Enhancing experiences for groups
Festivals are rarely solo experiences — they have a social pulse — they thrive on the energy of groups. But what happens when the very act of attending together becomes a challenge? Travel logistics, budget alignment, and other factors reveal important insights into audience realities.
Mar 12, 2026 – 5 min. read
Recommendations for organizers
Enhance ticket affordability and accessibility
Most attend with 3–5 people, but logistics, aligning budget/ticket affordability, and (for 26-40 year olds) scheduling are barriers. Provide group ticket discounts, group payments options to more easily split costs, and incentives for referring friends or forming festival groups to lower financial barriers.
Identify audience groups
Find groups (and leaders) in data sets to create audience segments and set up specific campaigns and promotions. Potential to also “brand” campaigns more based on the age group.
Optimize group travel and accommodation and consider offering bundles
Travel/accommodation logistics are the most frequently cited challenge (especially for 25 and under and 26-40 age groups) when it comes to attending a festival with other people/friends. Create flexible travel/accommodation (bundle) deals targeting ages under 25-40 that reduce complexity and cost.
Elevate pre-event coordination
Improve communication tools and (digital) resources to help groups plan schedules, line-ups, and meet-ups seamlessly.
Group challenges and opportunities
Our research shows that most festival-goers attend in groups of three to five. Beneath the excitement of going, many face logistical and financial challenges — especially younger and mid-career attendees.
Travel/accommodation logistics top the challenge list, where about one-third of attendees — especially those under 40 — feel the strain. It’s a reflection of mobility and budget constraints that can make coordinating group attendance a bit daunting.
Aligning budgets emerges as a close second challenge, highlighting that festival affordability is a pressing concern for younger fans juggling disposable income and expense priorities. Meanwhile, for those 26-40, coordinating schedules is the bigger obstacle — reflecting the influence of work and family commitments.
What is interesting is that nearly a third of each festival-goer age group report no challenges at all when attending with friends, proving that with the right support, group attendance can be effortless.
Group attendance challenges
Stacked percentage by age group
When asked what would make attending with friends easier or more appealing (n=495), audiences pointed to clear opportunities for festivals to reduce friction. Most requested options included:
- • Group ticket discounts (62%), highlighting the importance of affordability when committing as a group
- • Nearly a third (27%) want group payment options to more easily split costs
- • 20% are motivated by incentives for referring friends or forming festival groups
Beyond finances, 19% seek tools for joint line-up planning, showing that social coordination is just as critical as price when it comes to creating seamless group experiences.
