks, music and friends. In past years, entertainment companies conducted more work landing the best line up, and less work engaging with the ticket holders. However, these days, a lot has changed in the industry (for the better) and will continue to develop as trends in technology, fashion and conversation advance.
Festivals have evolved far beyond lawn chairs and campsites. Attendees are now able to get more for their buck through personalized experiences and wearable technology. In order to boost attendance, festivals offer multiple events throughout the day, encouraging ticket holders to scan in and select what events they will be attending. In order to manage these said activities, consumers use their radio frequency ID bracelet, which electronically registers them into events and reduces the need of manual sign-ups.
As technology continues to boost entertainment sales, brands and fashion have saturated festivals. A music festival is a culture in itself, expressed through specific style and fashion. Free People, one of the most popular boho brands, collaborates with indie fans and inspired artists through blog updates on the festival clothing and culture. People that attend music festivals are more in tune with the festival's lifestyle and can embrace collaborations with fashion labels. Coachella has made a huge shift from initially being solely music conscious to, now, collaborating with the fast fashion company, H&M (for over five years). Through fashion, festivals have also evolved into a one-of-a-kind fashion show.
Without a doubt, social media has been one of the most powerful trends of music festival entertainment. Engaging with the attendees through Instagram contests, hashtags and live Twitter feeds enhances the feeling of connection and touches a fan's experience at every step. Not only does social media liven up an experience, but it also impacts those at home with FOMO who wish they had purchased a ticket. Eventbrite's recent article, "Top 2014 Music Festival Trends and Insights," states that "one in five people who posted about music festivals expressed fear of missing out or wished they could have attended a particular festival."
