Okay, so I’ve always been a HUGE festival person. Music, food, culture – you name it, I’m there. But I used to just stick to the ones near me. Then I thought, “Why limit myself?” So, I decided to figure out how to get in on the action all over the world. Here’s how I went about it, step by step:
First: The Research Phase
I started by just, you know, Googling. Seriously, that’s it. I typed in stuff like “best music festivals worldwide,” “cool cultural festivals,” and “unique food festivals.” I made a HUGE list. Like, ridiculously long. I jotted down every festival that sounded even remotely interesting.
Then, I dove deeper. I went to each festival’s website (if they had one) and looked at past lineups, photos, videos – anything I could find. I wanted to get a feel for the vibe of each one. Was it super crowded? More laid-back? Did it look like my kind of scene?
Forums became My friends! I wanted to hear from people who had ACTUALLY been to these festivals. No, I didn’t just skim through the reviews. I signed up. I got to know what people are up to.
Next Up: Planning, Planning, Planning
Once I had my shortlist (which was still pretty long!), I started thinking about the practical stuff. I created a simple Excel spreadsheet to make my plan organized.
- Timing: When were these festivals happening? Did the dates clash? Could I realistically travel between them?
- Budget: This was a big one. I had to figure out how much flights, accommodation, tickets, and spending money would cost. I started looking for deals early!
- Visas: Did I need a visa to get into the country? How long would it take to get one? This part can be a real headache, so I tackled it early.
- LocationWhere the festival was located. How about the transportation fee there?
Getting My Hands on Tickets (The Hard Part!)
This is where things got a little tricky. Some festivals had tickets that sold out in, like, seconds. So, I did a few things:
- Signed up for email alerts: I made sure I was on every mailing list for every festival I wanted to go to. That way, I knew exactly when tickets went on sale.
- Followed them on social media: Same reason as above. Plus, sometimes they’d announce surprise ticket drops or contests.
- Set multiple alarms: Seriously, I was NOT messing around. I had alarms on my phone, my computer, everywhere.
- Prepared everthing: I’d register the relative accounts. I’d save the Credit Card info and personal info.
Even with all that, I didn’t get tickets to every single festival I wanted. But, I got enough to make it an epic year of adventures!
Making It Happen
After all that planning, I followed through. I booked the flights, found places to stay (sometimes hostels, sometimes with friends), and packed my bags.
And you know what? It was AMAZING. I experienced music, food, and cultures I never would have if I hadn’t put in the effort. It wasn’t always easy, but it was definitely worth it.
So, if you’re thinking about hitting up some festivals around the world, just go for it! Do your research, plan ahead, and be persistent. You won’t regret it.
