Understanding Feelings, Barriers, and Conflicts in Festivals and Events; the Impact upon Family QOL

Attending festivals as a family can foster bonding, belonging, happiness, and can enhance the family’s quality-of-life (QOL) over time. A family’s ability to attend festivals can be improved if the frame conditions of time and space, money, and rest, health and happiness are in place. Under the surface of the desire to take one’s family to a festival or event there lies, however, a complex decision-making process which is also influenced by perceived barriers to attend. This chapter explores feelings, barriers and family conflict that might arise if the family’s needs and expectations are not met, and hence their ability to attend festivals becomes limited. These potential negative impacts upon the family’s QOL include, (1) barriers to entry due to high ticket prices; (2) conflicts arising within the family due to overstimulated children; and (3) a lack of opportunities for family bonding. Recommendations for festival organisers and other stakeholders highlight that in the case of family festivals less is more; opportunities to engage as a family and play together can be far more beneficial in creating powerful and emotive memories than a complex programme of activities and/or bright lights and rides.