Step by Step Guide

Summer festival season can feel far away but then tickets suddenly drop and sell out quickly and accommodation starts disappearing or becoming way too expensive and everyone in the group realises they have planned absolutely nothing.

From choosing the right festival to sorting travel, saving money and locking in accommodation, here is a practical step-by-step guide to booking ahead for the summer festival season.

YOUR FESTIVAL CHECKLIST

Step 1: Find the Right Festival for You

It is easy to get caught up in a lineup announcement or a viral TikTok, but the best festival for you depends on more than one artist.

Before just blindly buying a ticket think about:

• Music: Do you actually like enough of the lineup to make the ticket worthwhile?
• Location: Is it in Sydney, regional NSW, interstate or somewhere that requires flights?
• Festival length: Is it a one-day event, weekend festival or multi-day camping festival?
• Overall cost: What will you spend once transport, food and accommodation are included?
• Experience: Are you looking for a huge festival atmosphere, something more relaxed or a camping weekend?
• Your group: Will your friends enjoy the same kind of festival?

Step 2: Find your Festival People

This step sounds obvious, but group chats have a way of becoming:

“I’m definitely coming.”

“Actually maybe.”

“Depends how much it is.”

“Wait, when is it again?”

Start the group chat and ask everyone to decide whether they are:

• Definitely going
• Interested but need more information
• Probably not going

You do not necessarily need everyone to commit immediately. You just need enough certainty to start making decisions.

This is particularly important if you are planning to split:

• Accommodation
• Petrol
• Rental cars
• Camping equipment
• Food
• Other shared expenses

If eight people are supposedly coming but only four are actually committed, booking an eight-person house can quickly become an expensive mistake.

Step 3: Work Out the Real Cost

Purchasing the ticket isn’t the only expense..

Your festival budget could include:

🎟️ Festival ticket: General admission, VIP, booking fees

🚗 Transport: Petrol, flights, train fares, rideshare or shuttle

🏕️ Accommodation: Hotel, Airbnb, hostel or camping

🍔 Food & drinks: Meals before, during and after the festival

👗 Outfits: Clothing, shoes and accessories

🔋 Essentials: Portable charger, sunscreen, water bottle

💵 Extra spending: Merchandise, lockers, unexpected costs

A $180 ticket might sound manageable, but once you add:

• $120 accommodation
• $60 transport
• $80 food and drinks
• $40 festival essentials

your $180 day out could easily become a $480 weekend.

That doesn't mean you should cancel. It just shows it's essential to know the full cost early so you have time to plan for it.

Step 4: Start Saving Early

Instead of waiting until tickets drop and trying to find hundreds of dollars immediately, set yourself a simple savings goal.

City Quokka Tip: If you expect the festival weekend to cost around $500 and you have 20 weeks to save:

$500 ÷ 20 weeks = $25 per week

Suddenly the trip feels much more manageable. You could also create a separate savings account or savings goal and automatically transfer a small amount each week.

Step 5: Don’t Miss the Ticket Drop

There is nothing worse than deciding you want to go and then realising tickets already dropped with limited ticket options left. To avoid disappointment:

• Follow the festival
• Join the mailing list
• Register for presale
• Save the ticket date
• Set a reminder
• Create your ticketing account
• Confirm your budget
• Check your group is ready

Most of the time tickets are released in different tiers, meaning earlier buyers may have access to cheaper ticket options before later releases.

Step 6: Lock in Travel and Accommodation

Getting the ticket is not the last part of the planning process. For festivals outside your local area, transport and accommodation can become expensive or sell out quickly, so this is one of the most important things to book early.

Ticket booked → transport sorted → accommodation booked

First, sort out transport:

Decide how your group is getting to the festival:

• Driving: Confirm who is driving, how many cars you need, parking availability and how petrol costs will be split.
• Public transport: Check train, bus or festival shuttle options and whether services run late enough after the event.
• Flying: Compare flight prices early, especially for interstate festivals.

Then, organise where you’re staying:

If you need accommodation, compare:

• Hotels
• Hostels
• Airbnbs or holiday rentals
• Festival camping
• Staying with friends or family nearby

Before booking, check:

• Distance from the festival
• How you will get to and from the venue
• Total price per person
• Cancellation policy
• Check-in and check-out times
• Whether everyone in the group has actually committed

Step 7: Get Festival-Ready 

Avoid the stress of leaving little preparation for the night before. Here’s a checklist of festival essentials to prepare a few weeks before: 

• Portable charger
• Water bottle if permitted
• Sunscreen
• Sunglasses
• Hat
• Comfortable shoes
• Small approved bag
• ID
• Ticket
• Any required medication
• Light layer or rain protection depending on the forecast

Note: Also check the festival's official rules before packing.

Different events can have restrictions around:

• Bag sizes
• Outside food
• Drink bottles
• Cameras
• Chairs
• Umbrellas
• Aerosols
• Camping equipment

There is no point buying something specifically for the festival only to discover it cannot enter the venue.

Step 8: Enjoy!