What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word ‘festival’?

We’re guessing music, artists, friends, food, and one helluva good time. It’s not much to ask for, right? But how often do festival organisers go all out to make sure that you are well looked after during the festival? That you have access to basic comfort and engaging ways to pass your time when you have to spend 6-8 hours at the venue with little to do except stand in anticipation of your favourite act?

Credits: featureshoot.com

After having attended a host of festivals around the country over the last couple of years, we couldn’t help but notice how some of them bank on their line-up to run the show. Yes, it is agreed that the festival line-up drives 80% (ok, maybe even 90%) of ticket sales, but what happens when attendees finally arrive at the venue? Few organisers have actually made a note of how important it is to enhance a festival-goer’s experience at the venue, rather than simply relying on a good line-up to keep fans entertained for the entire duration of the festival. There were also the few who did take the trouble to chalk out big plans for indulgent experience zones but failed terribly when it came to delivering at the festival.

But credit goes where credit is due, and we have no qualms in acknowledging festivals that did live up to expectations and delivered with style. These festivals took time out to listen to what their fans had to say and build an experiential festival that goes beyond catering to their music tastes alone. Going by its recent edition in Pune alone, Nh7 Weekender stands out as a prime example of how right a festival can be when organisers get into the nitty-gritty of details. Right from efficient parking facilities to elaborate culinary options, this festival was designed to make sure fans leave the venue with an unforgettable experience to relive over and over again until the next edition.

Now getting to one of the most awaited festivals at the moment, Vh1 Supersonic. Since debuting in Goa in 2013, this festival has seen monumental transformations over the years. From being β€˜just another Sunburn’ to holding an identity of its own as a festival that does more for its audience than any other festival in its league, Supersonic continues to outdo itself year after year.Β It is a festival that offers the biggest experience of them all – new music. By putting forth a fresh line-up year after year, and introducing new sounds and new genres into their roster, the organisers make sure their fans have a new experience to look forward to. In fact, ask anyone who attended the last edition of Vh1 Supersonic in Pune about their experience at the festival, and you’ll probably hear enough and more of how great it was and how other festivals should live by this example. The line-up did play a big role in raking up a massive crowd; about 50,000+ over three days. But can you blame them? We’re talking about Eric Prydz, Macklemore and Zedd headlining the festival alongside several renowned international and local acts.

However, we believe that this wasn’t the only reason why people left the venue with big smiles etched on their faces. The organisers took the transformational route for their 2017 edition and filled the venue with experiences that made sure attendees were well looked after. Right from setting up a special ladies bar to providing free drinking water to all in attendance, to putting together a fun experience zone, complete with LED see-saws, a ball bit, multiple swings,Velcro football and more, to introducing happy hours at the festival itself so people don’t miss out on any of their favourite acts when they are out for a pre-drinking session. This year, from the looks of it, the experiences are going to be as promising as the last edition, maybe even better. A whole bunch of on-ground and engaging experiences have been carefully detailed out for maximum enjoyment.

The SUPERFLEA, a big hit with the festival crowd, will be back this year as well and we’re sure it’s going to be a treasure trove for the fashionistas. When happy feet slowly turn to tired feet after all that walking, we can look forward to taking a break with the help of ample seating facilities present along the way. Just like this Sherp, there are many who need to take a break from the chirpy and overzealous youngsters trotting around the venue. Thank God for the Beer Garden and its private setting that allows us to sip on our favourite beer while engaging in small talk with our festival companions. Like the last edition, the Experience Zone is sure to be a hotspot with the young crowd. It’s like getting a shot of adrenaline with every game or activity they seek indulgence in. However, we’ve heard that there is a lot more we can expect from the Experience Zone this year. Another thing that caught our fancy is the art aspect of the festival, and they’re calling it #ArtSonic. This year, we’ve heard that the festival will feature some beautiful pieces designed by the talented lot at Symbiosis Institute of Design. This is bound to be a great platform for these collegiates to showcase their skills.

For those who think that they have to wind up and head home post 10, here’s some good news. Supersonic has curated a perfectly programmed After-Hours showcase from 10 pm to 11:30 pm. We’re going to be there for sure, so make sure you don’t miss out on the passes once they are live. Remember us mentioning the Happy Hours bit from the last edition? Well, it’s going to be back this year too. So you know the drill; just make sure you get to the venue in time for good discounts on your favourite booze. It’s worth the effort. And those who would like nothing better than to ease the mind and body can look forward toΒ indulging in some rejuvenating foot massages while sipping on herbal tea and tuning in to some soothing videos at the De-Stress Tent. Sounds crazy good, right?

But all these fun activities aside, the festival organisers have taken time to plan out experiences that work towards bettering the attendee’s well-being at the festival. Women’s safety again looks to be of top priority to the organisers. The Only Women Bar is going to be a hit with the ladies, while the Special Women’s Safety Squad will make sure those creeps stay clear even when you are freely moving about the venue. Answering nature’s call is going to be a lot better with Pee-Buddy around. And not just that, you will get all the information you need about eco-friendly women’s products available in the market. And how we can forget the Beauty Booth in the Women’s Bar area!Β The specially-abled folks also have no reason to worry as the festival has arranged for special travel packages in association with Enable Travels, and made sure that there are elevated platforms and ramps at important areas around the festival.

And did we mention the free water? There is nothing worse than being ripped off for an essential item. We’re all for festivals that provide free water! Talking about essentials, The Supersonic Tuck will be our little convenience store at the festival, equipped with tampons, wet wipes, tissue, energy bars, toilet roll, chewing gum, band-aid, hand-fans, Dettol, cotton bags etc. and a lot more. Another experience that hit home with us is the #DoTheRightThing Store. It pretty much does what it says, which is encourages festival goers to do the right thing, in this case, dispose off waste responsibly by providing a counter to exchange trash for goodies.

With much to do over three days, we’re sure this edition of Vh1 Supersonic is also going to go down in festival history for creating experiences that attendees can fondly remember. We know we can’t wait to be pampered.

Make sure youΒ buy your tickets to Vh1 Supersonic ASAP,Β here.

FollowΒ Vh1 SupersonicΒ onΒ FacebookΒ here, and theΒ event pageΒ here.

Stay tuned to the Sherp for more updates.