Chasing the Summer Music Festival.

Performance artists generally earn the most revenue when playing live events and the summer music festival is seen ae the most lucrative for many. It therefore makes sense for them to play all year round if possible to get a steady income stream. Fortunately, the summer music festival season varies by region making it possible to perform most of the year.

The two regions that have the largest volume of summer music festivals are usually split between the northern and southern hemispheres which obviously feature alternate summer seasons. However, there are other regions close to the equator that can also be considered which are generally very hot but short winter seasons can provide cooler climates suitable for outdoor music festivals. 

Advantages of the Summer Music Festival. 
The summer months in most regions generally have warm temperatures with minimal rain or extreme weather. The summer climate appeals to festival-goers which makes them popular increasing the chances of good ticket sales for organisers. Festival organisers know that most artists focus on festival appearances during summer months giving them a good choice in the curation process. Festival-goers generally book their annual leave in the summer months often incorporating music festival attendance. For artists that are prepared to travel they can plan a festival circuit across continents keeping them active all year round. Performing globally can open doors and other opportunities for artists as they get to meet and network with industry professionals and other artists. 

Northern Hemisphere. 
Generally accepted as including the United States, Canada and most of Europe the summer festival season runs from June to September every year. These months provide ideal weather for outdoor music festivals with some variations on northern or southern areas which may shorten or lengthen the season by a month or two. 

Southern Hemisphere. 
Mostly considered to include Australia, New Zealand and Latin America their summer months run from November to March which gives them ideal weather and climate for outdoor music festivals. These regions often take advantage of the Christmas and New Year celebrations which fall in the middle of their summer festival season. 

Other Regions. 
Regions like China, Japan and South Korea have similar seasons to northern hemisphere countries although climates can be more volatile with extreme conditions possible. They still manage a season that can span from March to October but with considerably fewer events taking place. Regions close to the equator have more tropical or desert type climates with seasons that may vary very little. African and Middle Eastern countries do host music festivals but primarily in the October to April months which are generally cooler. Similarly South East Asian countries like Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore concentrate festival season in their winter months, usually from November to March. These months avoid the heavy monsoon rains and are generally cooler with stable weather conditions and coincide with the region’s tourist high seasons. 

Performance Artists can Play all Year Round. 
Artists that want to perform all year round can plan their performances based on the festival seasons in each region. By travelling between regions artists could perform at a festival almost every month of the year. A good management company experienced with touring and international travel is essential if an artist wants to embark on year-round festival appearances. In some case there are cultural grants and artist exchange programmes that may be worth pursuing like ETEP (European Talent Exchange Program) and international showcase festivals like WOMEX and Mundial Montréal for example. 

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. 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, site planning, cashless payments and contactless ordering.

Image by ruineves via Pixabay

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