It has been a financially catastrophic 18 months for the live events industry globally and this will mean changes in the near future. From music festivals to venues and ticketing companies some consolidation is inevitable but what are the likely outcomes going into 2022 and who will be the winners and losers? 

The UK’s Step Four roadmap to reopening was delayed from 21st June to 19th July this year. This has been a big blow for many event organisers with numerous music festivals cancelling 2021 altogether. With so much information circulating currently what are the key points of the government’s current plans?

The coronavirus pandemic has accelerated the development and adoption of technology for the music festival sector. With virtually 100% penetration of smart phones in the general population organisers are using mobile tech to improve efficiency and to assist in compliance with any new COVID-19 restrictions that will likely apply to future live events. 

Festival goers are usually going to festivals for the music, atmosphere and overall experience but some visitors like to put more emphasis on the fashion too. It's probably a fine balance between practicality and looking good or at least looking the part for a festival that may have a particular theme or genre style. 

Festival goers have generally been happy to gain entry to the festival site and start enjoying the atmosphere. The branded welcome pack containing useful freebies was once the domain of the VIP ticket holder but this is changing and festival-goers now have higher expectations considering the high price of tickets. 

Many live music events are organised and run by music promoters from small intimate live performances in nightclubs to full blown multi-day music festivals. It sounds like a fascinating and exciting career but how easy is it to become a successful music promoter and what kind of skills are required. 

Whilst the world moves to alternative more environmentally friendly renewable energy power sources music festival organisers need to make informed decisions about how they power their events. The focus has been on reduction in CO2 and other harmful emissions but what are the real impacts of using alternative power sources. 

As many music festival organisers have been forced to cancel their main multi day festivals they have moved to other outlets including virtual online shows and smaller pop-up events. Restrictions brought about by the coronavirus pandemic have made large events impossible but small one day pop-up festivals are gaining in popularity.  

In an effort to increase exposure numerous performance artists have taken to the creation of their own music festivals. There may be other numerous reasons for the motivation in taking this route but certainly there are many successfully run music festivals created by performance artists but what are the challenges in pursuing this route? 

Obtaining the right water supplies for any music festival can present logistical issues particularly when considering the type of water, its source and the quantity required. Getting this wrong can lead to a multitude of issues for festival organisers, what are the key factors to consider when organising water supplies? 

Use of technology at music festivals has been rising over the years but its use will accelerate in post coronavirus times. Technology can help make festivals more efficient and logistics easier to manage. Tech can also enhance the festival-goer experience and help compliance with COVID-19 related protocols.  

Motor shows and other transport related shows, events and festivals continue to grow in popularity around the world. Once live events return expect car related shows to continue their growth spurned on by an increase in more specialised sectors catering for a diverse range of interests from the paying public. 

For festival–goers interested in books there are many great titles to choose from so anyone unable to attend a festival in person can at least read about it. Equally many books provide an insight in the music festival world even for those that have never attended a festival but have a keen interest to know more.

In an effort to differentiate the music festival experience from the competition many organisers have added extra attractions to their events in order to spice things up a bit. What is involved in getting these additional attractions organised and what is currently proving popular.

Croatia is located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe on the Adriatic Sea and is well known for its great summer weather and continues to be a popular tourist destination. The number of summer visitors has spawned a thriving music festival season for the small European country with a wide choice for festival-goers to choose from.

One of the biggest headaches in organising any music festival is the management of performance artists along with stage management and show production. It takes time and with so many logistical factors hinging on good artist management is it worth considering outsourcing this to a reputable third party?

As the music festival industry took a big financial hit during the worst of the coronavirus pandemic with most events cancelled and full-time staff laid off. The industry is slowly trying to come back but the employment landscape has changed for those either working for, or keen to start a career in, the music festival sector.

Music festivals by their nature are usually located on remote sites or fields with little or no infrastructure. With multi-day tickets costing upwards of £200 it is very tempting for people to attempt access to a festival site and is still a common occurrence at most music festivals. What steps do organisers take to secure their festival site?  

Any large-scale music festival will always require some significant logistical planning and one of the most complex tasks is the backstage hospitality planning. With so many artists and support crews to manage squeezed into tight timescales careful management is essential. What are the typical aspects to consider in planning the backstage hospitality?

Portugal is located on the Iberian Peninsula, bordering Spain and is well known for its beaches and warmer Algarve climate. Similarly to its neighbour Spain, Portugal is becoming a popular destination for music festival-goers and has secured some great summer music festivals that are worth checking out.

With research on the music festival sector predicting substantial growth in the popularity of music festivals over the next ten years is now a good time to invest in a music festival. Anything related to entertainment and live events has had a history of high risk but with that comes potential high rewards. 

This topic will get raised with increasing importance as music festivals start opening up again and will continue to be one of the biggest challenges for music festival organisers. Despite the global lockdown of live events since early 2020 the interest and media attention regarding environmental sustainability has increased rapidly.

The whole global live events sector has been decimated by the coronavirus pandemic but as some sense of normality is seen returning on the horizon what will music festivals look like in the coming years?  

It's been a tough two years for staff and volunteers involved in the festival sector. With ongoing uncertainly, it is becoming more important to keep staff and volunteers motivated in their roles and boost their mental health too. What steps can festival organisers take to motivate their full-time staff and any volunteers in waiting.

Spain is a fabulous holiday destination for millions of tourists every year with its variety of climates, landscapes and islands with most heading to the Mediterranean beaches in the south. Steeped in history Spain has a plethora of cultural festivals as well as some popular growing music festivals.  

Successful music festivals can sometimes be limited in the way they expand their business because of the physical site location or other factors that limit dates. If a music festival has a strong brand and built a solid reputation and following it may be time to consider expanding that brand to new editions of the music festival. 

The variety of music festivals available to attend around the world is huge with most countries having a wide selection for festival-goers to choose from. Traditionally the most popular music festivals follow a set format of mixed genre artists performing on stages set up in remote fields spread over three or four days.  

The coronavirus pandemic has had a huge detrimental effect on professional musicians around the world. Some have survived with live streaming performances perhaps combined with the creation of new material but now there are opportunities for artists to get back to performing live at music festivals again.  

How a music festival is presented to its target audience can have a significant impact on the financial success of that event. What steps should music festival organisers take to make their event more professional in every way to enhance their business efficiency and overall brand persona.        

France is not really known as a music festival destination but there are some noteworthy festivals taking place each year. France is one of Europe's largest countries and a very popular destination for tourists particularly the Côte d'Azur in the southern warm Mediterranean climate which attracts hordes of visitors each year.