Non-Food and Beverage Vendor Opportunities for Music Festivals.

Every music festival provides opportunities for food and beverage vendors usually providing a wide range to suit different tastes and budgets. Pitches are generally oversubscribed and festival organisers can select the most suitable. However, what are the opportunities for non-food and beverage vendors at music festivals? 

Most music festivals are seeking non food and beverage vendors who fit well with their views on sustainability and supporting smaller business with a focus on skilled arts and crafts. They also try to find a balance of other retailers that can offer holistic services to event goers including yoga sessions and massage treatments for example. 

The application process for the retail focused vendors will usually stipulate what they are looking for and given that pitches will be oversubscribed they will list attributes that will make and application more attractive to the organisers.

For sellers of merchandise priority is usually given to vendors who offer unique crafts, particularly if the vendor can demonstrate their craft on site (either the making of it or the use of it). This would typically include makers and sellers of handmade jewellery, one-of-a-kind clothing and small-batch bath and beauty products. Priority is also given to vendors that offer highly-curated imported goods and non-profits.

Secondary consideration will generally be given to retail vendors who sell merchandise that they do not personally make by hand and would be viewed less favourably but of course will always be considered depending on the number of vendor applications made. This category of vendor may include vendors offering services such as Yoga, Salon and Massage etc. Other factors used by music festival organisers to select vendors could include any or all of the following: 

• High-quality craft vendors of all kinds, with a special focus on sustainably and ethically made products from around the world.
• Artisans, jewellery makers, designers, and health and wellness professionals who share their unique products with the event goer community.
• Other factors of consideration could be a focus on smaller retailers based on turnover, number of employees and number of retail outlets 

Location selection. 

Main Stage Areas. 
These are likely to be the most sought-after locations because of the high traffic form event goers and attract some of the highest pitch prices.

Camping Grounds. 
Although mostly quieter the camping grounds still offer a bustling atmosphere and are ideal for craft demonstrations.

VIP Areas. 
The VIP areas are usually located both inside the festival and in VIP camping areas. These provide good opportunities for vendors with a focus on offering more premium products and services.

For potential non-food vendors the competition for pitches can be fierce but if the vendor can fit into some of the categories noted above they stand a good chance of securing a pitch.

Using an events software management platform like FestivalPro music festival organisers get all the functionality they need to manage vendor pitch planning and booking. The guys who are responsible for this software have been in the front line of event management for many years and the features are built from that experience and are performance artists themselves. The FestivalPro platform is easy to use and has comprehensive features for managing the entire music festival planning process including a specific vendor module. Organisers can create and manage their vendor application forms and control advancing confirmations. All key documents are stored in the system and are easily accessed through the secure CRM system. 

Photo by Humphrey Muleba from Pexels

<< Back to articles