Electronic music festivals have gotten a bad reputation recently for drug use and fatalities, but Mysteryland will be adding something else: technical innovation. The festival will incorporate a digital payment system that will make purchasing food and other services more efficient. Anyone who's stood in line anxiously for a Coke while worrying about missing the next band's set will understand how the concept may be a life saver.
The system involves a chip that operates under the Intellitix IntelliPay system. Concertgoers will have to option to charge funds to their chip prior to the festival in whatever sum they feel will cover their purchases for the weekend. If they happen to go over their allotted amount (you know how they mark up those T-shirts), there will be stands that allow for adding to your total via cash or credit card.
The system will make lines run quicker, and hopefully aid security efforts as well. Music festivals make the perfect opportunity for a thief to make off with cash or wallets in general, as there are rarely security cameras. Concertgoers should definitely load up their chips with plenty of credit beforehand because of this. And there's no risk: All unspent credit will be refunded to the visitor following the weekend.
Intellitix CEO Serge Grimaux says the system derives from the current trends at European festivals.
"Festivals in Europe have been innovating through introducing RFID in VIP and backstage applications for the past few seasons and are now moving toward a fully cashless event," he said.
We hope it works out. Not that we'll personally be at Mysteryland this month in Bethel Woods, NY, but an electronic payment system would benefit every music festival around the country.
