4 things to consider when launching a new attraction at your festival

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If you’re in the promoting game, you’ll know that festivals are a huge part of the events calendar. 

You might even organise one yourself. 

Either way, you’ll understand how crucial it is to have talks, classes and more at your festival to supplement the music. 

This is where attractions come in. As festivals have grown in scope, so have the attractions on offer. The larger festivals, where fields are transformed into mini-cities, come with purpose-built nightclubs. At smaller festivals, the location and surroundings become part of the vibe. It’s as much of a driving force to purchase tickets as the lineup is. 

This approach can help you stand out in a competitive industry. Whether it’s catering to a specialist audience by installing skateparks or hosting yoga and meditation sessions for wellness enthusiasts, it’s a chance to offer something different from the usual. 

If you keep at it and book attractions that prove to be popular, your festival might gain a name for breaking the mould. A reputation like that will give your brand a boost. 

For this article, we’ve selected four things to consider when launching an attraction at your festival. Sound interesting? Read on for our tips. 

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Think outside the box

Thinking outside the box can help you stand out. 

Special attractions at festivals are nothing new. On the one hand, you’ve got fairground rides and silent disco areas. On the other hand, you’ve got art installations and niche interest stalls. 

So, it’s your job to try and find something to help your festival stand out from the crowd. 

That’s why it’s helpful to take a leaf out of the attraction industry book. According to Katapult, 80% of consumers are doing more research into how sustainable an attraction is. Plus, they want to know they’re making a worthwhile purchase. 

We think that’s worth considering for promoters, too. 

If you come across a trend or something that seems popular with the masses, think about how you can adapt it to your festival. Ensure it’s scalable, sustainable and in line with your budget, and you’ll be on to a winner.

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Consider crossover appeal

Crossover appeal can give your weekend an edge. 

Festivals like NASS, Bluedot and ArcTanGent have skateparks, pop-up stalls with music gear companies and talks with astronomers on their line-up. They cater to specific interests, and their booking policy reflects that. 

Now, we’re not saying completely rip up the rulebook and try to target a whole new demographic; people will see through that. 

However, you can take inspiration. For example, you’re booking a legendary name from a music genre on one of your stages. In the day, you could organise an attraction that talks about or shows about the history of said artist or genre.

Or you might tap into something like graffiti, wellness and outdoor activity, subcultures that will likely interest the people at your festival. 

Finding a subculture that has crossover appeal with your festival can help you sell more tickets. It’s a simple point, but people are more likely to attend something if they like the music and there’s something they’re into across the day. 

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Celebrate something

Often, the most intriguing stories are the ones least told. The inspirational figures, trailblazers and innovators that didn’t get their dues the first time around. 

Festivals are a place to let loose, that’s undoubted. However, it’s a chance to deliver new experiences to people. That doesn’t stop at the acts you book. 

With that in mind, honouring a figure from the LGBTQIA+ community with an interactive installation is a way to bring something that stands out to your festival. You’re educating people on someone or something they may not have known about before. 

It doesn’t have to be historical, though. Why not give some space to artists and creators from the local area? Festivals are about bringing the biggest names in music to a location, but local artists keep the ecosystem moving. Giving them a platform will go a long way to helping them continue to practice their craft. 

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Education, Education, Education

No, we’re not saying to get the old wooden desks with questionable carvings out. However, you can use your festival to educate. 

For a lot of people, festivals are a rite of passage. Think back to the first one you attended; you were likely fresh from college and ready to discover a new world of music and events. Or, the first few music festivals you attended could’ve been the place where your love for music blossomed. 

Whichever experience you have, festivals are places where people discover things. So, why not play into this? 

If you’ve got a heavy electronic music contingent at your festival, you could host DJ taster courses, music industry advice and production seminars across your weekend. It’s the type of attraction that could help budding artists get the contacts they need or give scene newcomers a chance to try something they’ve never done before. 

The next generation of talent could be at your festival, and you’d be facilitating their introduction to the industry. 

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