The electronic music in Russia has been growing together with its clubbing history which started in the 80’s with the disco fever. Then the dance sessions became a regular event in Saint Petersburg. But that was still the retro time. The real EDM trend in Russia was sparked by a club named Arma17 in Moscow. It is today dubbed as the best Dance and Night Club in the country. Russia also has internationally popular DJs like Zedd, Nina Kraviz, Arty, Bobina, and Swanky Tunes.
Russia seems to have stages for all types of music and celebrate them through huge festivals. There’s Nashestvie Festival for rock music, Usadba Jazz Festival, Chaliapin Festival for classical music, Dobrofest for alternative and hip hop, and many more. The one we are going to discuss in this article is the Alfa Future People Festival, something that will liven up your life.
What is Alfa Future People?
It is one of many summer festivals in Russia that people never want to miss. This particular event is special for electronic music lovers and performers. The first Alfa Future People was held in 2014 in a secret airfield in Nizhny Novgorod and the venue has always been the same ever since – so it is not really a secret anymore, after all. Electronic dance music (EDM) is the only genre played, including its branches like Hardstyle, Trance, and Dubstep.
What Are There?
Music, obviously. Every year the festival always makes sure to present the best line-up on the stages. The organizer also guarantee the best experience with their tagline “You Will Come Back Completely Different” by providing the greatest venue, the most delicious food, mood-changing music, fresh air, bright sunshine, and the technology that changes the world. Sounds very much futuristic, just like the name of the event.
Other than electronic music performances, there are also sport playgrounds and extreme shows. Visitors can take a little time out from the DJ’s and join traditional volleyball competitions, freestyle football, yoga master classes, disc golf, beach tennis, mini golf, street workout, balance boards, and SUP-surfing. This year’s festival, 2019, there will also be Snow Edition of the event that is planned to be done indoor in Rosa Khutor ski resort – so there will be two AFP festivals in a year. The extreme shows present flyboard shows where the Russian team will perform some acrobatic moves while floating on water jets powered by hydrocycles.
AFP also hosts an expo zone that showcases the latest innovations in technology from Russia and around the world. Visitors can experience the hands-on with the new gadgets besides going to the data dollar store, communication center, space museum, laboratory, and vertical agriculture farm. The feel of this zone is completely like coming from the future.
The Food and Accommodations
Alfa Future People Festival takes three days in a row each year. People coming from all over Russia, even the world, to enjoy the biggest electronic event. To get fully indulged in the festivities, visitors would stay in hotel or motels in Nizhny Novgorod during the time of the festival. But, just like other big-scale music festivals, the organizer provides a campsite for them who want to enjoy the event to the max. Here are some of the places to stay while you go to the festival:
- Alfa Campsite. The nearest one to the festival area, enclosed and protected with developed infrastructure with toilets, water cabins, food court, and free Wi-Fi throughout the site.
- Omega Campsite. A hundred meters away from the festival area with the same facilities as the Alfa except for the Wi-Fi.
- Gamma Campsite. About 500 meters away from the festival area with toilets but no water cabins. Campers can go to the Omega Campsite to shower.
- Your own camper or caravan. This one needs special permission and the info about the vehicle must be submitted to the organizer several weeks before the festival begins.
- Hotels. It is advised to look and book for a hotel around the Nizhny Novgorod area and to do them with a good measurement of time since the hotels would usually be fully booked fast around the time of the AFP Festival.
You don’t need to worry about your tummy while you’re at the event because there is a huge food court comparable to the Olympic venues. During the 2018’s AFP Festival, more than 10 tons of food were eaten and more than 30 thousands bottles of beer were drunk. AFP works together with big food and beverage brands in Russia like Papa John’s Pizza, Burger Heroes, Gyros – that serve excellent Greek cuisine, Stardog!s, Homemade Lemonade, and many more. So, rest assured, that the meal experience you will have during the festival is going to be as amazing as the music.
Tickets and Transportation
The cost of the tickets to the Alfa Future People start from Standard – 6,500 rubles (103 US dollars) for entrance ticket only to VIP Caravan Comfort Plus – 30,500 rubles (483,400 US dollars) for tent, entrance tickets, VIP facilities, and parking. Each of the ticket is embedded with barcode that must match the ID card of the holder. Visitors must be older than 18 years old to be eligible for a ticket.
There are many ways to get to the venue of the AFP Festival, but the most convenient way is by train from Nizhny Novgorod which will only take 30-35 minutes, while car will take around 2.5 hours top. The organizer of the festival offers a bundle of train and entrance ticket that can be used with no limit during the time of the event.
The whole detailed info about the event including the map, the facilities, the schedule, and everything else you need to know is there on their official website that is very user friendly and regularly updated. Behold, the future is near, so it is time to live your life up with Alfa Future People Festival.