Festivals vs Concerts

Every now and then, someone shows up at one of our music festivals thinking that it is some sort of free offering. Not quite sure how they figure the bands would get paid, but it would be good to consider the value of attending a festival vs attending a concert. Let's even assume that the headliners are the same for each, with a concert offering a perhaps a preliminary act followed by the star of the show. If you attend a concert in any city, you need to pay for parking. This could range from $5 if you are lucky, to upwards of $20 or more. Joining us for the day at the festival? Parking is free. If you attend a concert, you can't bring in any food or drink, so be prepared for movie theater pricing if you want a soda or a snack. At a festival, you can pack a picnic basket or cooler of your favorite food (or you can visit our snack bar...or try something you can't get at a concert: food from a specialty vendor such as The Chili Brothers). Ever think about taking your kids to the concert with you? If you do, you'll need to pay full price for a seat, same as an adult. If you plan on leaving them home, you need to shell out $$$ for a sitter. At most festivals (including ours) kids are free, and teens are 1/2 price. Ever consider asking the hotel next door to the concert venue if you can take a swim in their pool? Not likely, but at one of our music festivals, you and the family can swim in the pools, realx in the hot tubs etc. At a concert, you might get to see 1 or 2 performers, while on a Saturday during Bluegrass, there are 7-10 different acts taking the stage. At a concert, what are the chances you can talk with the stars either before or after their performance? Not very likely, but at festivals, most of the acts are hanging out, selling CDs and mingling with their fans. Lastly, just a thought for some festival attendees who don't understand why it costs more to see a Cajun/Zydeco band up here than it does to see them in their home state of LA or TX...please consider travel costs for the bands, many of whom must fly up north. And for the folks who expect the shows to be free? In these days of fiscal care, there are not many towns that are budgeting free concerts for their residents (although some events are still subsidized by the towns that host them). Strawberry Park is once again looking forward to presenting a world-class line-up of talent for both our Bluegrass Festival on June 3-6 and our Blast from the Bayou Cajun/Zydeco Fest on June 10-13. It should also be noted that the price for a weekend pass has gone up a total of $1 in the last 5 years, with more big names than ever. We look forward to you joining us in June.