When I say Pole Event I mean a competition with a lot more to offer. Usually they have many different categories dividing the performers, there may be different days for preliminaries and then finals, some have workshops and most will have vendors.

I was lucky enough to attend the World Pole Sports Championships in July this year. I’ve been to competitions before, but nothing on this scale! I had no idea what to expect, but safe to say I loved every minute.

When I go again (and I will) I’ll do a few things differently to make sure that I get the most out of my experience. Here are my findings to help you get the most out of any pole event you go to!

Book In Advance

If you are thinking of going to an event and haven’t bought your ticket, keep an eye on their website / social media to make sure that they still have tickets for you! Usually they will give you an indication if they only have a few left. If they sold out the year before, it’s likely they will do again so book as soon as you can! Tickets are often cheaper if you buy them when they first go on sale.

Once your ticket is booked, book any travel arrangements asap! Prices will go up closer to the time, and the more people travelling to the event, the fewer hotel rooms there will be. Public transport prices also goes up. It may seem like a lot to pay for everything at once but it’ll be cheaper in the long run.

Research:

Look up everything you can to make sure you really make the most of your day!

Performers

Although this may change slightly, there should be a list of the performers available. It is likely that you will know who some of them are already, but research those that you do not know as well. There will be some amazing performers to see and you may miss them if you don’t know to look for them. Quite often performers are walking around and it is amazing to be able to talk to people who inspire you. That said, be aware that they will probably want to watch their competitors as much as you do, and may be nervous of performing, so make sure you give them space if they need it.

Vendors

Have a look at what vendors will be at the event. If they are going to have any deals on the day, it is likely that they will say so on their social media prior to the event. This way, you can keep an eye out for good bargain. Have a look at what they offer on their website – see if there is anything you would like to buy. You will probably be able to try on anything you like, and if you buy it, you will save on postage and will probably get a cheaper ‘on the day’ price. That said, if you are buying something like grip that may be sold by more than one vendor, have a look at their prices compared to one another and buy the cheapest!

Spending Money

Have a think about things that you may want to buy. I may have gone overboard but it all made me very happy 😀 It’s so easy to get lost in the amazing clothes, beautiful colours and new pole products. Make sure you know what you want to buy and how much you’re willing to spend – it’s easy to go overspend otherwise.

Some of the vendors will take card payments or Paypal payments but it is a good idea to have cash on you. There are many things to buy that won’t cost too much – food, drink and small pole products that are just easier to pay for in cash. If you want or need receipts – ask. They may not all do them as standard with every purchase but they will all be able to offer some sort of receipt.

On The Day

I spoke to so many people about so many things, that I just kept finding more and more things to research. From different performers (some of whom were not part of the competition but great to look up) to other events to go to. I found more and more things that I wanted to know more about. Even more of the pole world opened up to me.

Stay An Extra Night

The problem I made is not staying an extra night. We got the train home the night of the finals. This had to be done as my partner and I both had work the following day, but it would have been a lot nicer to stay over. We also had to carry the many things I bought around the whole day as there was no hotel to leave it in.

We also missed out on the after party!! It would have been great to mingle with everyone there.

Dress Appropriately

There may be new poles or pole products for you to try. Investigate beforehand to see if there is anything you may want to try. Why not pack a little pair of pole shorts in your bag in case there’s a new pole to have a go on?

You may be sitting down for a long time, so make sure you are comfy in whatever you are wearing.

Write Things Down

I took a tiny little notebook and wrote everything down… I mean everything!! I wrote down moves and combinations I wanted to try. I got lots of email addresses to keep in contact with people. I also thought of lots of different articles to write. A quick and easy way to remember things when your focus is elsewhere.

Make Friends

You will be in a venue with a lot of different performers and pole entrepreneurs. If you want to keep your head down, it is really easy to do so. However, if you plan on going to more of these events, it is likely you will see these people again, and it is great to make friends. Everyone I talked to was so lovely and welcoming and so far everyone has accepted my friends requests!! 😀 The more people you end up following on social media, the more inspiration you will find – so many new pole pics and videos to have a look at.

A lot of people will use social media to tell people they are going to different pole events. If you have ever spoken to people on Facebook or Twitter and know they are going and it is great to go and say hello!

Have Fun

It is going to be an amazing event! Make sure you get everything out of it that you want. Watch who you want, buy what you want! Talk to everyone you can and have a great time 🙂

What is the next pole event you will be going to?