The brand image of a music festival can support its perception by the wider world but it can be a fine balance between good and bad. Perception can influence numerous factors that may ultimately impact on the future financial success of a festival entity. What are some of the basics that organisers should get to grips with to push and protect their brand.

An essential part of any music festival is the ability to feed festival-goers and other visitors to the festival site. This can be achieved in numerous ways and will depend on the size of the event, the venue location and how long the festival has been running. What are the key variations and the advantages and disadvantages of each.

Survival for music festival entities has been a theme for the last few years and whilst hundreds may have gone forever others seem to go from strength to strength. What are the strategies that successful festival organisers are employing to ensure survival in 2022 and in the coming years.

Initiatives to highlight climate change and implement sustainability in the music industry are not new. The music festival sector is often criticised as being one of the biggest contributors to landfill waste and overall carbon emissions and organisers are attempting to combat this as a priority and there are new initiatives to help them.

Musicians and performance artists are increasingly living in a world that blurs their passion for music and the need to earn a living. For those unable to commit to a full-time musical career the collective provides an ideal outlet to pursue their passion in a flexible and stimulating environment.

In a changing world where the distribution and consumption of music has shifted is it still possible for musicians to earn a living. The music festival is becoming increasingly important to performance artists and musicians if they are to stand any chance of earning an income in the future.

The link to any external audience for music festival organisers are the announcements and press releases they make about their event. Poor writing and badly timed announcements can have a detrimental effect on the festival’s brand and reputation and confuse the intended audience.

In an increasingly diverse world, the incidence of abuse and related anti-social behaviour unfortunately still exists. Festival and event organisers are producing and publishing codes of conduct to communicate to all visitors what is and isn't acceptable behaviour along with any resulting action.

It’s a tough time for music festivals and festival-goers alike as economic pressures squeeze disposable incomes. Some organisations are promoting concession initiatives in conjunction with performance artists and music festival entities to raise awareness and achieve a more inclusive audience.

The current economic environment is causing numerous music festivals to cancel their events during the current festival season citing rising costs and poor ticket sales. What are the biggest costs of running a music festival and can any element realistically be eliminated or expenditure reduced.

The music festival sector is relying more and more on advances in technology to drive efficiency, reduce costs and provide a competitive edge. The increasing reliance on technology is increasing opportunities for a variety of IT focussed roles within the wider music festival industry.

As part of the advancing process for artist DJs booked to perform at a music festival the technical rider specifies the equipment required by each DJ. How can artist liaison staff manage rider requests from DJs and what implications can this have on a music festival’s equipment set-up.

Larger music festivals with hundreds of artists performing on multiple stages is probably the ultimate challenge for stage managers and technical crews tasked with managing artist changeovers. What factors are involved in getting fast and seamless artist changeovers performed to give a good experience for festival-goers.

Fans of musicians and artists are the lifeblood of any performing artist and most will make time to connect with their fanbase through organised meet and greet events. How can festival organisers plan and mange VIP meet and greets for their performing artists amid what is usually a very hectic environment.

With the hustle and bustle of stage management at a busy music festival communication between key staff is essential. Using walkie talkies are potentially risky and without electronic devices communication can be problematic. The preferred solution is to use an intercom system specifically designed for this purpose.

The sustainability policies of many festival organisations have a focus on waste management, reducing single use plastics and using alternative power sources. The use of audio and lighting equipment rarely gets a mention but there are various environmental impact factors to consider when festival organisers are selecting equipment for their event.

Any music festival organisation looking for something a bit different from the usual farmers field for their festival location could consider trying one of Britain's historic buildings. Using such a venue can add to the attraction and help the festival gain improved brand awareness with its association to the site.

Most music festivals have become ticketless in recent years requiring robust technology solutions to control event entrance. There are a wide variety of suppliers and options available for festival organisers, what are the key basics anyone new to managing this technology needs to know.

The 2-year shut down of the entire music festival sector has made it challenging for festival organisers to survive. As the pandemic came to an end and the festival season got going it's clear that numerous external factors are now influencing ticket sales and the potential profitability of music festival organisations.

A key element of any festival's sustainability policies is environmentally friendly recycling of waste generated on-site. There are numerous options available for festival organisers to reduce on-site waste and push festival-goers into a recycling mindset. What are the practical steps that organisers can take to implement on-site recycling of waste.

Policing use of cannabis at a music festival is increasingly becoming a challenge for organisers. Many countries are going through fundamental changes in their legal systems allowing cannabis use but the interpretation by authorities can be significantly different so how do festival organisers navigate this complex environment.

The price charged to attend music festivals will rise in coming years due to inflationary pressure on the costs of running these events. This makes it vital that festival organisers place more emphasis on providing great customer service to all festival-goers and ticket buyers to increases their satisfaction and loyalty.

Recruiting and training hundreds of volunteers for music festivals can be challenging in so many ways for festival organisers. In an increasingly competitive environment for experienced volunteers can organisers leverage their accommodation options to attract the best volunteers available.  

Every music festival organiser invests time and effort in meticulous planning of their event to ensure that everything happens when it should. Putting in place additional contingency plans to avoid any unpredictable occurrences is recommended but can this also be applied to potential supply chain disruptions.

Most music festivals in the UK have some provision for festival-goers wishing to bring their children for a family experience. There are a number of music festivals that are family focussed and promoted as family friendly but what about infant children under about 2 years of age, what are the challenges faced by organisers and choices available for festival-goers.

The music festival sector may be going through a state of transition and organising entities are going to have to evolve their events to prosper in the future. What is impacting on the success or failure of the current music festival scene and what can organisers do to manage their events in the future.

It was only recently that a large-scale music festival promoter had their licence application refused leading to cancellation of the event. The rules and regulations laid down by government and implement by local councils are complex and sometimes vague. What can organisers do to ensure a successful licence application.  

The emerging popularity of the esports sector has seen bigger and more elaborate in-person events for fans and players. With festival-goers being a captive audience of potential gamers expect to see an increased presence of esports on music festival sites in the coming years which will benefit festival organisers, visitors and esports promoters.

This year has been a huge challenge for the music festival sector with multiple factors impacting on organisers. Every week there seems to be news of yet another festival cancellation, can festival organisers outsource some services to help mitigate challenges and avoid future cancellations?

An essential part of any music festival organisation is obtaining sponsorship and there are increasingly different ways to capture part of this revenue. The stage is usually the centrepiece of any music festival and so provides the best opportunity for potential sponsors to get their brand in front of the festival audience.

The last 7 decades have seen some significant protest songs and music that defined eras and made statements about issues relevant at the time. They were particularly common in the 60s, 70s and 80s but seem to have dwindled over the last thirty years. Is this decline due to improvements in the world or is something else going on?

The majority of music festival organisers are striving to embrace technology and provide reliable connectivity and ever sophisticated online experiences to attract more visitors and ticket buyers. Conversely the multi-day music festival can be an opportunity to unplug form all technology and get immersed in an experience far removed from the day-to-day humdrum. 

Almost all festival-goers like to take pictures and video to capture their experience of the music festival they attend. There are numerous considerations when deciding how to do this and often involves a compromise due to various factors. What do festival-goers need to consider in deciding how to take to capture their experiences.

All performance artists and musicians relish the opportunity to play live and the music festival has long been a lucrative source of revenue. For well-known popular artists there are increasingly more opportunities to earn substantial sums by performing at private events. How is this little-known sector developing and what are the implications for artists getting involved.

Music festival organisers invest considerable time and money in promoting their events before and during the live dates. The public relations work should not just finish once the event is over but must continue post-event too. What are the key PR considerations that organisers need to be aware of post-event. 

