Coronavirus Protocols for Music Festivals Means More Volunteers.

It goes without saying that if new stricter protocols are required for live events that this will impact on the resources needed to manage them. Music festival organisers should be planning now to increase the number of volunteers they recruit and train rather than leaving it until the last minute. 

Despite the UK gradually opening up live events and allowing public gatherings there are still numerous restrictions that organisers need to adhere to. Some will be mandatory and some will be advisory, however to instil some peace of mind in festival-goers organisers should communicate clearly what protocols will be in place for their festival. These new protocols should form an essential part of the event planning process and key to this is the recruitment of additional numbers of volunteers to manage and police these new protocols. 

Likely Coronavirus Protocols. 
This will be driven by the implementation and timing of the government’s proposed 'Steps' to reopening live events but currently the following are the likely protocols to consider:          

• Reduced capacity audiences plus revisions in venue layouts to allow for social distancing.
• Crowd management and signage to implement one-way systems in areas prone to queuing and crowd congestion.
• Clearly marked areas for seating and standing in front of open-air stages plus tighter restrictions for covered stages in marquees for example that may be subject to capacity limits.
• Face coverings may still be mandatory to wear when moving around the site but not once settled at a stage or eating and drinking.
• The provision of sanitising stations allowing festival-goers to wash their hands with soap and water or sanitiser gel.
• Entry procedures will be determined by any government restrictions applicable at the time of the event but may require proof of vaccination or a negative test confirmation before admission to site.
• Toilet facility queues may be subject to strict distancing measures with a one-way system and queue control plus additional sanitising and cleaning of facilities.
• Campsites may need to be have clearly marked out pitches (socially distanced tents) to avoid overcrowding. 

Volunteer Assignment.
These likely new protocols will require additional resources to manage requiring a larger number of volunteers than pre coronavirus events. Most of the additional shifts will centre around event entrance and admission procedures requiring checks on vaccinations and test results. The other key areas requiring additional staff are crowd control and ensuring that festival-goers maintain required distancing and designated area capacity restrictions plus additional cleaning duties. Festival organisers should be calculating how many additional volunteers will be required for these new duties and shift patterns. Any training plans will need to be amended to ensure that volunteers are up to speed on any new requirements along with how to escalate any issues to their managers because some of these new protocols may well be unpopular with festival-goers.

For any event organiser planning their music festival using a software management platform like Festival Pro gives them all the functionality they need manage every aspect of their festival logistics and volunteer recruitment, training and management. 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 Festival Pro platform is easy to use and has comprehensive features with specific modules for managing artists, contractors, venues/stages, vendors, volunteers, sponsors guestlists and ticketing. 

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