Series 16: Five Icebreakers for Festivals - How to Meet New People and Have Fun
designACE - your weekly icebreaker questions to start meaningful conversations.
Festivals are a wonderful way to celebrate life, culture, and art. It's always an experience finding a crowd full of people with the same passion and enthusiasm. Whether it's music, film, comedy, arts and crafts, or any other genre, there's a festival for everyone and everything.
But festivals are about more than just seeing your favourite acts. They are about having fun and mingling with other like-minded festival-goers. A great way to make friends at your next festival is with our weekly icebreaker questions. We come up with fun questions you can use to start a meaningful conversation and make new friends.
Here are five icebreaker questions you can bring to your next festival:
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What is your favourite festival food and why?
Do you have a "bucket list" festival you've always wanted to attend?
What is your go-to accessory you bring to every festival?
Do you like dancing at the front of the stage or back of the crowd?
How do you relax or recharge after a festival?
What is your favourite festival food and why?
Food is essential to any festival experience and the best thing to bring people together. The fun thing about festivals is that they are themed, and pairing up food and beverages is half the fun.
Food wears many hats as a festival essential. It nourishes, energizes, comforts, and, most importantly, delights you.
Asking someone about their favourite festival food can help you discover their taste buds and personality. If you are at a festival and see someone eating something you'd like to try, ask them where they got it and if it's worth trying.
Christine's Answer:
This one is easy and, luckily, available at most festivals, concerts, fairs, and events. Cotton Candy and Funnel Cakes - especially with ice cream and strawberry sauce. In my family, we always ended a good trip with a treat. Whenever I got to choose the treat, it was a family-sized funnel cake. It also made leaving less sad for us kids, so high-five to my parents for that parenting hack." -Christine, designACE
You can follow up with questions like:
How do you feel after your favourite festival food? Was it worth it?
Do you share your food with friends or family?
Do you have a "bucket list" festival you've always wanted to attend?
A "bucket list" festival is one you have always dreamed of going to and experiencing at least once in your lifetime. It can be a local, national or international festival that appeals to your fantasies. Asking someone if they have a bucket list festival can help you learn more about their desires. You may learn about a new event or group you can engage with that you otherwise didn't know existed.
Andrew's Answer:
"My bucket list festival is Burning Man. It's a week-long Nevada desert event celebrating art, self-expression and community. I'm curious about experiencing Burning Man because it seems like an amazing event. Is it the largest ‘Leave No Trace’ gathering in the world? That means respecting the environment and cleaning up after ourselves is important. Another cool thing about Burning Man is that it's a ‘Gifting Society.’ That means you won't find any goods or services for sale – it's all about sharing and giving to each other. -Andrew, designACE.
You can follow up with questions like:
What are some of the things that attract you to your bucket list festival?
Why is it so important for you to experience this festival?
What is your go-to favourite accessory you bring to every festival?
An accessory is an item you wear or carry that enhances your festival experience. An accessory might add something extra to your outfit, provide comfort, or offer added functionality like safety or security features. Festivals are usually full-day events, and with that big a time commitment, having the right accessories can often make or break your event.
Asking someone about their favourite festival accessory can help you learn more about their style, preferences and needs. You may also learn a new tip or "festival hack" you can use next time. You can also share your favourite festival accessory and how it helps you enjoy the festival, sharing your expertise and tips.
Christine's Answer:
"I always bring a portable cell phone charger to every festival. I got sick of getting up late in the day and needing to find somewhere to charge my phone. This would always take me away from my favourite performers or worse, if I get separated from my friends, it's difficult to find them with no phone. I have been using a free one I got in a swag bag. Still, I just ordered an upgrade (the VEEKTOMX Portable Charger in Blue) that will last even longer and looks even cuter." - Christine, designACE
You can follow up with questions like:
Did you make or buy your accessory?
Why did you choose this option? What other festival accessories do you use or recommend?
Do you like dancing at the front of the stage or back of the crowd?
Dancing is one of the most fun activities people do at festivals. It's a way to express yourself, enjoy the music and connect with others. Asking someone what kind of dancer they are may reveal interesting things about their personality, tastes, and approach to life.
Questions like "Are you likely to dance at the front of the stage or back of the crowd" can help you understand their attitudes and energy level.
Andrew's Answer:
"I like dancing at the front of the stage. I think it's more exciting and immersive. I like being close to the performers and feeling their vibe and charisma. I also like being part of the crowd that cheers and sings along." -Andrew, designACE.
You can follow up with questions like:
Do you like dancing with people or on your own?
Where did you learn to dance?
How do you relax or recharge after a festival?
A festival can be an exhilarating and even a life-changing experience, but it can also be utterly exhausting to recover from. Whether you are sad because it's over, sore because you danced your shoes off, or worse for wear for reasons we won't get into, rest and recovery are an important part of the post-festival blues.
As many of us have already experienced, they can affect your physical, mental and emotional well-being. Asking someone how they relax or recharge after a festival can help you learn more about their self-care habits and apply them to your style and personality. You can also share your ways of relaxing or recharging after a festival and how they benefit you.
Andrew's Answer:
"I relax or recharge after a festival by taking a long bath, sleeping in, eating healthy and meditating. I got good advice a few Pride Parade's ago that you should try to take the Monday off work to reduce any Sunday night stress or risk of being late or not my best self in the morning. I think it's important to pamper yourself, rest your body and mind, and clear the way so you can properly recover. I also like to reflect on the festival and appreciate the memories and connections I made. The best way to do this is by sharing my phone pictures with my friends." -Andrew, designACE.
You can follow up with questions like:
How long does it take to recover from a festival?
What are some things you do or avoid before or during a festival to prevent or reduce fatigue or stress?
Discover our Icebreaker Games for meetings.
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In Conclusion
We're thrilled to share these festival-themed icebreaker questions with you! These will surely light up your events and help you have fun making new connections. Give them a try, and tell us all about your experience. Have a blast at the festival!