Organisers of music festivals have been active in recent years pledging their commitment to creating events that embrace the principles or DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion). However, the reality may be very different from published policies so what should organisers be doing to tackle this gap between statements and reality?

Irrespective of the size of a music festival and the number of visitors in attendance medical emergencies do happen and organisers should have the ability to respond appropriately. What preparations can festival organisers put in place to handle medical emergencies that may occur on a festival site during the event.

All music festivals experience a host of organisational challenges on the dates the event takes place. Efficient communication and collaboration between festival staff, volunteers, artists and support services is vital on these days. What can organisers do to ensure that communication and collaboration efficiency is maximised during event dates.

Although external sponsors are a vital part of music festival revenue streams there are times when a strategic partnership may be a more attractive option. Sponsors pay to access the festival audience through marketing and on-site presence but a strategic partner can offer something to the festival organisation that adds value and potentially save them money.

When a music festival has multiple stages and hundreds of artists with performances spread over 3 days how can organisers manage the event scheduling to ensure everything happens when it should. The implications of poor scheduling can lead to adverse customer satisfaction and bad publicity so it’s vital that organisers master scheduling.

There are numerous smaller niche music festivals that take place in Europe and the United State every year that have been organised by record labels. Why are record labels running their own festivals and how can they turn this into a good revenue stream for their business for future survival.

The annual staff corporate event has been around a long time but in recent years organisations have been making these events more and more like a festival experience. Companies see these events as key to motivating staff as well as strengthening their brand internally but how can they make them enjoyable for staff attending too.

It can sometimes be difficult to understand why some music festivals are a commercial success while others fail with a mountain of debt. The reasons for success or failure are not usually down to a single factor but often the combination of numerous elements that can impact on a festival’s very survival.

Every year a handful of musicians trying to enter the UK to perform at a music festival can get their visa application refused or face issues on entry. The rules can be complex and are modified on a regular basis so what can festival organisers do to limit any potential issues when booking overseas artists to appear at their scheduled event.

Many festivals in the UK are set up as charities with a focus on raising money for social good rather than as a commercial concern. A number of smaller festival organisations are now moving their set up to the CIC format. This has numerous potential benefits but what are the requirements for festival organisers considering pursuing this route.

It can be difficult to compare the VIP packages available at different music festivals because organisers have different ideas about what constitutes a VIP offering. In an effort to differentiate the VIP packages on offer some festival organisers are ramping up what is available for festival-goers in order to attract more sales.

All festival organisers are striving to make their events more environmentally friendly with some well thought out and impressive sustainability policies. How do these policies compare to the reality of planning and running a multi-day festival that attracts tens of thousands of festival-goers to a greenfield site. 

As the majority of people are battling with economic woes and ever decreasing disposable income there are still sufficient numbers of wealthy people willing to pay whatever it takes to experience the most exclusive music festivals. Where are the super-rich heading for to get their exclusive music festival VIP experiences.

The future was looking bright for the music festival sector six months ago as many countries declared an end to the coronavirus pandemic and a resumption of in person events. The 2022 festival season is packed with music festivals but just recently there has been a flurry of cancellations. 

The shortage of just about anything used by festivals in the UK has been highlighted in the media since the beginning of the year. A combination of the coronavirus pandemic, Brexit, inflation and other factors has had a detrimental effect on the entire festival sector. What are the key issues taking place now as we enter the hectic festival season.

As rising costs and other factors affect the festival sector some organisers are choosing to cancel their events. In the worst circumstances organising entities may go into receivership owing money to suppliers. What can companies supplying service to the festival sector do to safeguard against potential problems.  

Sponsorship is a key part of any festival and provides essential revenue to contribute towards covering operating costs For anyone new to doing sponsorship deals for festivals the creation of a professional sponsorship agreement can help establish a formal relationship and define what each party will deliver.

With so many new music festivals launching this year the competition for festival-goers money is increasing. What can festival organisers do to futureproof their events for long term survival and financial success as well as providing security for the organising entity and all the staff employed by them.

The prestigious UK Event Production Awards (EPAs) are for anyone working in the live events sector including suppliers, agencies and venues. The awards take place every year and have been around since 2012 with the awards night attracting 500 movers and shakers in the UK’s event production space.

Music festivals grow over time increasing in size and attracting more visitors. With this growth comes increased competition from other festivals all looking to secure festival-goer's hard earned cash. What can festival organisers do to create a uniquely themed event that will differentiate them from competing music festivals to ensure ongoing success.

Always the number one gripe from anyone attending a big festival are queues for toilets and the general unpleasantness of the whole festival toilet experience. What can festival organisers do to alleviate the stress associated with using on-site bathroom facilities and what is trending for future events

Camping at any music festival is the most popular way to attend a multi-day event where overnight stays are required. For festival-goers that cannot afford the luxury of the VIP glamping areas on a festival site what alternatives are available when it comes to pitching a tent and what are the key considerations. 

The biggest and most popular music festivals always make available a number of vendor pitches and these are usually oversubscribed. Vendors at a multi-day event can earn excellent revenues with the best pitches always in demand. What are organisers looking for when selecting form the vendor applications they receive and how can a vendor stand out. 

The smartphone has become an essential part of everyone's daily life and festival-goers are no exception to this. One of the biggest challenges for visitors attending a multi-day event is maintaining their mobile device charge. How can organisers ensure sufficient on-site charging capacity and what options do festival-goers have.

Every music festival relies on a multitude of specialist contractors to supply everything they need to put on a successful event. There are hundreds of suppliers to choose from and each will be selected based on a variety of factors. Are there more cost-efficient ways of appointing contractors by considering a supplier who can provide more than just one service. 

The food and beverage vendor is usually the most prevalent vendor found on any festival site. This is driven by the need to feed and water tens of thousands of hungry festival-goers over a 3 or 4 day period. What options are available for catering vendors who do not want to invest in purchasing their own mobile kitchen.

Contractors who supply the festival sector usually obtain business from their relationships with organisers. With over 600 festivals taking place in the UK every year there are plenty of sales opportunities for contractors to get more business. Securing a higher value deal with a large festival however, may require going through a tender process.

As music festivals get ever bigger having strategically placed video walls ensure that all festival-goers get a good view of the on-stage action. What's involved in getting video walls installed on a festival site and what are the key benefits derived by festival-goers and festival organisers.

Numerous performance artists write and perform their own material but if they are a solo performer the use of session musicians is an essential part of studio recording and live performances. What is it like to be a session musician, how do they get started and what part do they play in the live entertainment industry.

Every festival uses their social media channels to promote and market their events and create followers and fans. These channels can also be problematic should something go wrong at a festival with bad news quickly going viral. How can organisers manage their social media channels to their benefit.

Festival organisers should never stand still when running events year on year because too many things can change that affect overall financial performance. How can organisers determine what improvements to make and how do they implement them in a cost-effective manner.

The revenue earned by festival organisers from vendor pitches makes up a significant portion of their overall income. How can festival organisers build and manage their vendor packages to make them attractive to potential vendors whilst controlling costs and providing services that festival-goers want  

Pride events are a fixture in most western cities every year and can last anywhere from a week to month. Increasingly popular are the associated Pride Festivals which are often the highlight of celebrations, how are these festival events evolving to accept corporate brand involvement along with appealing to wider audiences.

No music festival is complete without its branded flags and banners that help promote the event’s image and brand. How much should organisers invest in their on-site branding and how can this be managed in a cost-effective manner to get the biggest impact without blowing the budgets. 

