"print your own" festival wristband?

May 5, 2022 11:18 AM

Music festival's entry fee includes 2 options: print your own wristband (+$10) or shipped (+$20). Our local Staples has never had such a request. Paper would be highly impractical, and apparently laminating would have its own problems. A box of Tyvek's JetBands costs almost $20. Festival's "contact us" email (only) does not respond. What the heck??
posted by mmiddle to Media & Arts (6 answers total)

Best answer: Are you sure it's not something like print your own confirmation and then they give you a particular but not unique wristband upon presenting it at the door? Printing out your own actual wristband seems anomalous enough that it doesn't feel super likely to me.
posted by dusty potato at 11:38 AM on May 5, 2022 [9 favorites]

Best answer: I agree with dusty potato that it might be a ticket and then you are given a wristband. If not, however, a faux lamination with shipping tape seems likely to work?
posted by vunder at 11:44 AM on May 5, 2022 [2 favorites]

Best answer: You can laminate small things with clear packing tape.
posted by theora55 at 12:31 PM on May 5, 2022 [1 favorite]

Very often I've seen "print your own" or "mail tickets" as alternative options for concerts where there are tickets rather than wristbands. "Print your own" in that case doesn't mean printing anything that looks like a typical theater ticket, but you just print out a sheet at home, which usually has a QR or other code on it. At the venue, you show that (as physical paper or on your phone), and they let you in. I'm sure the same thing happens here — you buy using the "print your own" option and they send you a printable receipt. At the venue, you will turn that in for a wristband.
posted by beagle at 1:25 PM on May 5, 2022

I've never seen a print your own wristband arrangement before, but I have seen a print your ticket and exchange for a wristband one. Is it possible that's the case here? If not, just print it out on paper and use clear tape to 'laminate' it (as suggested by theora55).
posted by dg at 7:21 PM on May 5, 2022

Response by poster: Thanks! I think that’s a consensus. There actually is a product for printing out wristbands, but I’m going to assume its market is festival organizers, not Staples or concertgoers.
posted by mmiddle at 12:38 PM on June 4, 2022