It seems like each year something new has gone viral and last year’s trends are now completely out of date. As an event producer, you’re always trying to stay on trend and keep your event relevant. Sometimes discovering the season’s new trends can be a daunting task.
To help with that, we’ve done the research for you and compiled a list of the hottest summer trends for festivals and events. Follow these 2022 summer festival trends and make it your most memorable summer yet!
1. The More Color the Better
The brighter the better. One trend for this summer is bright, fun colors. The tried and true neutrals are still in the picture, but things are brightening up with splashes of color. Your guests want to be excited at your event, and what better way to help achieve that than with color?
It’s summer, let’s have fun with the design! Give your event a huge boost by implementing color and standing out. Stick with your basics - black, white, gold, neutrals - and then add in red, blue, pink, orange, any color that pairs well with your event to shake things up a bit.
2. Boring is Out, Fun is in
It’s time to reinvigorate your event and re-evaluate your entertainment. Summer festivals are all about unforgettable experiences. Give your guests something to talk about after your event is over.
We’re talking live music and DJs, caricatures, magicians, comedians, virtual city tours, virtual reality installations, games/contests, food and wine experiences, etc. The truth is, boring is out and fun is in! There are countless ways you can find to include some fantastic entertainment elements at your event and your guests will love you for it.
3. The Rise of NFTs
You may have heard of NFTs before but it's still a confusing topic for a lot of people. NFT stands for Non-Fungible Token. Each NFT is completely unique (that’s the “fungible” part), like a one-of-a-kind digital trading card. An NFT is created, or “minted,” and becomes a digital asset that can be owned by only one person or entity at a time. Each “token” lives on a blockchain and can be traded or re-sold after they’re initially purchased.
When most people think of NFTs, the first thing that likely comes to mind is digital sports cards and things like that, but these digital tokens can be used in the event industry as well. For example, you could use NFTs as tickets, as swag bag gifts at an event, an exclusive add-on purchase, or as certificates of attendance.
Coachella actually has created their own NFTs which can be purchased and used as lifetime access to Coachella festivals, digital collections of never before seen photos, or digital renditions of iconic Coachella posters. Recently, Passage made it possible for events to create their own NFTs through Passage Collectibles. Check out our recent blog post for more details about NFTs and how they can work for your event.
4. Sustainability is Cool
Across the globe, brands are working to find ways of achieving more sustainable and eco-friendly business practices. When planning your event, use what already exists. Creatively repurpose areas, items, and materials instead of purchasing everything new each time.
This is also a great time to make your event as paperless as possible. Your guests don’t want to have to print out their tickets before attending your event and probably won’t read the dozen posters you’ve plastered all over your venue. If you’re curious about more ways your event can embrace sustainability, read our recent blog post all about doing just that.
Passage can help make your switch to digital ticketing as quick and easy as possible with our simple ticketing and payments platform. Let us help you make both your life easier and the lives of your guests.
5. Don't Forget About Those at Home
Hybrid events are another hot trend this summer. There’s nothing like attending live events and we are so excited to see the continued return of in-person gatherings. Virtual events were a great way to stay connected even when we weren’t able to meet in person and they continue to be powerful tools which can be utilized in tandem with in-person events.
Why? Sometimes guests can’t make it to an event or just prefer to participate from the comfort of their own home. We're seeing more and more event producers incorporating a virtual element or live stream option into their events, allowing an unlimited number of ticket purchasers to join from around the globe.
If you’re curious about the logistics of live streaming your event, you can read our post all about it!
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6. Take Me Back to Summer ‘99
That carefree summer you spent at sleep-away camp and made great memories. The hours you spent in the lake and flying down water slides. Jumping into a giant ball pit. Being a kid.
In the US, ‘take me back’ events are growing fast and attracting large audiences. They are up 61% from 2019. Adults want to relive their glory days and lean into the nostalgia of the past. The urge to have carefree fun like we did as kids is overwhelming. From water balloon fights being held in Central Park to adult summer camps which bring back the best parts of childhood summers (plus the addition of adult perks like alcohol).
This is one 2022 summer event trend that we are really here for: embracing the carefree fun of our youth and making great new memories.
7. Let's Get Personal
Today's event attendees are looking for personalization. In the summer of 2022, the trend is shifting towards personalized experiences and optimizing your guests’ experience. You’re probably wondering, ‘how can I add personalization to my event?’ The answer is simple - think like your guest.
If you were attending an event/festival, what things would make you feel like a valued guest and make your experience feel tailored to you? We recommend asking attendees for any input on the activities prior to the event, maybe ask them to weigh in on the food selection or the entertainment option, etc.
For festivals you can be creative and create personalized maps for guests based on their personal preferences or what activities they’ve signed up for. For other events, including their names on any sort of swag that’s offered can also help the experience feel more personal for your guests. Need help finding more ways to personalize your event? Check out our free guide to learn what your guests want.
That's All Folks
We hope that this helped spark some creative ideas for how to energize your events and festivals this summer! The important thing is to have fun - if you’re having fun, your guests will too!
The most important, and timeless trend is creating an enjoyable and memorable experience for your guests. Don’t hesitate to ask them exactly how you can do that. We’ve heard great things from event producers who reached out to their guests to get feedback on how they can improve or what their guests want to see from them this year.
Now that you’re armed with fresh ideas and the latest trends for the summer, the next step is to set up your event ticketing with a simple, user-friendly platform that supports all the features you need. From social media discounts and bundled tickets, to unlimited promo codes and NFTs, Passage offers you and your guests the best ticketing experience possible. Schedule a demo to see how Passage can help with your event planning.
