Ever since the inception of flashy music festivals like Coachella and Lollapalooza (even a special mention for the beleaguered Fyre Festival), the archetype for aspirational concert-going has been the same: a pricey flight to an exclusive destination, a hotel that costs more than a month’s rent back home, and a three-day wristband that can cost more than $1,000.
For Gen Z and millennials trying to socialize in an era of high rents, student debt, and stubborn inflation, that fantasy rarely fits their wallets. Now, many are reinventing the experience economy on their own terms, finding ways to get the big-festival fun without dipping into retirement.
