So, I'm arranging a music festival in august

[Obfleur]

and y'all are very welcome (actually it's me and my mate who are doing this).

It'll be a small festival that'll span over two days.
We hope that we'll be able to sell about 250 - 300 tickets. So it's nothing big.

Our main thought with the festival is to let a lot of local bands get a chance to play live and have some fun ('cause whenever you try and a score a gig in this town you get told "We need to see you live before we let you play here", but since everybody tells you that it's near impossible to score).

There's one problem with this: who the hell would buy a ticket to a festival where a bunch of unknown bands will play?
Well! The festival will take place in a small suburb. This festival will be like the biggest (and probably the only) thing that happens there this year. So we are gonna pimp the **** out of it. We'll also be pimping the festival in nearby small suburbs.

The festival will be aired over the radio, and some radio reporters will do interviews with bands and people who are there to listen to the music.
One of Malmös biggest (if not biggest) music stores will probably be sponsoring us.
The music equipment will be top notch ****, and the stages are well above average.
In short: the festival looks "real" (or ambitious or whatever).

But we can't just rely on this. We need more tricks to lure people into buying tickets.
So, what would you like to see at a festival? What would make you buy a ticket to a festival where there's a lot of unknown bands playing?
All ideas, thoughts and what not are welcome.

[Hot Shot]

Food and drinks for starters. Hire a couple of catering trucks or local Pizzarias. I think you've got everything else covered.

It kinda sucks that I can't make it.

[Guest]

who the hell would buy a ticket to a festival where a bunch of unknown bands will play?

Record Labels looking for the 'next big thing'?

Don't go too overboard on trying to attract customers if it's only a smallish venue, or you'll find you get sold out early on by ticket touts, who'll make a profit margin in excess of your own. Keep the advertising local (radio spots, newspapers, etc.), and you'll do fine.


I'd buy a ticket for ObFest if I had a valid passport...

[Best First]

first thing is to understand your costs i would say, that way you know what you need to raise/make from the event, all of which will ultimately lead to the ticket price, which will probably have an impact on how hard you need to market this.

if that makes any sense?

cool stuff Ob.

[Obfleur]

Thanks for the input guys!

Food, alcohol and other beverages will be served. We have struck a deal with a dude who owns a restaurant (and who'll also provide us with the two stages): we don't pay any rent or anything. He gets all the money from the food/beverage sales. We get all the ticket money.

I will probably call for a meeting this weekend, where we'll discuss what costs we'll have (it'll actually be more like me bringing it up. I'm the catious one. My mate is more adventoures ).

Rebis gave me the idea of telling the local record labels that we are putting up a show

This is great guys. We only just got started with this two days ago so it's all really crazy at the moment - but venting my thoughts here (and getting some ideas) makes it a little bit clearer

[Eline]

Sounds like a great plan!

It would be nice to be there but I'm already going to Sweden in about a week so I'm not sure if I can come up with a good excuse to go again.

Here's my ideas:

1. Do you have a lot of space? You could get some street theatre people in for a nice atmosphere.
2. Do something for kids if you think people will bring their children. (like a clown or a balloon guy).
3. Sell t-shirts and other merchandise of the bands that will be playing.
4. Make sure you have enough toilets!!!
5. Do you need security?
6. You can organise a contest where the winner will get free tickets plus a t-shirt, which could generate a lot of publicity.

[Best First]

toilets! yes! critical!

[spiderfrommars]

Get a myspace account for the festival and make friends with other bands/festivals/record labels. Post regular bulletins.

Contact local radio/music press/TV.

Give away free CDs (CDs cost next to nothing these days).

Fly post everywhere.

[Obfleur]

Great ideas guys!

I have a question for all of you. It's about ticket prices.
My mate wants to charge £17 ($33) for a two-day-ticket.
I think this is way to expensive.

So tell me: would you pay £17 ($33) for a festival where a bunch of amateur bands would be playing?

[Hot Shot]

Great ideas guys!

I have a question for all of you. It's about ticket prices.
My mate wants to charge £17 ($33) for a two-day-ticket.
I think this is way to expensive.

So tell me: would you pay £17 ($33) for a festival where a bunch of amateur bands would be playing?

Hell no. Maybe $20, but not a third of a Franklin.