Designing and managing music festival experiences to enhance attendees' psychological and social benefits. (March 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ballantyne, Julie; Ballantyne, Roy; Packer, Jan
• Is Part Of: Musicae scientiae. Volume 18:Number 1(2014)
• Page Start: 65
• Page End: 83
• Publication Date: 2014-03
• Subjects: event -- health -- music festival -- well-being; Music -- Psychological aspects -- Periodicals; 780
• DOI: 10.1177/1029864913511845
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1029-8649

Abstract

Attendance and participation at popular music festivals has become an important and increasingly common experience for people in many Western societies, yet little is known about the kinds of benefits visitors perceive they gain as a result of attending. This research explores attendees' perceptions of the psychological and social benefits associated with their attendance at the Woodford Folk Festival in Queensland (Australia). Based upon the research findings, music festival management strategies are suggested to improve the design of festival experiences to better cater to the artistic, musical, social and psychological needs of attendees thereby increasing the impact and depth of the experience.