Music Festival Site Groundwork Preparation

Much of the planning for a music festival takes place a year or more in advance of the live dates and is mostly done in an office environment. As live dates get closer it will be time for the festival team to get on site and ensure that the necessary groundwork is completed in good time. 

Although a festival site layout can be planned with software or on paper it does need to reflect the reality of the actual site. Site inspections and surveys well in advance of festival live dates can make the planning more accurate. What and when do various groundwork activities need to take place to get a site ready in time that will match the site layout plan. 

Site Inspection and Clearing. 
About 5 weeks prior to any live dates festival staff will need to make a site inspection to makes sure it still resembles previous surveys. A general clearance operation will need to take place which can include grass cutting, removing debris like rocks and overgrown vegetation. An updated survey can indicate any areas that need attention for excavation or levelling to prevent flooding and provide a stable ground. Drainage specialists can also be brought on site to provide real time advice on potential flood zones so that remedial work can be carried out to ensure any excess water can be diverted away from the site. 

Access Roads. 
Whilst the site is being cleared organisers should check that all site access points are clear, and that transport can easily enter and exit a site. Surveys of the surrounding road system can ensure that there is an allowance for heavy and wide loads which may be restricted to a specific road and access point. It’s not unusual for fields to have narrow access gates, these may need to be removed, and the space widened to allow for larger vehicles and higher volumes of traffic to prevent chokepoints. 

Ground Preparation. 
With a clear site staff can begin to mark out the zones and location of temporary structures on the ground. This helps to indicate areas that may need special groundwork treatment. Areas that experience high volumes of vehicle traffic may require gravel deposits or ground matting to ensure the stability of the surface. A similar process may be required for zones of heavy footfall around stages, bathroom facilities and vendor areas for example. Environmental considerations are key during the ground preparation period where sensitive vegetation, trees and areas of potential erosion are protected or fenced off to prevent access. 

Utility installation. 
A fully prepared and cleared site will be ready for the installation of basic utilities and this will commence as soon as the site has erected a suitable security fence to contain the site and make it safe from potential theft. The first utilities installed will usually be the water supply storage and distribution systems around the site along with waste management facilities. Around the same time, it is likely that the electricity generation system will be installed on site to provide electricity for the infrastructure installation phase. 

Infrastructure Set-up. 
After the utility installation the next phase will be the erection and build of stages and temporary structures on site which can be connected to utility supply systems. Secure zoning and fencing for restricted and VIP areas are defined with signage indicating the location of everything on site. On a large site organisers may also install temporary lighting on pathways, vendor and camping zones to prevent injuries at night and create a safer environment for festival-goers. 

Once all groundwork and installations have been completed organisers will need to make regular site inspections in the days before any live dates to ensure that all preparation work has been completed to a satisfactory standard and that it fits the layout plans. These inspections are also conducted with health and safety inspectors, fire services and the police who will need to approve the site for opening. 

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 markus53 via Pixabay

<< Back to articles