Producing Clear Instructions on How to Get to a Music Festival

Most music festival entities can have a great website and social media presence but it is not unusual that crucial information about the event location and transport options are given little thought. Organisers need to give this aspect of their communication to festival-goers a greater emphasis rather than assuming that only previous attendees who know the location are going.

For potential ticket buyers it can be frustrating to establish the exact location of a music festival they're interested in. Poster artwork will usually give dates and line-up details but the location could be no more than ‘near’ a particular city. Digging around a website may also lead to a section about transport options and the location which may still be vague without specific details. Producing clear and effective instructions on how to get to a music festival is crucial for ensuring attendees arrive smoothly and without confusion. What are the essential details organisers should include about their location and transport options? 

Accurate Location and Maps. 
A good visual depiction of a map showing location with transport links and notable towns or cities will help to give a good overview of the festival location. This can be enhanced with location co-ordinates and links to google maps for example. A fully detailed festival site map can also show entrance and exit gates plus parking zones and local bus stops. 

Communication Channels. 
The best place to publish location details will be the festival’s website but these details should be duplicated on social media channels too albeit in a cut down version. When festival-goers purchase their tickets, organisers can email details of the exact location and transport options directly to each person. If the festival is producing a dedicated App which festival-goers can download prior to the event then including an interactive site map along with location and transport options will enable everyone to have easy access on their mobile devices. 

Public Transport Options. 
Include details of nearby airports, train stations and bus stops with details on estimated times to get to the festival site so festival-goers can plan their journeys. If possible, include specific details of airlines, taxi services, train and bus routes with timetables. In many instances the festival organisers may arrange for free shuttle buses to and from the festival site from popular train stations and bus stops if they are not within easy walking distance. For those choosing bicycles it’s worth including details of bike rental shops or preferred routes from nearby towns and cities along with approximate travel times.

Private Transport Options. 
Using private cars to travel to festivals is still one of the most popular options for festival-goers because they can share costs with 4 or 5 friends and get the flexibility of not being tied to any timetables. Driving recommendations are essential with links to Google mapping navigation indicating optimal routes and travel times. Where possible organisers should highlight roads prone to delays and traffic congestions and suggest alternative routes or times to avoid. If there are any planned roadworks that will impact on access to a festival site these could be included too.  For private car drivers the festival site maps should indicate the parking zones and matching entrance gate numbers which may have been issued if parking has already been booked and paid for. 

Sustainable Transport.
All music festival entities will do their utmost to promote sustainable travel options because the biggest impact on the event’s carbon footprint is from private car usage. Highlighting train and bus transport options along with timetables and costs can help encourage people to consider these options. In some cases, organisers may have negotiated discounts with train, bus and coach companies giving a greater financial incentive for use. The festival location and transport options content is the perfect place to highlight the organiser’s commitment to sustainability. 

For festival organisers planning their next events using a software management platform like Festival Pro gives them all the functionality they need manage every aspect of their event logistics including a dedicated festival site planning tool. The guys who are responsible for this software have been in the front line of event management for many years and the features are built from that experience and are performance artists themselves. The Festival Pro platform is easy to use and has comprehensive features with specific modules for managing artists, contractors, venues/stages, vendors, volunteers, sponsors, guestlists, ticketing, cashless payments and contactless ordering.

Image by Ketut Subiyanto via Pexels

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