Choose an event
The kinds of festivals, fairs, exhibitions and celebrations there are, how they differ for a visitor, and how to tell which ones are really worth the trip.
a magazine about travelling to festivals and events
Tourfestexpo: a magazine about travelling to festivals and events
Some trips come with a fixed date: your favourite band is playing in a nearby city on Saturday, a craft fair is opening, or a big city celebration is starting on the waterfront. These journeys are planned differently from an ordinary holiday. Everything revolves around the event, and travel, accommodation and sightseeing fit around its schedule. That is what Tourfestexpo is about. We explain how to choose an event and a city, when to sort out tickets and somewhere to sleep, how to get through a long day on site, and how to leave without stress when the whole crowd heads for the exit at once.
The event lasts a few hours, the trip lasts a few days. Plan them together, and the fun won't end at the gates.
Where to start
Tickets and accommodation
In what order to deal with the event ticket, travel and a place to stay when every other visitor is heading to the same city on the same days.
A day at the festival
Water, shade, charging, a meeting point and the unwritten rules: how to last a long day on site and still have energy left for the evening.
Taking children to an event
What to pack, how to agree on a meeting point in case you get separated, and what time to go so that a child finds it exciting rather than cramped.
Magazine sections
- Destinations
Six types of events, from music festivals to fairs, and four things to look at when choosing a city.
- Routes
Three sample routes: a festival weekend, a fair with a walk around the centre, an exhibition and a museum in one day.
- Sights
How to combine an event with sightseeing, and why you should only go up to rooftops and viewpoints through official access.
- Transport
Train, coach, plane, car and local transport after the finale: the pros, the pitfalls and the way back.
- Plans
How to plan a festival trip step by step: ticket, travel, accommodation, a plan for the day, mistakes and a checklist.
- On site
How to behave at a celebration, where to find food and water and how not to lose each other in the crowd.
- Questions
Short answers about tickets, travel and accommodation on event dates, and about the day on site.
An event trip in five steps
Dates and the official website
Find the organiser's page for the event and check the dates, the venue and the start time. Social media posters and second-hand accounts can be inaccurate, and programmes sometimes shift.
Travel and accommodation
As soon as the dates are confirmed, book your train or coach tickets and a place to stay. Demand rises sharply around big events, and the convenient options go first.
Ticket and entry rules
Buy your ticket from the organiser or from a seller they name. Read the entry rules: what you can bring in, whether you need ID, and whether re-entry is allowed.
A plan for the day and a meeting point
Mark the stages, water, toilets and exits on the site map. Agree on an easy-to-spot meeting point with your companions in case you lose signal.
Getting back after it ends
Decide in advance how you will get back to where you are staying: on foot, on the last service, or by waiting out the first wave. After the finale almost everyone heads for the stops at once.
Common questions in brief
Are you the organisers of a festival or exhibition?
No. Tourfestexpo is an independent magazine. We do not run events, we do not represent organisers, and we have no connection with the exhibition whose website used to operate on this domain.
Can I buy a ticket from you?
No. We do not sell or book tickets. We explain how to check a seller and their refund terms, but you make the purchase itself from the organiser or their official partner.
Can you recommend a specific festival?
We describe types of events (music and street festivals, fairs, exhibitions, city celebrations and sports events) and what to look for when choosing one. Look up names and dates on the official websites.
What should I do if the event is cancelled?
Start with the ticket seller's terms: they usually explain how to get a refund or move your booking. Separately, check the cancellation rules for your travel and accommodation, and, if you took out trip cancellation insurance, its terms.
About the project
This domain used to host the website of a travel exhibition, and later it carried unrelated articles and advertising. The current magazine has no connection with any of that: the old material is not being restored, and some of the old addresses now lead to reference pages on our subject.
The name came with the domain, and we read it literally: tour, fest and expo, meaning trips, celebrations and exhibitions. That is exactly what we write about: how to choose an event, get there, find a place to stay, spend the day among the crowds and come home in a good mood. We do not publish prices, dates or the names of specific events.
Related sections
- Plans
How to plan a festival trip step by step: ticket, travel, accommodation, a plan for the day, mistakes and a checklist.
- Transport
Train, coach, plane, car and local transport after the finale: the pros, the pitfalls and the way back.
- Questions
Short answers about tickets, travel and accommodation on event dates, and about the day on site.
Sources
- Event organisers' ticket sale and refund terms
- EMERCOM of Russia — safety advice for mass events
- Official websites of cities and events
Information is correct as of the date it was prepared. Event programmes, entry rules, ticket sale and refund terms and holiday transport services all change, so check them on the official websites before you set off.