My first festival abroad: the 10 tips I wish I'd received
I have lived dozens of festivals far from home: in Guinea, Mali, Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire, then in Quebec. The first time, you make every mistake there is. Here are the tips I wish I had received before my first departure. They hold for a great carnival as for a small village celebration.
1. Check the dates on the festival's official site
A date read on a social network or an old blog can be wrong. Before booking anything, go to the festival's official site or official page, and check that the edition is really confirmed.
On Festival TV, each page distinguishes the officially announced date from the usual period, and links to the festival's official site.
2. Arrive the day before
On opening day, everyone arrives at the same time: roads, hotels and ticket desks are saturated. Arriving the day before gives you time to rest, scout the place and collect your ticket or wristband calmly.
3. Book your accommodation early, and close to the site
During a festival, rooms go fast and prices rise. Sleeping near the site saves you complicated night journeys, and lets you enjoy things until the last concert.
4. Travel light
A small bag is enough: a water bottle, a power bank, rain clothing, something to protect you from the sun, earplugs and a copy of your documents. The rest stays at the hotel.
5. Keep some cash
On many sites, especially in small towns, stalls and vendors don't take cards, and the network can go down. Keep small bills on you, stored in several places.
6. Download everything before you leave
On site, the network is often saturated. The programme, the site map, your ticket and the useful addresses must be saved on your phone before you arrive.
On Festival TV, add your festivals to “My festivals” and to your calendar: dates, place and programme follow you everywhere.
7. Eat like the locals
A festival is not lived only in front of the stage. The markets, the maquis and the small neighbourhood restaurants tell the town's story better than any guide. That is often where I have made my most beautiful encounters.
8. Talk to the volunteers
They know everything: the best spot, the exact concert times, the shortcut out, the place to eat. A smile and a question save you an hour.
9. Stay in a group and tell someone close
In a crowd, you get lost fast. Set a meeting point with your friends, keep your phone charged, and tell someone close where you are. In the evening, head back together.
10. Respect other people's celebration
Some celebrations are sacred or traditional. Before filming someone, ask them. Listen to the organisers' instructions. You are a guest at a community's celebration: that respect is what makes you a true festival-goer.
On Festival TV, film your celebration, with the consent of the people filmed, and submit your images: the most beautiful ones go on air with your name, rewarded in Festivos.
Before you leave
- Dates checked on the official site
- Arrival the day before, accommodation near the site
- Small bag: water bottle, power bank, rain, sun, earplugs
- Cash in small bills
- Programme, map and ticket downloaded
- A meeting point and someone close informed
Your next festival may be on the other side of the world
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Signature d'auteurMoïse 1er, the Festival Explorer
Moïse 1er's advice — the series
The Moïse 1er Chronicle. Festivals: you have the artists, but have you made people want to come? · Partners and funders · Artists · Managers, producers and promoters · Festival-goers · Backstage
Advice for festivals and pros. The 7 mistakes that keep your festival from being seen · What the programmer looks at in 30 seconds · Your artist isn't touring: 6 manager reflexes · My first festival abroad · Getting booked at festivals · Agent, manager, booker, tour manager: who does what?