Music festivals are largely held during the summer. However, if you are wanting to attend one, it is best to start planning well in advance. By doing this, you can more effectively budget for them and get your tickets in advance. Even when you do this, many festivals are still so expensive that they are simply not doable for the average recent college graduate. For instance, passes for Coachella start at a massive $375, and that doesn’t include travel or lodging expenses.
Not all festivals are this way, though. There are many festivals around the country that offer both an incredible experience and very reasonable prices. What sets these festivals apart is a commitment to sound business practices that put their customers first, while keeping their goals centered on growth. If you want to attend a music festival, but do not have a large budget to work with, it is important for you to find one with these kinds of ideals.
Here are three music festivals that fit the bill, and won’t break the bank at under $200 each.
Treefort Music Festival (Boise, Idaho)
Treefort Music Festival is held yearly in Boise, Idaho over five days in March. Treefort’s regular 5-day pass price is incredibly affordable at $179, and featured over 400 bands in 2015. These range from local acts to big names. Treefort also offers many discounts for buying tickets early, including 200 incredibly limited $50 passes, as well as a discounted pass for people under 21 years old, making the festival even more affordable. During Treefort, Boise’s entire downtown area becomes part of Treefort, and the city’s friendly environment is worth the trip on its own.
Pitchfork Music Festival (Chicago, Illinois)
Held in July in Chicago’s Union Park, Pitchfork Music Festival has one of the best returns on your money of any festival in terms of the level of artists you will see. For $180, you get three days of some of the best up and coming artists, as well as more established ones. Pitchfork is incredibly dedicated to keeping prices low, and also works closely with local Chicago businesses, vendors, and the artistic community. This means that the money you spend by attending this festival contributes to growing local culture, while keeping it affordable.
Bumbershoot (Seattle, Washington)
One of the longest running festivals in the country, Bumbershoot is held every Labor Day weekend at Seattle, Washington’s Seattle Center.  The festival has national, as well as smaller Pacific Northwest acts. Of American music festivals, it has truly one of the best urban settings, with The Space Needle towering overhead, multiple museums adjacent to the festival’s grounds, and Puget Sound only blocks away. When you mix the setting with the incredible lineup they put together every year, Bumbershoot is an incredible festival, especially at its low price. Three day passes for Bumbershoot 2015 started at $163.50 and steadily increased to $209.50 leading up to the festival. Â