The UK has one of the most vibrant festival sectors in the world and continues to expand. There has been a steady flow of new festivals announced on a regular basis since the end of the coronavirus pandemic. What does analysis of the UK festival scene reveal for 2022 and how can this data be interpreted.

Understanding the trends in the music industry can play an important part in the success of a music festival. Organisers should do their best to anticipate which artists and genres they should focus on when curating their performance artists for forthcoming events as this will make them more attractive and easier to market to festival-goers.

Sustainability and the impact of events on the environment is growing in importance with event-goers looking for action from organisers. This growth in awareness led to the creation of Isla in 2019 who’s aim is to collaboratively address the challenges of the climate crisis and focus on sustainability by supporting the transition to sustainable events.

The tribute act has been a firm fixture on many music festivals for years and their popularity continues to persevere. Why are these musicians and performance artists so popular and how are music festival organisers integrating them into events to satisfy audience demand.  

Operating a music festival can generate substantial revenues and continues to draw new players into the industry. With more than 30% of music festivals now operated by one of the large corporate players what do organisers of independently owned festivals need to do to improve their operational procedures to successfully compete.  

Volunteers are the key backbone of any music festival and many events would not take place without them. Some festival organisers may be facing a shortage of volunteers for festival season in 2022. What is causing this and how can organisers ensure they have a sufficient number of volunteers for their events.

Music festival tickets are getting a reputation for being overpriced and festival-goers are increasingly balancing their desire to attend an event against affordability. What strategies can festival organisers put in place to arrive at an optimum price that generates sufficient revenue but remains attractive to potential ticket buyers.

A significant cost element for any music festival is the expense of hiring the venue space and for many organisers this can be difficult to control and predict. What steps can organises take to secure a cost-effective venue space that fits their requirements for location, size and infrastructure.  

Most music festival organisations plan and implement marketing campaigns using their online social media accounts. Organisers can create and control these channels but there are numerous unofficial online communities too, how can organisers control and influence these unofficial groups.

The quantity of data collected by event and festival organisers is vast and with more transactions and information exchanged online the risk of attack form hackers is increasing. Having the right data protocols and cybersecurity measures in place is key to protecting that data which in turn protects event-goers and organising entities too  

The demographics attributable to particular genres of music are key elements in planning artistic content for music festivals. There are so many diverse genres around the world and the demographics are constantly changing, what are the latest trends and how could this impact on genre and artist selection for festival organisers.

A key element of any festival is compliance with any prevailing health and safety regulations which includes the management of any incidents likely to affect anyone on-site. Effective planning and reporting are essential aspects for successful incident management but how can organisers improve this. 

The festival run sheets and production schedules can take many forms but for any festival they are an essential part of managing numerous operational aspects of the festival’s on-site tasks. What steps can festival organisers take to manage their run sheets to ensure that everything happens when it should in an efficient manner. 

The potential dangers of fires breaking out at a crowded event always needs to be taken seriously. Festival organisers should ensure their event planning includes the provision for fire prevention and safety that complies with any prevailing regulations as well as reassuring all site visitors that their safety is a prime concern. 

The heart of every music festival is the selection of artists booked to appear as this can determine the popularity of the event and number of tickets sold. How can organisers balance the artists curated to ensure that the content will appeal to festival-goers and lead to commercial success.

As music festivals get ever larger and more complex organisers are turning more and more to CAD to help them accurately plan and map a festival site. CAD has been around for many years but what do organisers new to this need to know about the technology and how it can help in their planning process 

The use of Two-way radios has been a fixture of large festivals for decades and organisers still see them as a vital part of on-site communications. With the advances in mobile phone technology do on-site Two-way radios still have a role to play in the festival site communications infrastructure. 

Around 1.2% of the population suffer from some form of epilepsy. The dangers for suffers is greatly increased when attending live entertainment where light shows are used. What can music festival organisers do to manage this risk to ensure the safety and wellbeing of festival-goers prone to seizures.

There has been much coverage in the media recently about the inflationary pressures on global economies which are leading to rising costs. How can music festival organisers manage their budgets in 2022 and beyond to protect the financial contribution and earnings of their business operations.

As part of the ticket sales process buyers are informed that they must comply with the terms and conditions of sale. These rules can be quite comprehensive and are usually a key part of the festival website. What are the rules of the festival that organisers should include to cover most eventualities.

There has recently been a number of key data reports released on the music festival and live music sectors. These reports generally give a detailed insight into the state of the market and what’s tending. Music Festival organisers may find this data helpful when planning for their future events. Here is snapshot of some emerging data recently announced. 

The transport logistics for any music festival is a key element of the organisation to ensure that artists and crews arrive in the right place at the right time. Depending on the size of the festival and the number of artists there are a variety of transport solutions available to festival organisers to make sure everything goes like clockwork. 

The lifeblood of many music festivals is the revenue from corporate sponsors so it’s vital for organisers to maximise this revenue stream. In an ever increasingly competitive market it is now more important than ever for festival organisers to get creative with their pricing and packages to secure sponsorship. 

Every music festival relies on volunteers to make their events happen and they are a key part of festival operations. Volunteers can be fickle and the motivation for each volunteer can vary wildly. How can festival organisers perfect their volunteer shift management to maximise the effectiveness of the volunteers they have.

Festivals have grown in size and complexity over the decades and the old operational practices need development to allow for these changes. In an ever increasingly fast-moving environment festival organisers now need to employ a more dynamic approach to managing their event operations.

Festival-goers attend music festivals to enjoy a positive memorable experience and the majority of events deliver just that. For the handful of festivals that go awry for whatever reason organisers should take responsibility for any failings and provide refunds or compensation to unsatisfied customers.   

Every music festival uses their online presence to promote their event and generate interest plus ticket sales. The effectiveness of an event’s marketing efforts varies widely in execution and effectiveness, what can organisers do to improve their online marketing efforts and generate ticket sales and achieve their communication objectives. 

Whether it’s a music or community arts festival many events are operated as free to attend however organisers still need to cover their costs and manage the number of visitors. How do event organisers ensure they don’t lose money and prevent overcrowding for a smooth operation.

Drones have become very popular in recent years and with advances in technology they have become easier to fly and control. A music festival site provides a multitude of opportunities for drone usage but what are the limitations and uses for drones at an outdoor live event that organisers should be aware of. 

In any industry the introduction of new technology can revolutionise how business is done and the live events sector is no exception to this. Whether it’s music festivals, live concerts or tours the industry has seen the introduction of technology in just about every aspect of planning, managing and implementing live events. 

Every music festival will have a green room or at least a variation of one located backstage. What is the purpose of the green room and how can festival organisers and venue mangers organise their green room to provide a stress-free transition to the stage for performance artists. 

The coronavirus pandemic has had a severe effect on the life and careers of many musicians and performance artists as the live events industry essentially shut down for the last 2 years. The impact on musicians can range from financial to mental health issues and the industry is now coming together to support musicians in a variety of ways, the New Noise Festival on 4th April 2022 is a key part of that.  

Anyone proposing a music festival at a new UK site venue will have to submit a premises licence application to their local authority well in advance and it's an essential part of the event planning process. What are the requirements for submitting an application and what types of information need to be included to gain approval.

As music festivals get ever larger in size and the logistics become increasingly complex the management of guest ticketing and accreditation is becoming more challenging. A large music festival must adapt to ever changing priorities and event developments and need to get a handle on managing guest ticketing at an early stage in the planning process. 

Most music festivals taking place anywhere in the world now have sustainability high on their agendas. Single use plastics have almost been eliminated but organisers are now looking at just about any material used during the festival that can be made eco-friendly. What everyday utility products and merch are organisers looking at to convert to alternative materials?

