Advice For Volunteering At A Local Festival

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Anyone who enjoys live music will know the very many plans they have to make to attend the concerts they love – from buying tickets to booking flights, from making sure hotel rooms or tents are pre-purchased, all of this can lead to a comfortable evening or weekend depending on the festival or concert in play.

However, another great way to see live music and connect with people is to volunteer for such a festival. Volunteers can act as chaperones, report suspicious activity to security, and help with general practices like making certain everyone on the grounds is safe. For this, they gain free access to the event and maybe even a VIP pass.

If you’re planning on volunteering for a few festivals this summer, we hope to offer a few helpful tips you can use to have the best time and stay safe. With that in mind, please consider the following advice:

Pack Durable Festival Gear

It’s true that when we head to a concert or a festival, we like to look good and wear fun apparel. But when you’re volunteering, you have a different set of responsibilities outside of just having fun. That might mean waiting at a gate for a few hours in the cold morning, walking the perimeter with a radio, or hanging around to chaperone certain people. That’s why it’s good to have protections. You might get a jacket, but it’s important to make sure, if not bring your own. Moreover, solid footwear that you can walk in comfortably (and are waterproof), as well as protective items like mens thermal gloves from HeatHolders or a hat and scarf can be helpful. Even if you don’t use them, having them on hand could prevent nasty weather from biting, should it occur.

Join The Group Chat Or Social Media Group

Many festival volunteers will have a group chat or page for members in advance, and asking for access to this can help you organize with other volunteers and meet them in advance. That’s not to say becoming an online legend is necessary before you go, but introducing yourself and looking at some of the other members can help you see who to greet while there. This way, you can also ask beginner questions and get some tips for your newbie approach.

Read Through Your Contract

A volunteer can still have a contract, making it clear you understand the code of conduct, what you’re responsible for, that you’re not being paid, the liabilities you might accept (so you can’t sue if you get injured accidentally by another festivalgoer, for example), what equipment you’re entitled to, and who you’re being managed by. This will also give you the chance to give over emergency info like medications you take or a next of kin just in case. Read through the contract from top to bottom and then twice more. It will help you understand how to behave, but also what expectations can help you gain invited next time.

With this advice, you’ll no doubt have a great time and ace your volunteer experience!.