Planning on attending a festival this summer? It could come with a hefty price tag
With festival season underway, Canadians and tourists alike will be spending their hard-earned cash on entertainment over the summer.
The Calgary Stampede, referred to as the “Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth,” starts on Friday. The 10-day event is $25 a day for admission onto the grounds, which, for the most part, doesn’t cover extras, like certain musical acts, food, drinks, and parking. (Although, access to some of the concert stages are included in the price of admission).
Tickets to see bigger artists performing at the Stampede, like Miranda Lambert, Motley Crue and the Jonas Brothers, can range in price. For example, one ticket to the the Jonas Brothers could come with a price tag upwards of $500.
A report by Casino.org calculated the average cost of going to a music festival for one day across the country. It found that the Calgary Stampede was the most expensive if attendees included a concert in their itinerary. They calculated the price of a ticket to be $330 per day on average.
Other festivals included in the report, which were considered pricy for Canadians, were the Veld Music Festival in Toronto and Osheaga Music and Arts Festival in Montreal. Both start on August 2.
Concert-goers who wish to attend one day at Veld will have to spend at least $223.19 on a ticket, per its website. Meanwhile, those heading to Montreal for Osheaga will be spending a little less for one day — at least $165.
Some users on X, formerly Twitter, joked about needing recommendations for free meals after spending money on Osheaga tickets.
“The tickets for even one day at Osheaga are so expensive, currently trying to sell my ukelele (sic) just to get a little closer to being able to afford the trip,” wrote the person on X.
Some festivals with a lower price tag is the Ottawa Bluesfest, which started on Thursday and goes for 10 days. The cheapest general admissions day pass is on sale for $75. However, one user on X, formerly Twitter, was still disappointed with the cost. He sarcastically quoted what he imagined the Bluesfest creators discussed when they put together the festival, insisting that they opted for the “worst lineup in years while also massively increasing prices.”
However, not all festivals will cost Canadians their monthly salary.
The Celebration of Light Festival is more affordable to attend. A ticket to the Vancouver event that takes place on July 20, July 24 and July 27 starts at $67.84.
Another event, which appears to be the least costly (free festivals excluded), is Winnipeg’s Folklorama, with tickets on sale for $7.50.
There are also many free street and music festivals scheduled this summer, for those hoping to save more.
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