As festival season starts to pick up for this year there will be some underlying challenges for food and beverage vendors and music festival organisers. Numerous macro-economic and other influences will mean that vendor’s businesses are going to have to adapt and change to survive.

The provision of live online content for music festivals has become an essential part of the event’s operations and organisers are now recruiting talent to manage this. What has driven this explosion in live content and how can festival organisers manage the logistical challenges of providing quality live content.

With the coronavirus pandemic having a significant impact on the business operations of most music festival organisers have had to seek out new business opportunities. Many organising entities have wisely diversified their business activities to spread the risk and create new profit centres to ensure long term survival.  

There has been a significant growth in the number of wellness festivals in many countries over the last decade. The provision of yoga and meditation services at established music festivals has been an important part of the organiser's whole offering to potential ticket buyers. What should festival organisers do to offer the right balance of activities to festival-goers.   

Every music festival relies on an army of volunteers to make their events happen but there are often some volunteers with more responsibility sometimes referred to as volunteer ambassadors. The ambassador will have a different set of duties and festival organisers use them in a variety of ways to perform additional tasks not done by volunteers.

Part of the sustainability objectives of the music festival sector is managing their waste which has been well documented by the numerous organisations over the last few years. One area that is gaining momentum is more intelligent management of food waste generated during a festival so that surplus edible food can be collected and redistributed rather than ending up in landfill.

With mental illness becoming more topical many music festival organisers are providing welfare services on-site during events. Providing access to welfare services during a multi-day festival can help provide an invaluable service to festival-goers prone to a variety of mental health issues that can be compounded by the festival experience. 

Many music festivals have their roots in small family run affairs on a local farmer's field or a simple garden party. Such small events are generally run on an ad-hoc basis with friends and family helping out in a variety of ways that bring all the operational aspects together. As an event expands over the years the organisation is going to need a more formal structure. 

One of the most concerning impacts of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine this year has been the impact on fuel costs around the world. This could have a dramatic effect on the running costs for powering music festivals this year, what are the options organisers can consider in this new and ever-changing climate of uncertainty. 

A new code of conduct is being coordinated by Vision: 2025 to provide clear minimum environmental standards for all UK outdoor events. The consultation period was completed at the end of January 2022 and a revised draft code of conduct has been released. What is the Green Code of Conduct and what will be the impact on the music festival sector?

From small manageable events to huge mega festivals some well-known music festivals have grown out of all recognition form their roots. Like any commercial business that experiences rapid growth and expansion a music festival that grows in size will probably experience growing pains. What are the usual pain points and how can they be managed?

There have been some iconic beach-based music festivals and a number of infamous ones too. Selecting a beach as a music festival venue may be very appealing but the logistics of organising an event located on a beach location brings with it a whole new set of logistical parameters that can easily make or break the event. 

Most big music festivals take place in large open spaces often in remote locations and for the festival season in the UK the weather can be unpredictable. Many festival organisers now use a combination of open spaces and covered marquees to provide some shelter should there be inclement weather.

After BREXIT there were numerous changes to UK immigration rules regarding the free movement of performance artists between the EU and the UK which at the time was unclear. For UK festivals that wish to curate overseas artists to perform at a UK festival the government created the Permit Free Festival List.  

Music festivals in the UK are generally safe environments and the majority of festival-goers have an enjoyable experience. There is unfortunately an element of criminality that still occurs at every event to a lesser or greater extent and festival organisers must continue to take all matters of security and safety of festival-goers seriously.

Volunteer work at music festivals is always popular and demand from organisers remains high. Many festival organisers recruit their volunteers directly while other applicants may prefer to go the charity route. Numerous festivals have direct deals with selected charities that allow the charity to have pitch space and fundraising volunteers on site.

The food vendor business is a key element to any music festival providing a welcome source of revenue. Vendor pitch spaces at festival sites are always in demand and organisers invest considerable time in promoting and managing their vendor operations. What is likely to be trending in the food vendor sector this year that will impact on organisers and festival-goers?

During the coronavirus pandemic many artists and festivals turned to live streaming as a way to reach audiences. With COVID restrictions being lifted in many countries organisers are looking forward to a festival season that is almost back to normal in 2022. It is likely that live streaming will increasingly have a role to play in reaching audiences.

The risk of cyber-attacks in all aspects of society is ever increasing and music festivals are no expectation to this. Cyber-attacks can take many forms and is usually conducted with financial crime as the objective. What are the key aspects of this phenomenon that festival organisers need to be aware of?

All festival organisers like to encourage use of public transport like rail and coach to festival-goers when considering getting to and from festival sites. Use of public transport helps reduce a festival’s overall carbon footprint and supports their sustainability objectives. How do festival organisers work with transport suppliers during festival season?

Use of mobile apps has rocketed in recent years with millions of apps available for just about any purpose. Music festival organisers have been embracing this technology for their own app development to satisfy festival-goers demand. What is the festival app landscape looking like for this year's festival season.  

Many music festivals have evolved over time from grassroots events with a reputation for muddy fields and a back to basics feel. Technology is advancing at an ever-increasing speed and new innovations are being adopted by festival organisers to make their operations more efficient and provide greater convenience to festival-goers.

Since tickets have been sold and used for entry to music festivals ticket touts have existed and while advances in technology have eliminated many the professional ticket tout still prevails. How are ticket touts operating in the current environment and what can festival organisers do to overcome this unsavoury activity. 

Every festival will usually have a core team of full-time permanent staff who are probably paid a monthly salary. In addition, organisers have to consider the number of seasonal contract staff and contractor suppliers who also need to be paid. What do organisers need to know when it comes to paying staff and how can they make their processes efficient.

Anyone reading daily news feeds about the music festival scene in the UK will not have failed to notice the comments made by the Association of Independent Festivals (AIF) at their annual conference on the 15th February 2022. What practical steps can organisers take to tackle some of the issues raised.

Music festivals have a high reliance on temporary electricity generators with most using diesel to fuel them. These power generators are relatively efficient to run and can generate the enormous electricity requirements needed by most festivals. There are changes coming in 2022 that could have a serious impact of the cost of fuel used.

With sustainability high on the agenda for many music festivals there will be an increasing focus on packaging used for food and beverage vendors at live events in 2022. What are the latest trends emerging that can be adopted by food and beverage vendors who have a pitch space for an upcoming event this year. 

As music festival organisations become ever more committed to running sustainable events the importance of polices and enforcement increases. It can be relatively straightforward for festival organisers to control their own behaviour in striving to reduce their environmental impact but controlling what suppliers and vendors do can be more challenging.

The number of contractors used for a large festival can go into the hundreds with possibly thousands of people involved. Managing this number of contract suppliers and all their staff can be challenging for festival organisers. What are the key considerations for achieving a smooth contractor management process.

The consumption of hard seltzers is expected to take off in the UK’s festival season this year having seen huge growth in the United States in recent years. It’s possible that the big alcoholic drinks sponsors will be pushing their new brands in this new and developing category of drink which seems to appeal to most music festival audiences.

As festival organisations grow over time many have expanded by creating more editions with additional locations and dates. Whilst managing a single festival event during the summer festival season is hard enough there are advantages and challenges when expanding to a multi-event format.

Inflation is a developing story in the media in 2022 with many economists predicting inflationary pressure on world economies. This will likely impact all parts of society and will have a knock-on effect on the music festival sector with organisers seeing rising costs and a subsequent need to increase ticket prices.

