With dates for music festivals being announced for the end of the year in Asia, it seems that we are finally seeing an opportunity for the music events industry to make a comeback after the pandemic!
Life after lockdown has already impacted businesses and industries all over the world. The music festival industry will no doubt also have changed drastically. Namely to accommodate the new norms and guidelines that governments and nations have adopted to fight against the spread of the disease. Music festivals after COVID-19 will return with new standards, a ‘new festival normal’ if you will, to ensure the safety of festival goers.
As festival goers, I see us all playing a part in ensuring that festivals can unfold safely. But also, to help support the return of music events and therefore to save the industry as a whole. Here are some ideas on how we can prepare for the return of music events after the pandemic.
1. Respect the rules issued by promoters and organisers at music festivals after COVID-19
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Events promoters and organisers will be walking on eggshells when the first festivals after COVID-19 go ahead. And the first ones will definitely have all eyes on them to see how they unfold.
If one thing were to go wrong at an event, it could prevent any other events from going ahead after that. As festival goers, we can take action to ensure that everything goes smoothly for these events. The first thing to do is read up on each event’s new guidelines and rules before attending. And actually abiding by them when you’re there!
If they ask you to wear a mask, then do it.
If they ask you to rinse yourself in hand sanitiser at the door, then do it.
If they ask you to stand a meter apart in toilet queues, then do it.
We’ve all been waiting for events to come back for so long. Let’s not put them, the organisers or the industry at risk by not following the rules. You may not want to follow all or any of them but just remember that these measures will probably be loosened in the future. For the time being, we just have to follow the rules if we want to have our favourite events back.
2. Come to events prepared, update your festival kit!
[vc_single_image image=”3498″ img_size=”large”][vc_column_text]Our festival survival packs are definitely going to look a little different when we all finally jump back into music festivals after COVID-19!
I used to only worry about bringing a fan, earplugs and a couple of other useful pieces. But times have changed and now we will all be needing to plan what to bring to music festivals in response to the pandemic.
As I mentioned above, giving each event’s rules and guidelines a read before attending will be key. Not only to know how to behave but also to know what to bring to the event.
For example, Organisers may expect festivals goers to wear masks so you will need to bring one to the event. Maybe even a spare in case you lose the first one.
Hand sanitiser might be another festival essential; it might make you feel more comfortable to have it handy when roaming through various festival grounds.
Here’s a shortlist of items you can use to prepare for music events post-pandemic:
– A couple of masks: your main mask and a spare in case you misplace the first one!
– Hand sanitiser: so that you’re always able to give your hands a quick wash
– Tissues: if you need to sneeze or cough, make sure you are doing it into a tissue. Not onto a fellow raver!
– Disposable gloves: depending on your level of comfort when you are venturing outside of your home. Maybe bring some along for when you use the shared toilets or take part in activities.
– A re-usable cup: a great way to reduce our environmental impact as festival goers and it also gives you more control over the cleanliness of your cup. You can clean it throughout the event, and you will know exactly where it has been.
3. Look after yourself to stay fit and healthy.
[vc_single_image image=”3499″ img_size=”large”][vc_column_text]Staying fit and healthy outside of music festivals has always been a priority for me. It’s what enables me to go to festivals back to back during festival season. But now it’s going to play an even bigger role as health checks and tests are going to become the norm at music festivals after COVID-19.
The lengths promoters will go to for testing and ensuring all their attendees are healthy are still unknown. We can expect that they will largely depend on what the local government’s expectations are for events.
Perhaps we’ll all need to be tested for COVID upon entry. Or maybe it’ll be something as simple as getting our temperature taken. Perhaps it’ll come down to being asked to get a certificate of health before going to festivals…
Whatever it may be, we should prepare for this and do what we can to promote our own health outside of music events.
For tips on how to stay well between music festivals, check out my guide on how live a healthy rave lifestyle!
4. Don’t attend a music festival or event when you’re feeling unwell!
This may seem obvious but after months of being festival deprived, I am sure there are some of us out there who would shrug off a cold and still attend an event even if they are feeling unwell. But this is one of the worst things we can do!
We are navigating through an uncertain landscape where we are not completely sure of how symptoms materialise for every individual. In response to this, we just need to be a bit more cautious than usual, particularly when we feel we may be coming down with something.
Just listen to your body and stay home when you’re not feeling well, just in case. Sure, you don’t want to miss out on the fun but staying home keeps yourself and others safe.
We need to all be looking out for one another to make sure we are all well and that music festivals after COVID-19 can go off without a problem! It may be nothing but it’s best to stay home and sit tight, heal your body in time for the next party![vc_single_image image=”3502″ img_size=”large”][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
5. Look after your party crew at all times.
If we look after ourselves and party according to the rules, then we are already playing a substantial part in looking after our festival community. Take it one step further and ensure that your entire party crew is behaving safely and is well at all times!
This is applicable before, during and after any music event you attend. Check up on your whole crew, be sure that you’re all feeling well enough to be attending an event. If you think one of your friends should sit a festival out, then don’t be afraid to let them know.
Needing to look after one another has never been so important. Failing to keep each other safe and well will ultimately have implications on other attendees. As well as a festival’s reputation and the prospects of events being able to completely return after the pandemic.[vc_single_image image=”3504″ img_size=”large”][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Music festivals are built on the premise of love, unity and community. In a way, I like to think that what has happened to us all this year will bring us together. Make us more considerate of one another, even more than before.
We all want festivals to come back and I want to believe that we will all unite to reach this goal. Working together we can support the return of music festivals after COVID-19 and help the industry get back on its feet to save the events we love!
The role that festival goers play in bringing back events is just one side of it all. Promoters and organisers are going to have their work cut out for them in needing to adjust their events to regain festival goers’ trust in attending music festivals. If you want to explore this topic further with me, listen to my latest podcast episode.
