How To Start Your Own Diy Music Festival

A lot of people think that music festivals all started as multi-million productions with tens of thousands of people in attendance. What they don’t know is that major events and conferences like SXSW started as small events for creators with handfuls of attendees. You too could start your festival, even if you have limited experience and resources, though it helps if you have some backing and significant starting capital. This could be a great way to earn some money, but also showcase your talent or raise awareness for a cause. Let's take a look at how you can start your DIY music festival.

Start with a Theme or a Mission

You first have to know the theme or mission of your festival. You can always start a general festival, but how will it stand out? 

Most popular festivals started with a mission, even if you weren’t aware of it. Festivals like Burning Man, for instance, are about promoting radical inclusion, self-reliance, and self-expression. That’s what will help build your core audience and increase awareness about the festival in the public domain.

You can also decide to work within one specific genre or type of artist. Independent artist festivals are an example, or you could try to reach artists from certain communities or cultures. 

Look at Facilities and Installations

Next, you will need to decide on where you will hold the event. You can either go for an outdoor event or hold it inside. While most people automatically think that outdoor festivals are the only and best way to go, think again.

Weather can be a major issue here. Logistics are also much tougher when you’re in an open space since restricting access becomes more difficult. You’ll also have more pressure to populate the venue since an empty outdoor event always looks worse.

Instead, we would suggest you look at a respectable venue that you'll be able to fill and start looking at ways that you can spruce it up. Having a professional stage design company will make a big difference here. It will cement the festivals’ brand and create a strong impression with attendees. 

Arrange Your Lineup

Next, you need to start organizing your lineup. The most important is securing the headliner first, and you will have to be ready to pay. You also have to assess how much you can afford to pay every artist based on profitability. Once you’ve secured your headliner, you can start reaching out to other acts either directly or through their management. 

Hire Extra Help

You will also need to hire additional staff for the event. This includes vendors, security, and DJs, just to name a few. You need to get familiar with regulations in your area, as you may be required to have a certain number of security personnel depending on the number of attendees. Don’t underestimate the value of DJs either. They will be responsible for maintaining the ambiance in between sets and could be lifesavers in case one act doesn’t show up.

This is how you build the foundation for a successful DIY music festival. Make sure that you start with the right plan and idea and get all the pieces needed for a great event.