Depending on the country the current restrictions related to the coronavirus pandemic appear to vary widely. From fully open to fully closed it is a confusing time for music festival organisers and ticket buyers to fully understand. Keeping up to date on the COVID-19 protocol status and communicating this in a succinct and clear manner is going to be crucial for the 2022 festival season.

An essential part of any planning for a music festival is incorporating local emergency services in the process. Involvement of the emergency services is a key aspect to any music festival and forms part of organiser's obligations to ensure the safety and well-being of everyone on a festival site whether they are staff, contractors, artists, volunteers or festival-goers.  

Sponsorship revenue is an essential part of almost every music festival. With many international brands impacted by the coronavirus pandemic they have been re-evaluating their investment in festivals. What are the likely trends and changes to music festival sponsorship that could happen this year.

The use of technology in the music festival industry has been advancing more rapidly over recent years with the aim of making events more efficient. As festival-goers become more technology hungry and music festivals more competitive how is the merging of technology and innovation impacting on the modern-day music festival.  

When the entire music festival sector was forced to close between May 2020 and mid 2021 many experienced professionals working in the industry found alternative employment. This may potentially hit the return of music festivals scheduled to run in 2022, what will be the impact on music festivals this year and are there any solutions. 

Timing is everything when it comes to making key announcements about upcoming music festivals. In a market where festival organisers are competing for ticket sales revenue the timing of any key announcements can help maximise ticket sales revenue at the right time. What are the factors festival organisers need to consider about making announcements.  

When looking through numerous music festival websites visitors are usually presented with the same format of content. To make a website standout and generate more organic traffic with increased user engagement organisers could consider creating their own blog as an integral part of their website content. 

Having a great plan for a music festival can help make it a success and a key part of this planning process is the marketing plan. Marketing can take many forms and most organisers spread their marketing budget across multiple media channels but the role of social media influencers has become an increasingly important part of the overall marketing mix.

With much uncertainty still hanging over the music festival sector because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic around the world it is essential that festival organisers make timely decisions on whether their event should go ahead or be cancelled. What are the critical factors that organisers should consider when making these decisions?

When searching for a new venue and site for a music festival it is essential to get potential sites professionally surveyed. Building the infrastructure and assessing every aspect of the music festival should be meticulously planned well in advance using people who really understand the logistical challenges of holding a music festival in a remote location.

Revenue from merch sales is becoming an increasingly important profit centre for music festivals and is growing in importance in an industry known for its very tight margins. The demand for merch from festival-goes continues to be high but what are the key steps festival organisers can take to maximise sales. 

Whether a music festival tales places in a remote rural location or a city centre park it is important to take full consideration of the local community when planning the event. Full consultation and involvement with local issues will help to enhance the festival's reputation and ensure a long-term relationship with the community to secure future festivals.  

Developed countries in Europe and North America have largely adopted cashless payments and digital ticketing for events. Almost all festivals taking place in these regions now only accept online digital payments for tickets which are issued to buyers in the form of QR codes which allows them easy access to the event and the issuing of RFID wristbands.

There are various factors to consider when assessing copyright laws with regards to music festivals and it can be a complex subject to understand. All music is protected by copyright no matter who plays or reproduces it, equally a music festival organisation and its brand is also protected by copyright laws. 

Every music festival relies heavily on the army of companies that provide rental of backline equipment to them every year. What can festival organisers expect when dealing with a a backline rental company and how have they fared during the coronavirus pandemic to be ready for what looks like being a busy festival season in 2022.

The entire music industry relies on a constant feed of new talent to keep the sector healthy but with so many new up and coming performance artists trying to get a break this can be challenging. With recording deals few and far between and the financial rewards reduced most artists and musicians now focus on live performances and music festivals to earn a living.  

Despite the coronavirus pandemic having an impact on the music festival sector new festivals still get announced on a regular basis. Why would anyone want to launch a new music festival in an already overcrowded market where margins are known to be extremely tight even for well-established festival organisers.

Any large scale multi day festival situated in a remote location will need the ability to manage all their operations locally on-site. What are the key requirements for setting up and installing a festival site office to ensure that all the operational logistics can be easily managed away from a fixed office space.

Sponsorship deals are an essential part of every music festival and provide a key revenue stream that contributes towards running costs. Sponsors can vary in size and budget and festival organisers usually offer varying packages to suit potential sponsor budgets. What are the options for sponsors in utilising the pitch space they get as part of their package?

Any large scale multi day festival will have a complex planning schedule created perhaps a year in advance of the festival dates. Tasks are typically assigned to responsible staff with schedules and critical paths being constantly monitored to ensure on time delivery, however, what can organisers do to minimise the impact of something going wrong at the last minute.

A sizable cost of organising and running any music festival is the cost of insurance to cover most eventualities. Some underwriters and insurers may be giving music festivals extra scrutiny in the coming years because of some recent high-profile incidents so will this result in higher premiums for organisers affecting their financial viability.  

Every music festival compromises many moving parts and controlling and managing these can be daunting for even the most experienced festival organisers. Many festival entities have embraced some form of automation to help managed all these moving parts but with so many elements to consider can everything be automated.

Festival-goers, vendors, artists, sponsors and contractors can have a perception of a festival organising entity that may not reflect reality. All these audiences generally think that every festival makes huge profits making it difficult to justify high ticket prices along with organisers driving down prices for contractors and artists.

Any music festival organiser will tell you to expect the unexpected when running a multi-day festival. The unknown is a key element of even the best run music festival and no event is perfect so it is imperative that organisers take steps in their logistics planning to implement a robust escalation process for every conceivable eventuality.

For festival organisers who hold annual events having an accurate record of all the data relating to the event is important in the planning process for future events. The ability to refer back to previous data can help with financial forecasting for future events and make the festival organisation process smoother.

2021 has been an eventful year for the festival sector with plenty of highs and lows to reflect on. It has been another tough year financially for the industry and anyone who works in it but the festival sector has survived intact. The future looks bright with most festivals looking forward to a good year in 2022.  

A subject that is often ignored and receives little publicity is the impact on hearing that musicians and music festival-goers suffer. Hearing loss can take many forms and can affect people later in life but because of the gradual onset is not taken seriously so what actions can vulnerable people take to protect their hearing.

The democratisation of the music industry has increased since the late 70s and continues to be a fundamental aspect of the industry today. The advancements in technology to help create music combined with distribution over the internet have been the engines behind this process but can the same principles be applied to the music festival industry.

Alcohol sales and music festivals have always been closely connected and the amounts of money spent by the big corporate alcohol brands each year on music festival sponsorship amounts to about $1.5 billion. Getting an alcohol brand to sponsor a music festival is a key requirement for festival organisers and always forms part of their overall sales revenue strategy but are there other ways to benefit from alcohol sales. 

Having poor financial planning and budgetary control has been the downfall of many music festivals no matter how well intended they were. What steps can festival organisers take to ensure that they have robust financial processes and procedure in place to avoid future financial difficulty or event cancellation.

The Government Live Events Reinsurance Scheme (LE Reinsurance Scheme) was introduced in September 2021 as a way to provide some financial backing to insurers for event cancellation due to Covid-related reasons. What is the current status of this scheme and what can festival organisers do to get coverage for their 2022 events?

Organising any music festival is a very risky business where the swings between high profit, break even and big losses can be unpredictable. With the coronavirus pandemic now entering a new Omicron wave globally what is the likely impact on the business of running music festivals in 2022 and beyond. 

The number of factors and time critical activities involved in planning and running a music festival can be huge. How can festival organisers use critical path management to plan and control their festival logistics to ensure that everything happens when it should to deliver a quality event on time and within budget.

