Plan for Summer Festivals Now

 

Though most students are just easing into spring semester, summer music festivals are swiftly approaching–and selling out! A music festival makes the perfect destination for a summer road trip, so fill up your car with friends and avoid emptying your wallet with this student-friendly festival breakdown.

 

 

 

 

 

A four-stage camping festival May 29 to 31 in Quincy, Wash., presented by the House of Blues. It’s held at the Gorge Amphitheater, which overlooks the Columbia River.

The Deets: Four-day passes are available for $265 from Feb. 14 to May 26, and single-day tickets are $79.50. These are all-inclusive for camping and parking, but can be upgraded for an extra charge.

Getting there: Save money by sharing a ride through Esurance’s Carpool Lane.

 

A four-day multistage camping festival held on a 700-acre farm in Manchester, Tenn., June 9 to 12.

The Deets: Tickets cost about $250 plus fees; basic camping and parking can be upgraded to tent rentals, VIP or RV passes. Pre-sale tickets are currently out, but they will release more general tickets soon.

Work it off: Apply to help volunteer and get a discounted or reimbursed ticket.

 “Bonnaroo was an incredible experience, just make sure to stock up on sunscreen and baby wipes if you don’t want to pay for a shower.” –John Dominy, Rutgers University.

 

This is the Northeast’s largest electronic rock festival in Mariaville, N.Y., held July 7 to 9.

The Deets: Early Bird tickets are $140, but can be upgraded to VIP or Platinum.

Survey says: Win a free pair of tickets by filling out a questionnaire.

 

This festival has music, comedy, craft booths and non-profit and political group representatives. It’s held in downtown Chicago Aug. 5 to 7.

The Deets: Three-day passes range from $175 to $215 (depending on date of purchase), and day passes are $90. Hotel reservations add to the expenses, but Lollapalooza travel packages include hotel rooms for $1129 to $2499.

Going local: If you live in the area, their site offers values on public transportation.

 

Former festival-goers recommend carpooling and avoiding gas-guzzling vehicles. “When I road tripped to a festival with a bunch of friends, we borrowed a friends’ dad’s car, split gas 5-ways and stayed in hotels using coupons the same friends’ dad had racked up from business travel,” Boston University senior Sarah Berg said. She also suggests avoiding eating out by buying and preparing your own sandwiches.

 

Look for volunteer opportunities where you can work and get reimbursed for your ticket. Borrow camping gear or shack up with friends to avoid hotel rentals. And bring your own food; grilling together is part of the fun!

 

If you’re looking for even cheaper summer road trips, Lauren Leibowitz, a sophomore at NYU, suggests heading to Coney Island for Siren Fest, a free festival held every July. “It’s only one day long, but I went this past summer and saw a ton of bands and there were a lot of sponsors giving out free swag,” Leibowitz said. “Topshop did makeovers, Village Voice gave out sunglasses, Toyota screen-printed tote bags—it’s a really fun time and 100% free.”