The humble festival has exploded over recent years into a colourful Catherine Wheel combining music, food, yoga, face paint (AND glitter bras?), we’ve moved from wellies to high end Hunters and from day festivals to VIP experiences. In the world of marketing, where the VIP pass can be exploited by brands to offer influencers, celebrities and journalists alike a little taste of the high life on their time (and money) in return for exposure, we’ve seen social media become one of the key ways to sell the ‘festival experience’.

Sure who doesn’t want backstage access, free food, copious amounts of drinks and zero queues to the Portaloo {answers on a postcard}! Festivals can communicate through high quality images to thousands quickly and easily through social media and they are doing it well bringing the FOMO out in all of us.

My festival or should I say gig fashion vibe is usually a flattish boot (check these from Jones The Bootmakers), short shorts from Zara and a essential J Brand Denim Jacket. Here’s my top festivals on social media who give me major marketing FOMO:

COACHELLA – The Fashion One

Oh Coachella what is NOT TO LOVE? Always happens early in the year when the UK is FREEZING thus massively appealing to celebs and social media stars who are starving for dreamy content. It is always beautiful and sunny and so heavenly with the likes of Rihanna. Alessandra Ambrosio, Sophie Turner and Kendall/Kylie Jenner so it is not surprising that fashion brands like Revolve are getting involved. They have 1.2M on Instagram and it is light, bright and professional. I wanna gooooo! Call it the Fashion Week of the Festival World kicking off the tone for the season ahead.

GLASTONBURY – The ONE

Glastonbury Festival has been an absolute beast – in a good way. It is now so big that fans will argue over the line up (which is like the holy grail of marketing – if people CARE that much)! The Eaves family have kept it down to earth and from all the amazing experiences, it is truly one of the only festivals on my bucket list. It doesn’t seem to matter if it is raining and turned into a mudslide or if BREXIT has just happened on the outside, everyone seems to have an absolute blast. Their 230k Instagram followers will enjoy their distinctive flags for daytime and neon lights and fireworks in the evening. The BBC coverage, of course amplifies this festival (and their headline acts) into living rooms across the country – like who can ever forget Beyonce’s killer closing set.

WILDERNESS – The Free Spirit One

“YOU CAME ONE DAY AND AS USUAL IN SUCH MATTERS, SIGNIFICANCE FILLED EVERYTHING.” ~ A. R. AMMONS. Wilderness  Festival looks lurrrvveeelllyyyy with a laid back vibe, everyone welcome and come as you are attitude! They delight their 30+k Instagram followers with a mixture of their event including pics of revellers taking a dip in their outdoor lake. They even encourage it naked – natch.

V Festival – The Party One

Wow, their Instagram paints a wild, fun, dark and cool picture, so you know V Festival is ready to party. V seems to be where the cool kids go, where you can get a good VIP tent and has more sponsors than you can shake a stick at! Their 82k Instagram followers get a high quality edit of stage snaps and festival goers mixed with rough and ready videos filmed on the spot.

Burning Man – The One That is NOT A Festival

Burning Man, the dessert based party-land for the luxury jet set, proudly states it is not a festival, and is instead a community, where you make the entertainment happen. It has had it’s fair share of controversy which it doesn’t reference on their Instagram account. However their 448k followers are treated to lovely professional shots plus a few flashbacks and behind the scenes photos. My favourite new guilty pleasure is to look at the photos the account is tagged in and look at the hashtag because OH BOY. It is like a supermodel explosion in a Game of Thrones meets bondage scenario. Thank me later.

I must have missed some? Let me know where you love going to 🙂