Most music festivals produce a significant carbon footprint at each event due to the activities of the organisers, vendors and festival-goers. Festival organisers are doing their utmost to reduce the organisation’s carbon footprint but a high proportion comes from festival-goer activity so it is prudent to encourage visitors to make efforts to reduce their own carbon footprint too.

As the holiday period approaches between Christmas and New Year many music festival organisations let their staff take time off. How can organisers automate customer support during this time when they are operating with a skeleton staff to help potential ticket buyers who need assistance.

This may be one of the most important events to take place in 2022 for anyone working in the underground electronic music sector. The new 5-day event is planned for 13th - 17th April 2022 in the popular resort town of Cancun, Mexico. What will this new event deliver for anyone working in the music festival industry and why should they consider attending?

Although the numbers of adult smokers has fallen significantly over the last 20 years the number of festival-goers who smoke is still unusually high. The issue of smoking can be quite divisive so organisers need to find the right balance between restrictions and provision of facilities for those who wish to indulge. 

The numerous small grass roots music festivals that take place in most countries every year often rely on the efforts of a small group of volunteers and are organised by local societies. They are usually local societies that cater for specialist interests in particular music genres but how do they manage to put on their small music festivals every year.    

Providing a luxury VIP experience is part of almost every music festival where festival-goers pay a premium to get a home form home service. The key element that helps to sell any VIP package is the bathroom facilities provided and this can vary from event to event as organisers have a different interpretation of what a VIP service is.

The holiday festive season around Christmas and New Year is traditionally a quiet period for summer festival organisers with most staff taking time off to be with family and friends. How can organisers of next summer's festivals increase and maximise revenue opportunities in the run up to the end of year holiday season.

Getting the right media coverage for a music festival is great but organisers should ensure they manage journalists and photographers attending. Having a good accreditation process in place will help to manage the number of media people on site and that they are genuine journalists and photographers.

Inclement weather can be disastrous for any music festival with numerous examples of festivals being closed prematurely because of bad weather. What steps can organisers take to be the most prepared for potential problems that bad weather may cause by anticipating the weather forecast prior to the event dates.

The traditional music festival takes place during the summer months with sun and heat which ensures that inclement weather does not impact on the festival organisation. For those keen on experiencing music festivals during the winter months what options are available for festival-goers keen to keep the party going. 

Organisers of music festivals may have long relationships with venue and land owners but sometimes they need to change venue. It may be that their event has outgrown the existing site capacity or for some other reason they are unable to continue, what options are there for securing a new site quickly and without too much hassle.

The muddy music festival field has always been part and parcel of the festival experience but it doesn’t have to be that way. Having a festival site that turns into a quagmire is not pleasant for most festival-goers, doesn’t help with returning the site to nature and can cause sever logistics problems for access and egress to the site.

The VIP packages available at music festivals can vary enormously with some being affordable and others seemingly out of this world. For any festival-goer who is tired of the muddy wet field experience and basic toilet facilities it may be time to consider upgrading that ticket to a VIP package.      

Estimating the number of volunteers to recruit for a music festival can be a bit of a science. Too few volunteers can lead to logistical problems and an excess number can tie up valuable management and training resources. What can organisers do to accurately predict how many volunteers they will need?

Any large music festival site could have several hundred vendors so it takes some meticulous planning to select and accommodate them. What steps should festival organisers take to ensure a good selection of reliable vendors is chosen and that their pitches are fit for purpose to satisfy both festival-goers and vendor owners. 

Corporate sponsorship is big business and globally worth in excess of $63 Billion a year. Aside from sports sponsorship many organisations regularly sponsor music festivals but increasing in popularity is the sponsorship of performance artists. Why are corporations sponsoring artists and musicians and how is this market developing.

The huge volume of activities and tasks it takes to put on any large-scale festival can be difficult to manage. With so many factors at play and critical time paths to deal with it is vital that festival organisers have a great project management process in place and key to this is the automation of notifications.

The objective of organising and running a music festival can vary but whatever the aim of the festival is it is key to understand what factors are being used to measure the success of the event. A full understanding of these factors will determine the success or otherwise of the festival and help to drive decision making for future events.

With recent events the subject of effective crowd management has become very topical for all music festival organisers. What practical steps can organisers take to ensure their staff and volunteers are appropriately trained and that crowds are managed in a way that prevents future disasters from occurring.  

The business of organising any type of festival is becoming more complex and organising teams need to keep up to date with new developments in the industry. One possible route is to attend a relevant conference or exhibition to learn about new technologies and developments that can make their jobs easier and more efficient. 

Once a festival gets to a critical size the manual processes and procedures are just not going to cut it when organising the events. There will come a time when festival organisers need to seriously look at automating their logistics where tracking and engaging with festival-goers becomes key for the profitability and success of the event.

For every successful music festival there are probably and equal number that are poorly run and there are a multitude of reasons why a music festival is either successful or fails. What are the key signs that indicate if a music festival has not been well organised and what remedies can organisers take to rectify this.

Popular and successful music festivals often open the same format event in other countries to expand their brand presence. Creating a new edition of a music festival can be complex but there are numerous benefits of having an alternative location. What are the common pitfalls to avoid and what are the key benefits. 

Since the early days of the music festival as far back as Woodstock in 1969 festival-goers have been attending an ever-growing number of summer live music events. The seventies were dominated by the mega rock bands but were replaced by more mainstream indie pop music in the early eighties but the rock music festival genre continues to draw big crowds every year.

As music festivals get bigger and bigger each year the organisational structure may need attention to maintain efficiency and control. Festivals often grow from small grass roots events managed by small teams of multi-tasking individuals but with growth comes the need to assert more process into the planning and execution of these large events.

Many music festivals take place on an annual basis with some that have been going for decades. Smart festival organisers collect numerous amounts of data from each event and utilise this for future festivals. How can organisers efficiently collect and use historical data to make their future events more successful.

A large music festival could consume up to 300,000 megawatts of power over a long weekend, the same as a small city. With the current focus on reduction of emissions and plans to go carbon neutral what can music festival organisers do to meet the demands of their sustainability policies whilst maintaining their power requirements?

With virtually all music festivals cancelled in 2020 and many not returning this year some organisers have pushed ticket holders to rollover their tickets to 2022. This has potentially led to a shortage of tickets for the most popular music festivals next year. What is the current status of the UK music festival ticketing market for festival-goers without a ticket for 2022?

An essential part of any music festival is the attendance of vendors who supply festival-goers with food and beverage services or merchandise over the event’s duration. Vendor generated revenue can be a key profit centre for festival organisers so it is key that a dedicated vendor team exists to manage everything from booking and selection to on-site management.

Any large-scale festival relies on the work from unpaid volunteers to make their event happen. Without an army of volunteers festivals would not take place but with so much demand for volunteers every year what can organisers do to perfect their application process to ensure that the right number are recruited and appropriately managed. 

For anyone working in the festival sector there are numerous support networks and associations that provide a focal point for initiatives that can benefit the industry. Most of these organisations are generally country specific but there is an association that provides coverage for the whole of Europe, the European Festivals Association (EFA).

The tragic incident at Astroworld festival last weekend highlights the need for festival organisers to be ever vigilant about safety at their events. There are numerous facets that need to be planned and managed to ensure the safety of all attending a music festival but what are the primary factors organisers should consider?

When live music venues and music festivals were forced to close in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic many organisers shuttered their operations and ceased any activity to reduce expenditure. For venue owners and festival organisers with access to funds this downtime was seen as an opportunity to refresh and update their venues and festival operations.

The music festival sector has always relied on international performance artists as headliners which invariably means an element of travel. What are the obstacles that need to be overcome by music festival organisers when curating international talent and what needs consideration when booking artists that will have to travel.

