I’ve been itching to create something special for fellow art lovers, so when I stumbled upon the idea for this festival guide, I knew I had to dive in headfirst. Here’s how it all went down.
The Spark That Started It All
Last Tuesday, my friend Sarah sent me wild photos from Barcelona’s La Mercè Festival – giant puppets crawling down streets, fire runners, the whole deal. That moment hit me: why not gather the absolute best art festivals worldwide? Grabbed my laptop right then and started scribbling notes on a napkin.
My Research Rollercoaster
First week was pure chaos. Dug through:
- Dusty travel magazines stacked in my garage
- Messy Facebook groups like “Nomad Painters United”
- Random blogs where people ranted about visa nightmares
Found over 80 “unmissable” events initially – total information overload. Almost threw my notebook across the room when I realized half were just commercial junk masquerading as art shows.
Chopping Down the List
Time to get brutal with my criteria. Anything survived only if:
- Artists actually ran the damn thing, not sponsors
- Had legit interactive elements beyond staring at paintings
- Offered something you’d never see elsewhere
My “Burning Man or Bust” T-shirt got stained with coffee during this phase – proof of the madness.
The Triumphs and Trainwrecks
Some festivals were golden: Venice Biennale made my heart race seeing those pavilions. But others? Total letdowns. Flew 14 hours to one “must-see” event only to find three sad tents in a parking lot. Lesson learned: always double-check dates and locations with locals!
Putting Pen to Paper
The writing part was therapy. Started typing at 2am with festival playlists blasting:
- Brazilian samba beats for Rio Carnival vibes
- Weird electronic mixes for Glastonbury memories
- Classical strings for Salzburg moments
Made sure to include practical stuff too – like warning people about Comiket’s insane crowds in Tokyo or how Edinburgh Fringe requires booking six months ahead.
Final Touches
Spilled glitter on my keyboard while adding photos (still finding specks weeks later). Wrestled formatting for ages before deciding: screw perfection. Raw, honest experiences matter more than fancy layouts. Hit publish at sunrise after my fifth coffee.
Seeing comments roll in like “You saved my Spain trip!” or “Finally someone tells the truth about Art Basel prices” – that’s the real payoff. Might do music festivals next… once my suitcase recovers.
