Think going to a music festival is your kind of fun, but don’t have anyone to go with? Check out our tips on how to go to a festival on your own.
1. Go Solo
While some people tend to go to summer festivals as big groups, there’s nothing wrong with going on your own.
Nowadays big music festivals stopped being just music events and turned into something more of fairs with lots to do and to see. You could easily keep yourself busy participating in educational, art, and cultural activities on daily basis.
2. Give a Shout to Your Facebook Friends
Especially relevant if the festival you’re going to is abroad. When friends that you see daily might not share your interest in attending a big music event, someone from your Facebook list might be willing to go.
Shoot a small update on the network saying you’re planning to go to a certain festival, sit back and wait to see if anyone replies. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can even ask your friends to share your post — going to a festival with new friends might be even more fun than going there with someone you know well.
3. Team Up With Other Solo Travelers
For those looking for new experiences and new connections, we recommend following our advice from both #1 and #2.
You can go to a festival as a solo traveler, meet up with people in the same situation as you, and have a great time at the event together. How? Read the story of Camp Unknown from Sziget 2017.
Camp Unknown
Camp Unknown is an informal initiative that first started some 10 years ago at Roskilde festival in Denmark.
Image credit: Rockstar Photographers (@RockstarPhotographers)
Riko from Netherlands shares his knowledge about Camp Unknown and his impressions of Sziget 2017:
“It first started when a group of travelers wanted to go to the festival but had to go alone because their friends weren’t joining. Through the internet, they formed a group with people who were also going to the festival alone. They set up what later became Camp Unknown together.
The main aim here is to bring people who are traveling to festivals alone to camp and have fun together. But also to look after one other a little and help each other if necessary.
This year I joined Camp Unknown at Sziget for the second time. There were about 200 of us this year, ranging in age from 18 to 50. As far as I have counted there were people from about 40+ different nationalities.”
Image credit: Camp Unknown Facebook page, Sziget Festival 2017
Campers use Facebook groups, and WhatsApp chats to communicate, decide on the times, places, and any other details of the group stay. Being a part of such a group will definitely make it easier on you to figure out technical aspects of camping and living on the festival site. Campers that went to festivals before also help “newbies” with practical tips and tricks. Besides, it’s a great chance to make new life-long friends!
“I have made a lot of new friends at Camp Unknown. And I believe and hope many of those friendships will last long. We’ve made plenty of memories and there are so many fun stories to tell, I wouldn’t know where to begin.
One nice thing is that we’ve got to know people from all over the world. And when some of us are traveling and staying in a specific city, the question often pops up on WhatsApp if there are other CU members around to meet up. For example, this year there are plans for a NYE party in a city in Europe, as well as some other reunions.”
Time to Make the First Step!
Hopefully, you got inspired by the story of Camp Unknown and will join a group like that (or maybe even start a new one!) next time you go to a festival. New exciting experiences are closer than you think. All you need is the right attitude and a bit of research, to begin with.
Have you ever gone to a festival on your own? If yes, have you found it easier to make new friends when going solo compared to going with a group of friends? Please, share your experiences and opinions with us in the comments below!
Related:
10 Things You Need to Do On Your First Festival Day @Sziget 2017
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