Music festivals that take place in temperate climates can be subject to changeable weather despite being scheduled for the summer months. This can be incredibly frustrating for organisers and festival-goers alike. What steps can be taken to ensure that events go ahead despite a weather forecast that predicts inclement weather for scheduled festival dates.  

After many months of planning there comes a time when a music festival organising crew must get on–site as their live dates approach. This can be an incredibly stressful time for organisers and their staff so what strategies can they employ to minimise the impact of unexpected emergencies and issues that are often encountered on-site.

Almost all festivals rely on volunteers to make their events happen every year and keeping them well watered and fed during an event is an essential part of managing them. The provision of regular meals is expected by volunteers, and this can be a major headache for organisers to ensure there are sufficient quantities of the right food available at the right time.

This year is proving particularly challenging for some music festival organisers in generating sufficient ticket sales revenue to cover their running costs. With tight deadlines and limited resources festival organisers can attempt to boost their ticket sales in the final few weeks before their live dates but what realistic options are open to them.  

Music festivals are often referred to by their size or genre but a big festival can mean very different things to different people. What are the common factors and metrics used to determine the size of a music festival and why is this important when selling the event to potential sponsors and vendors.

Performance artists and session musicians can make a liveable income by touring but what are the challenges in pursuing this route. Very few artists earn money from recording their own material but if they can build up a loyal following from playing live on a tour it may provide a steady reliable income source.   

The entire events industry suffered during the coronavirus pandemic and business conferences and exhibitions were no exception to this. Are these events starting to make a comeback? how are business event organisers managing the current environment and what changes have they had to make to ensure future success.

Musicians and artists often start out doing small scale live gigs in clubs and pubs in front of small local audiences. These small environments are easily manageable and even allow some musicians to simply turn up and play. Getting curated for a music festival performance represents new hurdles for any up-and-coming artist.

For some performance artists making the jump to performing on a large music festival stage can be a great leap for their career prospects but for others it can be daunting. What are the typical challenges faced by musicians who regularly perform in small venues in stepping up to a large outdoors music festival stage.

This year has seen turbulent times for music festivals faced with rising costs, low ticket sales and sustainability challenges. Some organisers will have to make some tough decisions in the coming months to ensure their survival but what realistic options are open to them that minimises the financial impact on staff, suppliers and festival-goers.

Creating media ‘buzz' around a music festival can increase awareness amongst potential ticket buyers and supports decisions made by stakeholders investing in the event like sponsors and vendors. What is the process involved in creating engaging content and getting it widely published in the media.

Depending on the location of a music festival organisers have may have multiple options when considering accommodation for festival-goers, artists, crew and volunteers. What are the potential solutions for obtaining a variety of accommodation options that suit differing budgets and requirements.

Much planning goes into getting a music festival up and running but a significant amount of planning is also required for the site breakdown load out process. What are the key aspects that festival organisers need to be aware of when planning their site breakdown for an efficient and effective process.

Some music festivals can be overwhelming experiences for festival-goers with hundreds of artists to see and plenty of other activities to do spread over several days on a large festival site. What can organisers do to make their experience easier to plan and less daunting, especially for those new to the festival scene.

Take a look at any music festival website and there will invariably always be a section dedicated to detailing previous events and the festival's history. What are the benefits to festival organisers in investing time and effort in creating and publishing a detailed history of previous festivals.

Running a food pitch at a music festival can be daunting, challenging and rewarding but how can a new food vendor get started in this business. Vendor pitch space fees provide much needed revenue to organisers and vendor applications are usually oversubscribed. How can a new vendor secure a pitch at a music festival in this competitive environment?

The revenue generated from sponsorship is a key element of any music festival’s overall income and many couldn’t exist without it. There are a number of factors currently impacting on music festival sponsorship, what should organisers focus on to secure this vital revenue stream this year and beyond.

The use of nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, by teenagers and younger people has been gaining much traction in the media recently. What should be the stance of music festival organisers of this rising trend and what are the legal implications for possession and use of nitrous oxide.

A large-scale music festival planned for a remote location with no infrastructure requires all equipment and supplies to be transported to the site. The planning required for the load-in transport logistics needs to take place well in advance of the festival dates, what are the key elements of this process that organisers should consider.

Music festivals in remote locations rely on a variety of electronic equipment which can be sensitive to extreme temperatures both hot and cold. What factors do festival organisers need to consider when arranging for the supply of electronic equipment and what steps can they take to ensure there are no failures.

Music festival entrance gates require meticulous planning to ensure the safety and security of an outdoor event. Good planning and management can avoid unnecessary queuing and overcrowding at festival entrances. The entrance gate experience for festival-goers is often their first impression of the organisation so it is essential to get it right.   

Festival and event organisers operate business activities that regularly engage with multiple audiences including other organisations, the media and members of the public. Media training for public facing event organisers will help to deliver consistent messages in a confident and empathetic manner which can build a positive attitude towards the festival or event entity. 

Technological innovations are changing the way everyone works and music festivals can expect to see some of these changes in the near future too. These innovations could potentially make the planning and running of music festivals easier and more efficient, so organisers need to get up to speed on any potential changes coming soon.

The artist’s advance sheet is a fundamental aspect of organising any music festival as it confirms the mutual agreements made between organisers and artists. Finalising the artist’s advance can be one of the most time-consuming elements for staff organising a festival, but technology is helping to streamline the advancing process.

Insurance can be a complex topic to understand particularly when related to organising and running any type of event. By their nature a music festival involves large numbers of people and organisers should take necessary action to ensure the safety of all visitors. Having the correct insurance policy can help to limit financial loss in cases when something does go wrong.

Festival organisers often invest huge amounts of time, effort and funds in bringing a music festival to market. Despite meticulous planning there can be additional costs that get forgotten or missed pushing the event into a loss. What are the most common costs overlooked by festival organisers.

An increasing number of new entrants into the music festival sector are making the industry more competitive and challenging to make money. What steps can festival organisers take to differentiate their event from the plethora of music festivals now appearing in the traditional summer festival season.  

For a variety of reasons, the adoption of vaping as a preference to cigarette smoking in the last decade has been increasing. *The global e-cigarette and vape market size was valued at USD 22.45 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 30.6% from 2023 to 2030. How does this rise in vaping impact on the music festival sector?

The number of festival-goers attending a music festival can have a huge impact on multiple factors that can determine the success or otherwise of an event. What do festival organisers need to consider when planning their events and calculating the ideal number of on-site visitors.