Finding the perfect festival is a difficult task. Even more so for a newcomer. And once you’ve finally found a festival lineup that you like, here comes the stress. Suddenly you have to pack for a trip across the country to see your favorite DJs live. But, this just brings more questions to the table. How long do music festivals last? How will you sleep during the festival? Will you manage to be there for every DJ set?
There’s no need to worry. By stressing out, you’re missing the whole point of the festival. Which is to have fun and enjoy the music. Read on to find out how long most festivals (along with the big ones) last and how you’ll be able to rest enough and not miss any action.
How Long Do Music Festivals Last?
Electronic music festivals last for 3 days. While there’s no set rule on how long a festival should last, most of them are organized on weekends. This way, more people can join in the fun. I can’t imagine how heartbreaking it’d be to go to work right after a festival.
There are some exceptions to the 3-day rule, though. Some festivals like Coachella last for two weekends. Double the fun! But, if you choose to attend both weekends, expect to spend a fortune on travel expenses. Still, a festival experience is priceless!
How Long Do Music Festivals Last from Start/End
Music festivals usually start at noon and end at midnight. So, you’ll get a solid 12 hours of dancing and socializing. If you manage to dance for an entire festival day non-stop, I’ll happily gift you all my Kandi. Congrats, you’re officially a festival beast!
Again, some festivals don’t follow this rule. The EDC in Vegas starts at dusk and ends at dawn. “Dusk till Dawn” is a pretty cool mantra for a festival if you ask me. And, dancing from sunset to sunrise is such a vibe!
How Long Do Raves Last?
Unlike festivals, raves aren’t that long. Most underground raves last for one night, or around 10 hours. Since raves are seen in a better light nowadays, some open-air raves can last for 24 hours.
That said, raves are quite different from festivals. Once you’re at a rave, you don’t stop dancing until the music stops. That’s a rule. I’ve been to warehouse raves where I barely found time to drink some water. Plus, raves still keep a more underground vibe, which leads them to last a single night.
And then, it’s time to catch some Z’s. But, for festivalgoers, sleeping once the music stops isn’t that easy…
How Do You Sleep at a Festival
Many have tried to pull all-nighters at festivals. Don’t be like them. You need to get enough sleep to dance harder the next day. Plus, falling asleep isn’t that simple if you’re staying at the festival.
If you’re camping at the festival, you have to keep a few things in mind if you want to get a good night’s sleep.
- Don’t drink too much alcohol. Hangovers aren’t fun, especially if you’re at a festival. Also, drink a lot of water a few hours before you sleep.
- Wear earplugs. These won’t only protect your ears from loud music, but they’ll also work wonders when you want to fall asleep.
Wear an eye mask. Nobody wants to wake up at 6 am, even more so when the first set starts at noon. An eye mask is an absolute must!
How Long Do the Biggest Music Festivals Last
We’ve already established that most festivals last for 3 days and they run from 12 pm to 12 am. That said, you should visit the big festivals if you’re a newcomer. You’re basically guaranteed a good time if you do so.
Thus, it’s good to know how long these last.
Coachella
Coachella lasts two weekends (so 6 days). This ultimately means that some of the main acts will perform on both weekends. A day in Coachella starts at noon and ends right before midnight, so you’ll have plenty of music to enjoy.
Electric Daisy Carnival
EDC is a weekend long. But, despite lasting three days, it’s the most exciting festival in the country. The party starts at 7-8 pm and ends before 6 am. EDC is the closest thing to a 3-day underground rave, so you need to have the required energy for that.
Ultra Music Festival
Ultra Music Festival is also a weekend-long festival. On Friday, the festival isn’t as long, as it goes from 4 pm to 10 pm or midnight. Saturday is the longest day – the festival is on from noon to midnight. But, the sets end two hours earlier on Sundays because ravers have to go to work on Mondays.
Tomorrowland
Similar to other festivals, Tomorrowland’s opening set is at noon, and the last set ends at 12 am. The difference is that Tomorrowland lasts 3 weekends! If you dance non-stop during the whole festival, you have my kudos. And my Kandi.
How Long Does a Music Festival Set Last
A music festival set usually lasts 1 hour. This, however, depends on how many acts there are at that festival. For example, if Martin Garrix is the main act at a festival, his set will be 2 hours long.
Although sets are getting shorter as more music festivals bring on more DJ’s, all the way down to 30 minutes!
Final Thoughts
While underground ravers like myself are used to a whole night of rocking out, big music festivals last entire weekends. Or even two or three full weekends! But don’t let that stop you from flying over to your favorite festival and jamming out all night long. After all, that’s what raving is all about!
Check out YESIRAVE’s blog for more articles about the biggest EDM festivals in the US.
Keep on raving ‘till dawn!
Alexios is a professional writer who has been raving for 5 years. He is eager to help all enter the scene.