Summer is music festival season across the United States and around the world.
From Roots Picnic in Philadelphia to Outside Lands in San Francisco, these events bring together top artists, emerging performers and thousands of fans for unforgettable weekends of live music. But while festivals can create lasting memories, they can also put a strain on your budget.
The ticket is only the beginning. Travel, lodging, food, drinks, merchandise and other expenses can quickly add up. Depending on how much you splurge, a three-day festival can cost anywhere from several hundred dollars to several thousand.
Estimated Cost of a Three-Day Music Festival
| Expense | Budget | Mid-range | Premium |
| Tickets | $350–$450 | $500–$650 | $800-$1,200 |
| Travel | $50–$150 | $200–$400 | $600-$2,000 |
| Lodging | $100–$200 | $250–$450 | $700-$2,000 |
| Gear, if camping | $50–$150 | $200–$400 | $0 (typically all-inclusive) |
| Food and drinks | $150–$250 | $300–$450 | $600-$1,000 |
| Merchandise and extras | $100–$200 | $200–$300 | $400-$1,500 |
| Total | $800–$1,300 | $1,650–$2,650 | $3,100-$7,700 |
The good news is that you don’t have to spend the most money to have the best experience. Here are ways to keep festival costs under control.
1. Buy Tickets Safely
Avoid deals that seem too good to be true. Ticket scams are common, especially for sold-out events.
Instead of buying from strangers online, purchase tickets directly through the festival website or an authorized ticket seller. If you must buy from another person, use a trusted source and verify that the transfer is legitimate.
“Never buy tickets from a scalper,” says Lindsay Stevens, who has handled public relations for the Riverbeat festival in Memphis, Tennessee. “Get them from a verified third-party vendor like Ticketmaster or someone you trust. Facebook friend groups for last-minute tickets can be good too, because you’re connected with people you know.”
However, the best option is to go straight to the festival’s website or an authorized ticket platform like Eventbrite. Buying from the source is easy, and you won’t have to worry about fraud.
Some artists, promoters and radio stations also give away tickets through social media contests and promotions. Following official festival accounts can help you spot those opportunities.
“iHeartRadio is great,” Stevens says. “Promoters use it as a promo tool to get people excited about the event. We do a fixed dollar amount for the number of tickets we’re giving away through the station. It’s good advertising.”
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2. Use Reputable Resale Platforms
If tickets are sold out, consider a legitimate resale marketplace such as SeatGeek, StubHub or Ticketmaster Resale.
These platforms typically offer buyer protections and verified ticket transfers. Just remember that prices fluctuate based on demand. Popular festivals often become more expensive as the event approaches, while slower-selling events may see last-minute discounts.
3. Use Credit Cards Strategically
Many major festivals are cashless, making credit cards the easiest way to pay for food, drinks and merchandise.
Credit cards also offer stronger fraud protections than debit cards. However, make sure you have a plan to pay off the balance quickly. Carrying festival expenses at a high interest rate can significantly increase the true cost of your trip.
Rewards cards may help offset some expenses through cash back, points or travel rewards.
For example, if you have a cash back card offering 2% back, you’ll earn $40 after charging $2,000. Credit card shopping portals can help too. Capital One’s Entertainment portal offers 8% cash back, or 5x miles, depending on the card you have when you purchase tickets through the company’s system.
Or, this may be the time to open a new credit card with a big sign-up bonus. For example, if the ticket price is $500, a Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card can be attractive since it will give you $200 after spending that amount, which brings the net ticket price down to $300.
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4. Think Carefully Before Using Payment Plans
Many festivals now offer Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) plans that allow attendees to spread ticket costs over several months.
While installment plans can make expensive tickets more manageable, they only work if the payments fit comfortably within your budget. Missed payments may result in fees and could potentially affect your credit.
Before choosing a payment plan, calculate whether you’ll still have enough money left over for everyday expenses and festival costs, such as travel and lodging
“I know a lot of people who are paying in installments, and I think that’s a good option,” says Corona Smith, a recent UCLA graduate and regular festival attendee who lives in San Francisco. “But I like to just get the tickets way ahead of time, and make it work by not going out to dinner, hanging with friends or going out for drinks for a few weeks.”
Only use BNPLs when you are confident that you can afford the series of payments. If you don’t pay on time, you’ll get hit with a late fee. Let it go too long, and you’ll get a delinquency reported to your credit file, which will negatively affect your credit scores.
If the payment is too high, it can impact the amount of money you have for regular bills, causing you to turn to credit cards to make up the difference. Break a $600 ticket into four even installments and you’re looking at $150 each month. If your budget is already thin, this could be tough to manage.
5. Take Advantage of Credit Card Benefits
Some credit cards provide access to ticket presales, exclusive events and entertainment perks.
Depending on the issuer, cardholders may receive early access to tickets, VIP experiences or special promotions. These benefits can help you secure tickets before prices rise on the secondary market.
Check your card’s entertainment and travel benefits before purchasing tickets.
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6. Work or Volunteer at the Festival
One of the best ways to reduce costs is to earn your way in. Festivals often hire temporary workers for merchandise booths, concessions and event support. Some positions include free admission, meals and other perks, and volunteer opportunities may also be available in exchange for complimentary tickets.
“Oftentimes vendors are hiring for the day,” says Christine Collins, a music festival industry veteran. “Sell merchandise or concessions and get free food, free tickets and sometimes free perks.”