As with many things in life it is often better to book early to avoid disappointment and the same principle can be applied to finding and booking performance artists for music festivals. What are the challenges in confirming acts and what benefits can festival organisers gain by getting their headliners and line-ups confirmed at an early date.

It is rare for any musician or performance artist to achieve success without the help of a professional management team who represent and provide essential advice to up and coming artists. The management team can help build an artist's career and get their music or material in front of key producers and negotiate contracts for live event appearances.

Running a successful music festival will depend to a large extent on the headline acts that can be secured. The selection of performance artists confirmed will help sell tickets and provides an excellent platform for the marketing and promotion of the music festival. What are the key steps organisers should take to negotiate with performance artists to secure them at the best rate. 

For regular annual music festivals and other live events changing a venue or festival site can present many logistical issues. What are the primary reasons for a venue or site change and what steps can organisers take to make a smooth transition to a new location without affecting the commercial success.

The subject of diversity within the live events industry has been discussed numerous times and we have previously published several articles on this topic. However, there is a new variation of this theme emerging which adds further clarification to what employers in the industry should be doing, referred to with the acronym DE&I, Diversity Equity and Inclusion. 

New music festivals constantly get launched every year but what are the critical steps involved in turning an idea into reality. There is undoubtedly a critical path of tasks that need to take place and managing these takes great organisational skills and a deep knowledge of how the music festival sector operates.

The person that manages every aspect of any type of festival is often referred to as the Festival Director and is usually appointed by a limited company or other responsible organisation. Most individuals that reach the pinnacle of this role are usually the most experienced with a proven record of running successful festivals.

It takes great people to organise and run a successful music festival or live event so having a reliable team in place is a crucial step in the logistics process. One element that can totally disrupt any event is a lack of staff whether it’s full-time employees or volunteers. What steps can organisers take to mitigate such an occurrence?

One of the most difficult tasks for any festival organiser is making financial forecasts for their future event. There are so many factors to consider and poor financial forecasting and lack of contingency planning has been the downfall of many festivals. What factors should festival organisers consider to build robust financial forecasting for their event.

Film Festivals are very popular around the world and vary in size from the large established film festivals like Cannes to small community film screenings. Most of the larger film festivals are organised by various arts institutes who receive public funding to promote the film industry as a whole.

The music festival industry is ever evolving and an important part of that evolution is bringing in new and up and coming talent to a line-up. The big-name stars will always be a draw for festival-goers but as a key part of the live music industry music festivals should be playing a key role in providing a platform for new talent. 

Party-goers in any city are a fickle bunch, what can venue owners of nightlife destinations do to obtain loyalty and keep people coming back. Trends change on a regular basis and venue owners of nightclubs and pubs need to reinvent themselves on a regular basis. Obtaining customer loyalty can be achieved in a variety of ways. 

There has been a steady growth in the number of professional DJs over the years helped by advances in technology and the rise of the dance rave culture in the late 80’s. With tens of thousands of DJs earning money to a greater or lesser extent from live performances what chance does a new budding DJ stand in this environment.

Corporate sponsors are the lifeblood of many festivals and although the majority are alcohol based companies' other popular sectors that sponsor festivals include telecoms and financial services. With large budgets and huge responsibilities, a career as a brand or sponsorship manager is attractive, what does it take to carve out a career with a corporate sponsor. 

With sustainability and climate change being a hot topic for 2021 it is now more important than ever for festival organisers to have a clear and deliverable sustainability policy. Any policies and statements are important for all potential audiences including festival-goers, sponsors, vendors and suppliers who are now more interested than ever about a festival's sustainability credentials. 

For festival organisations with sizeable teams there are the legal minimum benefits that employers must give to their staff. These relate to working hours, holiday allowances and salary for example. However, given the additional unsocial hours often worked organisers should get creative in how they reward their teams.

Any large-scale music festival can use up to 1,000 volunteers and many festivals would struggle to operate without them. The volunteer recruitment and management are a key aspect of managing any successful event. With so many volunteers to manage it is inevitable that the personality types will vary.

Aside from the traditional marketing channels and mix of activities a growing channel used by advertisers is the use of social media influencers. Whether it's for an upcoming music festival PR announcement or for an associated product or service from sponsors the use of social media influencers should form part of the entire marketing mix.

The most successful music festivals are those that manage to evolve over time. This success is measured in growing ticket sales along with an ever-improving number of headline performance artists. With good control and logistics this kind of growth should lead to commercial success too, what are the key elements to this evolution.

There are a large number of food and drink festivals that take place in the UK every year attracting thousands of visitors and they remain popular for all foodies. In addition to the more generic food and drink festivals there are a number of specialist festivals that focus on just one or two specific food or drink groups.

The UK is home to some of the world's most notable music and arts festivals but there is also a vibrant festival scene that celebrates the cultural diversity of Britain's population. These festivals offer an insight into the food, religion and cultural experience from faraway lands and appeals to those who perhaps never get the chance to travel to other countries. 

The pressure on performance artists to continue to produce new material and commit to live performances can have a detrimental effect on their mental health. How can artist’s management teams and others in responsible positions manage the mental health of performance artists to ensure a long and healthy career.

Before the advent of smart phones and relatively cheap desktop computing most festivals were run by organisers using a mixture of diaries, pen and paper or if they were lucky a Filofax. Armed with these and a landline phone festival organisers spent most of their time scribbling down dates, numbers and associated information. Times have changed and now festival organisers can get access to numerous time saving online tools. 

Music festivals have always been popular and interest in them has been on the rise over recent years. With the coronavirus pandemic causing the cancellation of just about all music festivals interest waned a bit but has certainly picked up in recent months. What does Google Trends indicate the current level of interest. 

For full time events team staff the festival season can be hectic and stressful. In the lead up to any large-scale music festival the work pressure of logistics deadlines combined with problem solving and long hours can impact on everyone's morale. What steps can festival organisers takes to ensure overall wellbeing of the events team.

The draw of attending a mega music festival with hundreds of thousands of festival-goers and experiencing some of the world's best performance acts can be extremely appealing. Judging by the continued appearance of ever bigger music festivals their popularity will surely continue. For festival-goers experiencing festival fatigue there is always the smaller boutique music festival. 

There may be numerous reasons why a music festival entity would want to raise funds and depending on those reasons certain sources may be closed. What alternative and creative ways can an organiser consider to raise funds for their music festival and retain ownership at the same time. 

The dance superclub has perhaps been in decline for a number of years but will the coronavirus pandemic push some of the most well-known superclubs over the edge financially? Having expanded rapidly around the world since the mid 90s the superclub format proved popular among EDM party goers but their number has decreased in recent years.       

Commonly called ‘Arts Council’ these publicly funded organisations can be found in most counties in the world with the primary objective of developing and investing in artistic and cultural experiences that enrich people's lives. How do these organisations contribute to the progression of artists and businesses associated with the events and festival sectors.      

The majority of music festivals are well established with some running for decades as successful annual events. There are unfortunately some festivals that ran for a few years before disappearing for good. What are the success factors that keep some music festivals going year after year while others fall by the wayside. 

As most established sports are controlled by official sporting bodies tied up with multi-million-dollar TV rights deals there is little scope for new entrants to that market. Over the last 30 years some new alternative live sporting events have grown in popularity and created a support industry dedicated to these alternative events. 

Comic convention genre events are now some of the most visited recurring events globally with huge investments being made by commercial organisations to stage ever larger annual comic conventions. What is the history behind the growing popularity of this genre and what are the logistics challenges facing new entrants to this sector. 

