We have seen so many festivals simply fizzle out and die lately. Most are blaming financial woes. Putting on a proper fest requires lots of money and lots of commitment and in this economy both are light.
I can’t imagine a summer without Warped Tour or Projekt Mayhem. I can’t fathom the thought of no Scream it Like You Mean It or Take Action, let alone the infamous Camp Bisco or Wakarusa.
Yet it seems we are in the minority. People are opting out of fests in a big way.
A new report states that just under a fifth (19%) of festival-goers surveyed (i.e. those who have attended at least one music festival in the past) plan on going to one in 2013, while 54% say they won't be going at all in 2013.
37% of respondents say music festivals are over-crowded and involve too many disorderly crowds. Of those who do not plan to attend a festival in 2013, 35% say they are too expensive, 18% are put off by poor weather and muddy fields, and 22% say they plan to take a vacation instead of attending a music festival. Isn’t a music festival a vacation?
This isn’t all about money either. A small fraction (36%) say the recession has had an impact on the number of concerts they attend. Of these, 83% go to fewer events, and 38% are spending less money on tickets by choosing to attend cheaper live events.
The report released by YouGov SixthSense, seems to corroborate with the obvious. People don’t get around much anymore.