Festivals bring together people with common interests and shared passions to celebrate art, music, food and other unique cultural experiences. The most successful festival posters are creative and visually captivating, balancing design flair and information with event details and brand identity.
Festival poster designs present several challenges, most notably the need to accommodate text that normally is best presented in large, bold, easy-to-read fonts. Aside from that, festival posters should also communicate a sense of atmosphere and vibe to entice attendees. That can be accomplished by using colour, texture and other visual effects that evoke the feel of an event.
Poster design often falls into one of three broad categories — typographic, illustrated, or photographic. Certain music genres and styles of events may favor one approach over another, but each can be effectively used in a festival poster.
For example, a photographic or illustrative approach to a festival poster may work best for music events featuring a large list of artists, as seen on this design for Governors Ball. By separating the lineup into individual days, each artist can be given more space on the poster while still maintaining the overall size of the artwork. This allows the designer to showcase the talents of each act while presenting the lineup in a creative, attractive way.
This poster for a wine festival in Napa Valley marries some of the other tips above, focusing on a single image that evokes the feel of an outdoor concert. The image is framed by text, giving equal prominence to the performers and festival name. The use of all-caps text offers high relief to the title and details while a center alignment helps to establish visual balance.
Many festivals feature a unique theme that should be reflected in the poster’s artwork. The use of watercolour on this festival poster, for example, evokes the ethereal beauty of the setting and reflects the light, airy nature of the event.
Other poster elements that add a visual impact include textures and glow effects. Grunge overlay textures can de-formalise a layout and are especially effective on rock or indie festival posters, while a starry glow effect or flashbulb border frames a poster and adds an energetic feel.
With these top design tips in mind, you can create a stunning festival poster for your next event. With Adobe Express, it’s fast and easy to try out different styles and layouts, and you can easily change images, colors, fonts and other design elements at the click of a button. Once you’re happy with your design, share it on social media, send a digital link or print it out to make real-life posters and flyers.