Festivals: what would you like to know?
As part of my MA Online Journalism I am currently working on a project looking at the stats behind the festivals, which I hope to present in a useful way online.
I’m thinking crime stats, value for money, weather forecasts etc.
I’d love to know what kind of stats would be useful to you, as a festival-goer, either when deciding which festival to go to, or preparing for your trip!
Any ideas welcome – and I will keep you up to date with my progress!
I’d be interested in travel times, to and from the festivals. I saw an interesting graph on the Glastonbury site about how long it takes to get away from the site by car at different times of the day. Perhaps similar information for other festivals too and look at time taken on the buses, trains etc as they are always busy at the end of festivals!
Hi Caroline! That’s a great project. A few ideas off the top of my head…..
Toilet & Shower factilities
First Aid services
Number of attendees
Security
Cost
and perhaps some ‘fun’ stats like;
How many/what type of drinks sold
How many burgers/food sold
How many tents are left behind
How much gets recycled
Age range
Strangest lost/found item
Hope that helps!
Karen
Hey: thank you both for some great ideas there!
I love the idea of looking into travel information – how long it takes to travel to and from a site … peak times etc … Might be tough to work out at this stage but maybe a distances map from various locations … I’ll have a look into it!
Karen: great ideas – I agree the data on on-site provisions is useful … apparently one of the biggest factors for anyone at a festival, something that can make or break their weekend, is the toilets, Might be worth a stinky look!
I would like to know the following:
How many people attend each festival each year
What facilities are available and how good are they
How much food costs on average at each festival
How to get to each festival, especially from abroad, e.g. how to get there from the main airports, ferries, trains, coaches, etc.
Security info – how many tent break-ins, etc. at each festival
Somewhere should publish the different decibel limits imposed on each festival. I was speaking to a band manager and he said some councils are really strict and the effects can really ruin the atmosphere.
Dave that’s a great idea .. I love it – I’ll get onto it and see what I can find out!
Thanks!
Someone I know (though not very well) from school has written a book on this which might be useful to you. See, “The Essential Guide to Festivals: Tents & Mud & Rock ‘n’ Roll” by Sharon Watson.
I would like to see a site plan BEFORE I get there, most especially a map of the campsite and where the car park is in relation to this. I know if you go to a particular festival regularly you get a rough idea, but if it’s a new one it is always nice to know where you’re heading for when you get there rather than trying to work it out from a painted board when you’re weighed down with rucksacks and tents after a long car journey