Key Differences Organising a Music Festival in the United States vs Europe.

A successful music festival brand often considers expanding thier business overseas and having both an Amercian and European based festival is not unusual. For organisers considering such a move it is vital to fully understand the key differences between operating a music festival in each territory.

The key differences to consider are likely to include cultural, logistical and the legal regulatory environment. A considerable amount of research should be conducted to ensure there are no surprises when planning a festival in a new territory, if due diligence has been completed organisers have a higher chance of success. 

Cultural Considerations. 
European music festivals have a higher propensity towards EDM and rock music genres and although there are some sizable festivals in the United States that focus on these the primary audience is more geared to folk, bluegrass, country and soft rock. For these reasons artists from one territory may be completely unknown in the other. Europeans are much more used to very basic facilities at a music festival with festival-goers often tolerating rudimentary toilets, camping, food and security on a festival site. This would not be tolerated in the United States where expectations are much higher regarding facilities and comfort. Although English is widely used in most European countries language can be a barrier in some circumstances where a US based festival organiser is trying to enter Europe, and this can lead to numerous problems. 

Logistics and Infrastructure. 
The biggest consideration regarding logistics and infrastructure between these two territories is the geographical distances involved. This should be a key consideration when planning site location, transport and target audience. The United States is a vast country where most potential festival-goers use their own transport and RVs to get to a festival site. Europe has a more developed public transport infrastructure and use of private vehicles is often discouraged. When curating artists organisers should consider the potential differences in fees demanded. American audiences demand major headline acts which can drive up costs compared to Europe where audiences are satisfied with a wider variety line-up which can be cheaper. 

Regulatory and Legal Environment. 
Although contract law is generally similar between different territories there will be some differences and it is also worth noting variations between local state laws. This may require local amendments to contracts and agreements with artists, vendors and suppliers regarding liability waivers and intellectual property laws for example. When obtaining permits to host a music festival there will be some significant differences between the United States and Europe with varying levels of bureaucracy and complexity with local regulations varying between state and country. European countries generally operate under European Union regulations meaning a similar environment between countries. In the United States there will be Federal and local state regulations to consider. The United States generally has more stringent regulations regarding noise, alcohol sales, crowd size and safety protocols due to the fear of liability concerns. 

Sustainability. 
European festivals put a high emphasis on their sustainability credentials, and this is a primary consideration for potential festival-goers. Local government regulations and initiatives also make this a priority when operating a festival due to the environmental impact. Although this is a growing concern in the United States there is certainly less emphasis on sustainability and will probably not influences whether a festival-goer attends or not. 

The differences above can make entering a new territory challenging and is why may festival organisers prefer to select a local partner to work with. They will already have local experience in the chosen country for successfully operating a music festival. 

For festival organisers planning their events using a software management platform like Festival Pro gives them all the functionality they need manage every aspect of their event logistics. 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, ticketing, cashless payments and contactless ordering.

Image by geralt via Pixabay

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