Whether it's the interactive art installations at Burning Man or the immersive stages at Ultra, music festivals are all about the experience. Year after year, festivals keep elevating the way they present music, arts, and culture to their guests.
Although the massive lineup is what draws in thousands of attendees each year, music festivals also have a really impressive food scene. Creating a luxurious food experience for guests is an essential part of keeping the feel of exclusivity in music festivals' VIP areas or backstage parties.
Coachella
Set in the sunny deserts of Indio, California, Coachella is the largest music festival on the West Coast. The underlying theme of eco-chic runs across the entire event and it's important that food and beverage booths reflect the stylish sustainability of the festival.
Creating a completely eco-friendly tablescape is a sure way to impress flower-crowned guests at VIP food gardens or backstage parties.
The Catering Essentials For Coachella
- Compostable plates and cutlery
- Eco-friendly food boats
- Biodegradable straws
- Disposable cups
Catering Tips For Coachella
- Switch to compostable tableware. Plates and cutlery crafted from organic materials like palm leaf or wood have naturally unique patterns that add a distinctive touch to your plating and are perfect for a coveted Coachella Instagram picture.
- Get creative. Enhance cocktails by choosing colorful biodegradable straws that complement your drinks.
- Ditch foam-based options. For handheld festival foods make the switch to compostable food boats, which are a stylish choice for plating grab-and-go entrees, as guests can take their meals with them as they go from stage to stage.
Ultra
With some of the biggest DJs in the world headlining each year, Ultra Music Festival is an EDM fan's dream. Located in Miami, attendees come from around the world to celebrate and experience music.
Local food trucks supply the event with a variety of mouthwatering specialty options, while the VIP events and parties backstage have private chefs and bartenders constantly whipping up exclusive drinks and dishes.
The Catering Essentials For Ultra
- Compostable plates and bowls
- Compostable cutlery
- Cocktail glasses
- Food cones
- Wooden skewers
Catering Tips For Ultra
- Go disposable. No matter what the crowd is, disposable products are key in reducing the amount of time spent cleaning up after hungry festival-goers.
- Add a pop of color. To keep your food presentation looking as luxurious as ever, opt for disposable plates and cups with unique shapes and colors.
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Stand out from the crowd. Switch out traditional cocktail glasses for ones with
angled openings or plate handheld food combinations in over-the-top food cones and skewers.
Burning Man
The 9-day arts and culture extravaganza that is Burning Man resides in the temporary Black Rock City located in the Black Rock Desert. The festival is an immersive experience in self-reliance, sustainability, and shared experiences.
Although everyone approaches their time at Burning Man differently, a common undeniable factor in surviving a week-long trip into the desert and dust storms is food.
The Catering Essentials For Burning Man
Catering Tips For Burning Man
- Zero waste. Burning Man has a strict zero-waste policy, so when packing your kitchen up for the festival, make sure to only bring compostable and biodegradable plates, bowls, and cutlery instead of other plastic or foam-based options.
- Plan in advance. Providing guests with gourmet meals in the middle of nowhere seems like a daunting task, but preplanning and rationing dishes in advance is the key to ensuring that everything from community lunch rushes to private 4-course dinners runs smoothly.
- Avoid messes. Experienced Burning Man attendees know that packing their daily meals into separate bags keeps their makeshift kitchens mess-free, so consider doing the same with your guests by dividing up dishes into heat sealable bags, especially if you're creating catered food packages.
Rolling Loud
Although Rolling Loud hasn't been around for decades like other well-known festivals, it has passionate following and ever-growing locations worldwide that make it a festival force to be reckoned with.
Freshly founded festivals are a great opportunity for catering companies or private chefs to get their business out there. This popular music festival's VIP areas and artist sections are always filled with celebrities and attendees looking to munch out on gourmet meals.
The Catering Essentials For Rolling Loud
Catering Tips For Rolling Loud
- Custom is key. The best way to stand out from the sea of high-end food trucks and pop-up stands? Custom branding your food packaging and drinkware to add a personalized touch to cocktails, appetizers, and burgers.
- Pose for a picture. Foodie culture is always popular amongst guests at music festivals and including your logo on food presentations is a great way to boost brand visibility as guests post pictures of their mouthwatering, absolutely Instagrammable meals.
- Plan ahead. To properly prepare for the large crowds at Rolling Loud, order your custom products months in advance, to ensure that everything arrives on time.
Pro Tip: Consider creating customized food boats and burger wraps with your logos to serve your foods, or
custom drinking cups and food picks.
Catering to the Crowd
No matter where they are, or who they're listening to - festival attendees are always looking for the most exclusive and unique experiences to show off to their friends and followers. Take advantage of the ever-growing social media presence amongst guests to promote your culinary creations.
Embrace Local and Seasonal Ingredients
Incorporating local and seasonal ingredients into your festival food offerings can add a unique and authentic touch to your menu. Festival-goers often appreciate the opportunity to taste flavors that represent the region where the event is taking place. Additionally, using local produce and products supports the community and reduces the environmental impact of transporting ingredients from distant locations. Consider partnering with nearby farms, artisanal food producers, and local breweries or wineries to showcase the best the region has to offer. Highlighting the story behind each ingredient can also create a deeper connection between the guests and the food they're enjoying, enhancing the overall festival experience.
Offer Diverse Dietary Options
In today's diverse culinary landscape, catering to various dietary preferences and restrictions is essential for ensuring all festival-goers can enjoy your food offerings. Providing a range of options, including vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and allergen-friendly dishes, ensures that everyone can partake in the culinary delights without compromise. Having a clearly labeled menu that indicates the presence of common allergens and dietary information empowers festival attendees to make informed choices. Moreover, consider creating innovative and delicious plant-based dishes that stand on their own merit, appealing not only to vegetarians and vegans but also enticing meat-eaters to give them a try.
Why You Should Use Disposable Options At Music Festivals
Adding convenience to your well-crafted dishes and drinks doesn't mean you have to lose the elegance of your food plating. Your well-curated menu is already filled with gourmet dishes and drinks, but enhancing food presentation with unique disposable tableware or packaging helps create a lasting impression on festival-goers, who will surely be talking about all the delicious food they had as they dance the night away at their favorite festivals for months to come.
