Want to get the full festival experience without the high ticket price? Volunteering at festivals offers more than just free entry—it’s a chance to build skills, create valuable connections, and gain a fresh perspective on the events you love. Here are 11 surprising perks of volunteering at a festival that make it a truly unforgettable experience.
1. Free Access to Major Festivals
Volunteering often means complimentary entry to the festival. While you’ll have responsibilities, you still get to absorb the atmosphere, enjoy the live acts, and catch parts of the event you’d otherwise pay a premium for. Whether it’s music, art, or film festivals, volunteering opens the door to experiences you love without the high cost. With Liveforce, you can find festivals to volunteer at that suit your style.
This is probably going to be the kicker for most people who want to volunteer/work at a festival. Whilst you may not get the full free roaming experience of being an attendee you do still get the atmosphere and even hear your favourite bands.
Getting to work/volunteer at a festival is a dream come true for many, it’s also a great way to increase the number of festivals you get to see on a yearly basis. When you consider the list you make of your must-see events and work out the time-off that will be needed plus costs, the fun soon stops.
Volunteering or working at festivals provides the perfect middle grown for visiting a number of events, experiencing them and also gaining credible work experience too. It’s a win-win!
2. Real-World Experience with Industry Pros
Festivals are large-scale events that require a lot of coordination, and you’ll get hands-on experience working with skilled teams to make them happen. From guest services to logistics, you’ll learn practical skills that matter. Plus, with the growing emphasis on sustainability and safety, you’ll see industry standards up close. If events are your passion, Liveforce can help you kickstart your festival volunteer experience with meaningful roles.
Festivals and events of this nature are no joke. That means the teams you are added to will have leaders and experienced people all of which will have a large amount of knowledge of the industry and everything in between.
3. Build a Diverse Skill Set
Festival volunteering offers the chance to try a variety of tasks, from guest check-ins to backstage support. Each role adds something new, perfect for those who enjoy active learning. If you’re exploring career paths in events or management, this is a great opportunity to build practical skills across roles. Liveforce makes it easy to find positions that keep your experience dynamic and engaging.
4. Get an Insider’s View of Festival Production
Witnessing a field transform into a lively event space is thrilling. Volunteering gives you a backstage pass to all the logistics—staging, sound setup, vendor coordination, and more. As festivals shift towards eco-friendly practices, this behind-the-scenes access also shows you how sustainability is incorporated. Liveforce connects you with roles that put you at the heart of these exciting event preparations.
Seeing massive structures being constructed, sound systems put in place, the inner workings of the camping setup and even how precise the parking management is. It can be an incredibly eye-opening experience with plenty to learn and use for future prospects.
5. Opens Doors to Future Opportunities
This could also be considered a major part of the experience too. If the events industry happens to be an area of interest and focus for your career then working behind the scenes with your fellow festival volunteers will not only create new friendships but also open up new opportunities.
There are few people who can say that they worked in festivals and were core to making the whole event happen. You will be able too.
But coming back to your career in events. Let’s say you want to work with a food trader next time around, as a volunteer for the festival you get the chance to roam around and mix with the traders and teams, getting yourself known and becoming acquainted with individuals will give you a great chance to work in highly competitive areas such as festival food where roles are given away to friends and family.
Volunteering isn’t just about enjoying the festival—it’s also about building future opportunities. Many event professionals began as volunteers, and the connections you make can lead to paid roles or internships. If events, production, or management interests you, volunteering through can help you get started in the industry.
6. Make Lasting Friendships and Build Your Network
Volunteering at a festival brings you together with people who share your love for the festival vibe. You’ll form new friendships and expand your network, especially valuable if you’re exploring a career in events. Liveforce connects you with fellow volunteers and industry professionals, offering chances to network in a relaxed, enjoyable setting.
7. Life Skills
You often find yourself at an event or festival complaining talking about how the whole place is dysfunctional, something is wrong here and overall just being critical.
Once you have had skin in the game you will have newfound respect for the event organisers and overall, you will probably be a lot more chill because of it.
This is a great life skill to have – appreciate that things can get a little hectic from time to time but that’s what happens when you have so much going on around you, at all times.
8. Meet the Stars (if you are lucky)
One of the bigger more sought-after perks of a festival is to mix and mingle with the stars. It’s generally a role-based perk so it requires some knowledge and understanding of which roles will have a higher chance of meeting the stars.
That being said you may bump into stars or come across them whilst you are grabbing some lunch. As you are part of the festival crew the areas that are off-limit to you will inevitably be far and few between compared to attending, thus more chances to get to meet someone.
9. Community & Pride
Everyone has stories of their parties and favourite bands from a festival they attended but you get to give a story that very, very few others will talk about. So few that telling your stories may seem futile unless it’s to another fellow festival volunteer.
You get to talk about the artists that you met in the canteen, the tents that you set up for the VIPs, the huge structures being constructed and so on.
At the end of your time as a volunteer, you will inevitably be going back for more year on year or you will stick to the attendee list.
10. Build Resilience and Stay Active
Festival volunteering keeps you both mentally engaged and physically active. The tasks require stamina, flexibility, and resilience, from setting up equipment to managing crowd flow. This experience strengthens both body and mind in a high-energy environment.
11. Learn Empathy and Patience
Festival settings are busy and diverse, and volunteering in this environment teaches empathy and patience as you interact with attendees. You’ll gain valuable people skills, handling everything from questions to unexpected issues with a calm, friendly approach.
12. Take Pride in Contributing to the Festival Community
Volunteering connects you directly to the festival’s success. Your contribution—whether it’s helping backstage, setting up equipment, or guiding guests—makes the event memorable. This unique experience brings a sense of pride and connection to the community.
13. Sharpen Problem-Solving Skills
Festivals are often unpredictable, and volunteering means you’ll frequently need to think on your feet. From finding quick solutions to unexpected challenges to adapting to last-minute changes, festival volunteering builds problem-solving and flexibility. Liveforce helps you find roles that develop these skills in real-time.
14. Gain a Deeper Appreciation for Events
Seeing the work and passion that go into a festival gives you a new perspective. Instead of simply attending, you’re part of the effort that makes it happen. You’ll leave with a deeper appreciation for event planning and teamwork. Liveforce connects you with these behind-the-scenes roles, where your efforts truly matter.
Conclusion
Volunteering at a festival offers excitement, personal growth, and connections that last. Curious about festival volunteering? Liveforce makes it easy to explore upcoming festival volunteer work so you can enjoy the season with purpose and enthusiasm. Sign up today to find roles that fit your summer plans and bring you closer to the events you love.
