From the smallest to the largest music festival one of the most difficult aspects to accurately plan is the unpredictable performance artist. A music festival invests large amounts in booking fees and marketing for their headline artists so what can organisers do to make contingency plans should something happen resulting in that artist cancelling.

Germany is not usually first on people's minds when thinking about tourism visits or attending a music festival, however, with a diverse cultural population and one of the most developed infrastructures in the world Germany can be a great destination. With almost 900 festivals to choose from there is a good choice but which are the most notable music festivals to consider for 2021? 

There are many popular music festivals that have been around for decades that over time have built up a reputation for having the best headliners and most appealing atmosphere. Some of these mega music festivals that attract over 50,000 visitors each year have come from very humble beginnings.

Anything blockchain or crypto currency related seems to be a hot topic currently so what will the likely impact be on the music festival sector? There are some advantages to adoption of this technology that should benefit festival organisers, artists and event goers too here is a breakdown summary of what may be possible. 

With great summer weather and a welcoming culture Spain is a fantastic destination for fans of music festivals. With almost 900 festivals to choose from there is a wide and varied choice of events to attend throughout the year but which are the most notable music festivals that will take place in 2021? 

One of the key logistics challenges for music festival organisers is the catering arrangements for staff, volunteers and artists. Depending on the nature and size of a festival the organisers may select a different approach to how they manage their own F&B logistics. What are the key aspects that organisers should consider to improve this essential service? 

As music festival organisers focus on their very survival due to the coronavirus pandemic, they shouldn’t overlook other key factors when running their festivals. Aside from climate change the other subject in focus currently is ensuring that events are embracing diversity and inclusion across the entire spectrum of their festival.  

An often-overlooked aspect of many music festivals is having access to reliable legal resources. There are so many things that can potentially go wrong when organising and running a music festival that having the appropriate legal advice and resource should be an essential part of running any event. 

Given that the bulk of music festivals take place in remote locations with limited infrastructure a key element of the festival planning process is to have robust policies and procedures for transport to and from the festival site. What are the key aspects for consideration when planning transport logistics for a music festival? 

The current debacle on government backed insurance for possible cancellation of music festivals continues to be a hot topic among the live events industry and government departments. What is the realistic impact of the current impasse and what measure can music festival organisers take to make sure their event goes ahead as planned? 

Every ticket holder and potential event goer will have many questions related to attending a music festival. Rather than answering a plethora of calls and emails it makes sense to have a comprehensive list of information and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s) along with answers that will provide appropriate information to those interested. 

The last two years has been a turning point for the old record labels and recording contracts given to artists. It's now so easy for any performance artist to record and distribute their material it makes record labels obsolete. Combined with the fact that nobody buys music anymore the importance of the live event and particularly the music festival has become vital for an artist’s success.

Sponsors make up the bulk of contribution revenue for most festivals and have become an essential part of these events. Ticket sales revenue rarely covers the costs involved in hosting a music festival and organisers rely on revenue form sponsors and vendors to make a profit or for non-profit organisers to raise funds for charities. 

Many music festivals consistently sell out their maximum capacity which unfortunately can lead to organisers having an ambivalent attitude towards their ticket buying customers. With the popularity of music festivals increasing over time the competition will likely increase making it more important to provide the best possible experience for ticket buyers.    

It's part of every music festival organisers responsibilities to ensure environmental sustainability which is a key part of their event management. After years of complaints from local communities and other concerned organisations about damage to the countryside or public parks after a music festival the clean-up operation post event is a vital part of every music festival. 

Depending where are you are in the world cruise ship music festivals are ether common place or something that is completely new. The idea of running a music festival on a cruise ship whilst touring around beautiful destinations for several days or a week is quite compelling but where are these cruise ship music festivals happening? 

Scotland is not the first place people think of when it comes to festivals but the country actually hosts over 200 of some of the most diverse and interesting festivals. With a steep cultural history, friendly and legendary hospitality Scotland is a great place to visit along with stunning scenery and a festival scene that is certainly thriving.

Although PSY Trance as a music genre has been around for some time it’s only over the last ten years that it has emerged into more mainstream popularity. The emergence of the PSY Trance dedicated genre music festival is testament to the growing popularity. Where did this popularity come from and will it remain a niche genre? 

No music festival is complete without its advertising poster, it’s something that has been around for decades that once served a slightly different purpose. In the 1950’s and 1960’s festival organisers used printed posters and flyers to advertise their events featuring well designed graphically impactful images and a list of artists appearing. 

Whenever someone checks out a music festival it’s sometimes interesting to see who is behind that festival and look into the history of that event over the years. Too many festivals seem to hide behind an anonymous shield of their website and social media channels with content and news magically appearing from the ‘organisers’     

Having been restricted for over a year many festival goers are itching to get back to the festival scene. Most music festivals in the UK have moved their dates to late summer with plenty of potential for festival congestion over the shortened season and so event goers are going to be spoilt for choice.  

With many large-scale music festivals confirming dates for late summer 2021 what protocols are likely to be required, either mandatory or recommended. There are several pre-entry screening solutions available for event organisers to consider, each with varying implications on cost, time delays and crowd management 

Since the announcement by the British government about the timeline for opening up the UK post COVID-19 the date of 21st June has been a key focus for potentially holding live music events. How are music festival organisers dealing with these timelines to bring their festivals back to life in 2021. 

With some of the larger music festivals recruiting several hundred volunteers the task of managing them on-site during the festival can be challenging. What are the steps organisers can take to mitigate any potential issues and at the same time give volunteers a fair balance of work and free time?

There are numerous festivals that base themselves on a single site where capacity is almost unlimited. These large scale festivals are often based in remote locations with limited infrastructure, to overcome these issues some festival organisers opt for more urban location but split over multiple venues to cope with audience numbers. 

The jam band phenomenon has been around for some time and gained popularity in the 1960’s with The Grateful Dead by combining numerous genre styles with long improvised ‘jam’ sets. These grassroots festivals continue to be popular followed by a core group of fans and devoted followers. 

A significant number of live events from large scale festivals to smaller locally themed events take place annually in many countries. These events are organised by a small number of dedicated events staff either volunteering their time for free or within auspices of a local government organisation committed to providing a service to the local community. 

When stage pyrotechnics are used as part of any live show it will add a special wow factor adding to the experience and atmosphere for event goers. Incorporating any kind of pyrotechnics into a performance is not just simply using fireworks it’s a complex planning process that requires experience and technical ability. 

It can be daunting to manage any substantial crowd whether it's a live event at an indoor venue with finite numbers or an outdoor mega festival with over 100,000 visitors. Fortunately there is professional help available for any event organisers who don’t have the experience or resources to manage such large volumes of visitors.  

A key to providing the best quality service in a safe environment in the events industry is the quality of the training given to staff. Whether they are contractors, working for a supplier company or an event volunteer what training and certification is the most important and relevant?