Surge is the tax on everyone wanting a car at the same moment, and it is very predictable once you know the triggers: weekday rush hours, rain, the end of concerts and sports events, New Year's Eve and major festivals, and the hour after last trains stop. During those windows fares can jump to a multiple of normal, and even at surge prices wait times stretch because demand simply outruns drivers.
Festivals add a second problem beyond price: road closures and crowd zones mean pickup points move or become unreachable, and drivers avoid the whole area. Around big events I treat ride-hailing as unavailable for the first 45 minutes after things end.
Workarounds that consistently help: walk ten or fifteen minutes away from the venue or station before requesting, since surge is hyper-local; compare two apps because they surge independently; check whether metered taxis are cheaper at that moment since regulated meters do not surge in many cities; and remember public transit often runs extended service during major events precisely for this reason. Or have a drink and wait out the spike, which usually fades within the hour.