According to Collins, you may also score free entry by signing up to be a crowd informant while still wearing your stylish festival clothes. Security professionals can’t be everywhere, so they often rely on volunteers to walk around and notify them about suspicious activity.
7. Get a Behind-the-Scenes Experience Without the VIP Cost
Going backstage to see your favorite entertainers up close and personal can be a thrill, but it’s usually reserved for people paying extra for the privilege.
You may not need to shell out the money for backstage access, however. According to Collins, you might be able to become what’s known as a runner.
“You’re a gopher for the greater good,” she says. “You’re tasked out to retrieve items for talent and their teams, sometimes the venue. You can also apply to be an alternate, which means you’re attending but get called to duty, but only if needed,” she says. Check the event’s webpage for jobs.
8. Save on Festival Fashion
Festivals are fashion-forward events. You can stand out in the crowd with cool outfits without overpaying, says Lana Ashby Rowder, stylist and founder of fashion tech platform LookingGLASS, who is also a music festival enthusiast. She says anyone can be a festival fashionista for almost no money.
Here are her festival money-saving tips:
— Shop your closet and check to see what you can assemble in creative ways.
— Go thrift shopping — other people’s wild cast-offs can be your new look.
— Modify what you have: Cut jeans into shorts, bedazzle clothes or clip in feathers.
“There are no rules,” Rowder says. “Have fun, show your personality. You can do that with a T-shirt that says something unique to you.”
If you do want to buy new, don’t waste your money on things like expensive footwear.
“People take them out for the first time, and their feet are bloody or they’re ruined,” Rowder says. “Wear your trusty sneakers. A lot of people are jumping around and stepping on toes. Definitely don’t wear open-toe shoes, as you’ll be going in porta-potties.”
Also avoid wearing anything super expensive that can be ruined or knocked off, like a nice hat.
Sharing clothes can also help you save. Smith gets together with her friends before the festival and swaps clothes they already own, assembling it all into a group look.
9. Pack Smart
Jamie Roberts, founder of For the Win Media in New York City, has been going to music festivals for more than 30 years and warns against under-preparing. If you don’t bring certain things, you may have to pay a premium for them once you’re inside.
“Bring a handheld fan, with misting if it’s in August, so you don’t die of heat stroke and don’t have to keep buying water,” Roberts says. “Wear or bring layers so you don’t need to buy merch to be warm. People forget the day-to-night temperature change.”
Also, pack a small tube of sunscreen and a tiny first-aid kit so you don’t have to seek out the medical tent for small scrapes or blisters. Make sure you review the festival’s bag policy before you leave so you know what you’re allowed to bring.
10. Pregame and Pack Snacks
If you enter the event site hungry or thirsty, your bank account may suffer.
“Inside the festival is a huge money suck,” says Smith, who suggests eating and drinking before you go in. “If you can bring food into the festival, definitely do that. You will literally spend $20 for fries.”
Check the bag policy before you go. For example, at Bonnaroo, held in Manchester, Tennessee, bags must be clear and smaller than 12″ x 6″ x 12″. Consider those dimensions and see how many protein bars and packets of nuts you can stuff in.
Clear water bottles may be allowed in, but chances are you’ll drink most within the first couple of hours. Hang onto the vessel and refill it at the free hydration station.
11. Score the Swag
Festival merchandise is cool, but often pricey. For example, a hoodie advertising Chicago’s 2026 Summer Smash retails for $100.
Victoria Vesce, a West Palm Beach, Florida-based events content creator, recently went to her first festival, Stagecoach. She suggests looking for branded promotional gear instead.
“There are tons of free giveaways, parties and brand activations,” Vesce says.
“You can accessorize your whole look once you’re there. I picked up skincare, hats and drinks at sponsor booths, and a bunch of people scored pieces to complete their outfits. Definitely reach out to brands ahead of time to get invites to extra parties and pop-ups. Send a DM to the brand,” she adds.
And if you absolutely must buy the festival’s official gear when you’re there, consider waiting until the very end, when vendors may be selling merchandise at a deep discount.
12. Secure Budget-Friendly Accommodations
“Check the festival’s website for local hotel and retail partners,” Stevens says. “They may offer special deals on packages.”
If you can’t afford a hotel room, check out camping options, which are usually available. Smith says that’s what she does, as even local Airbnbs can be expensive due to high demand.
Depending on the festival, you can score very low-cost tent sites. For example, the tent/car camping pass for the Country Summer Music Festival in Santa Rosa, California, is $165 and accommodates up to five guests. Split among your group, that’s just $33 per person.
If you want a more elevated experience, many festivals offer more luxurious tents. For example, a two-day VIP hideaway glamping tent for the 2026 Northlands Live event is $1,599.
Only you know what you can handle. If camping is uncomfortable or people are partying until the sun goes down, you may not enjoy the next day because you’ll be so exhausted. If sleep is a necessity, plan your budget for an Airbnb or a hotel.
Make the Most of Your Festival Budget
Music festivals don’t have to drain your bank account.
By planning ahead, buying tickets carefully and managing expenses before you arrive, you can enjoy the experience while keeping costs under control.
And if your dream festival isn’t in the budget this year, start saving now. Setting aside about $167 per month would give you roughly $2,000 for next summer’s event.
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11 Ways to Save Money at Music Festivals originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 06/29/26: This story was published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