Literary festivals continue to be popular around the world with a steady flow of interested visitors always keen to attend. Sometimes referred to as book or writer's festivals they focus on celebrating all aspects of literature and writing attracting a solid fanbase irrespective of language, culture, country or nationality.

The coronavirus pandemic has brought about a new skill set for music festival organisers, that of the dynamic planner. With restrictions and lockdowns in place throughout the UK over the last eighteen months organisers have had to quickly adapt to reopening dates that are often like tracking moving targets.

There is always continuous innovation in society but for music festival-goers in 2021 what are the new crazes hitting the muddy fields? Aside from the great strides in technology being made by festival organisers what other more down to earth innovations are gaining traction among keen festival goers this year.

Any live music entertainment can be enhanced by using professional dancers to add a bit of spice and create a visual party atmosphere. What can live event organisers do to get the best fit professional dancers for their events that will enhance the customer experience and lift the overall mood of the show or event. 

It has been a sad fact over the years that assaults do happen during large-scale music festivals and although the majority are minor incidents some can be more serious. What can festival organisers do to mitigate any violent behaviour and prevent serious assaults on festival-goers and staff for the duration of the event.

The rules and regulations surrounding the various licensing and compliance requirements for anyone working in the events and hospitality sector can be complex. Fortunately, there are courses available to get people trained in understanding what the various requirements are and how they can be manged to ensure full compliance.

For every music festival or live event, the local community close to a venue can experience both positive and negative impacts of such events. The economic benefits on the local community can be significant but must be offset by acceptance of other impacts like traffic congestion and increased pollution. 

Large scale music festivals and events will often have a sizeable internal team that mange every aspect of organising their event. Smaller festival and event entities usually rely on outsourcing most organisation functions or employ the services of a one-stop-shop events production company. What are the employment prospects for working in an independent event production company.

There is an emergence of common problems being blamed on younger festival-goers but is restricting entry based on ago going to solve this? Whilst most music festivals go ahead without any significant issues several large music festivals in the UK have received bad press recently for a spate of problems. 

One of the key functions in any music festival is the production office which can take responsibility for managing just about every aspect of running a successful music festival. Larger festivals may have a production team with responsibilities split into logical functions. For smaller events the entire function could be performed by a single person.

Ever popular in the late seventies the sounds of funk soul and disco music filled most discotheques of the time and the genre was seen as enemy number one by rock and alternative music fans the world over. The long-forgotten days of the 70’s disco scene and its music is making a comeback of sorts but remastered into a new genre that is more acceptable to modern tastes. 

As music festivals emerged from the coronavirus pandemic there have been plenty of events taking place in the UK during August. Authorities have given the go ahead to many organisers based on the agreement to implement strict COVID-19 entry protocols but how effective have these been?

Large capacity music festivals attracting large numbers of visitors are no different from a small town and therefore are subject to the same policing issues any similar sized community experiences. In granting licences for a music festival to go ahead local authorities always make it conditional on close cooperation with local police forces. 

For any mega music festival with upwards of 50,000 festival-goers the queuing and overcrowding can be an off-putting experience. As the largest music festivals often take place in remote locations getting in an out will usually be painful experience but for those with enough money there are alternatives to the usual traffic jams simply booking a helicopter ride in to the festival site.

Having good press coverage of a music festival can really enhance the event’s reputation and status, equally, bad coverage can cause irreparable damage. How can music festival organisers control the media in attendance at the event and ensure that any news coverage is verified for authenticity.

Any large-scale music festival will probably have a number or ‘runners’ but what are their responsibilities and is it a job worth considering for someone with an interest in starting a career working for a music festival. Being a music festival runner can give a great rapid insight into how a music festival operates. 

With advances in technology and a shift in ticket sales to an online environment the physical box office is almost redundant. However, the function of the ‘Box Office’ still plays a crucial role in the financial success of any event and especially for music festivals. What are the key elements of box office management that music festival organisers should focus on?  

When a website visitor searches and finds a music festival website with the intention of buying a ticket there is nothing worse than slow loading pages that potentially cause browers to hang. It seems to be an endemic problem specific to music festival websites primarily caused by video and audio files so how can festival organisers mange this? 

Every music festival organiser needs to have an efficient ‘Advancing’ function as it can be critical to the smooth running of the entire event. Large music festival organisations may even have a sizable team dedicated to the advancing logistics and for smaller festivals the function may be performed by a single person.

Attending a music festival often leads to the desire to work in the industry having been bitten by the festival bug. How can someone with a keen interest find an internship programme in the music festival sector with a view to a long-term career and is it as glamorous as a budding intern might view such work? 

Any large-scale music festival with over 50,000 festival goers needs thousands of people to work behind the scenes requiring a number of backstage passes to be issued. The backstage area of any music festival can be a hectic place and organisers should carefully mange access to avoid overcrowding of unnecessary people who could disrupt the festival's smooth running. 

Every touring band or musician has traditionally used roadies to transport their equipment from gig to gig along with set up and problem solving. These unsung heroes who make the behind-the-scenes logistics operate like clockwork still exist but their role has been changing over time. Are roadies still relevant in the modern era of touring artists and music festival appearances?             

As the popularity of music festivals has increased broadcasters have made efforts to get a piece of the action to increase their audience numbers. With the largest and best music festivals often being sold out well in advance watching a live streamed event on a commercial TV channel is appealing to a large number of people.       

Having a theme for any festival can contribute to the event’s branding and promotional opportunities as well as keeping an annual event fresh each year. The theme selected can be just about anything but it should form part of that festival's identity and appeal to festival-goers as well as contributing to what the festival organisers believe in. 

A great party city can mean different things to different people but there are some cities that can be categorised firmly as party destinations. Every large city has some nightlife but can be restrictive in choice and operating hours with a focus on catering for local residents and occasional visitors and therefore probably can't be considered as ‘party’ destinations.           

There are some summer destinations that have a reputation for the best beach parties that can go on for weeks or last the entire summer season. What are the best picks for those keen to spend a few weeks partying in some of the world's most legendary beach party destinations once international travel fully opens up again?

The size of a festival may determine the level of detail in any terms and conditions an organiser imposes on vendors. What are the usual terms that festival organisers should insist a vendor agrees to and equally what should vendors consider when applying for a pitch at a festival before committing to a booking.

Festivals that use remote sites with large capacities have always provided ample on-site parking for festival-goers. With growing concerns over personal car use how are festival organisers managing parking logistics to achieve a balance of providing sufficient parking facilities against their environmental sustainability objectives. 

An often-overlooked aspect of music festival planning is noise management. The amount of noise pollution generated by a music festival is covered by a complex array of rules, regulations and codes of practice. For most organisers this is something best left to external specialist consultants but for those interested this is what the requirements cover for events taking place in the UK. 

Many music festivals promote themselves as family friendly and this can be a big draw for potential festival-goers who have children. Organisers of festivals that allow children on-site should create and make publicly available their policy on children attending the festival and measures in place to ensure child safety. 

Some of the largest music festivals attract hundreds of thousands of festival-goers and it is therefore inevitable that a large number of personal possessions go missing. Organisers of these large-scale events should have a lost and found policy in place along with slick processes and procedures for managing the potential volume of lost items and festival-goer enquiries.

On the 5th August 2021 the British government announced that they will be providing funds for insurers to offer COVID-19 related cancellation insurance to event organisers. This is a long overdue but welcome move in the UK, it has perhaps come too late to save some festivals unfortunately. What are the key points in this announcement pertinent to festival organisers. 

A large music festival attracting over 100,000 festival-goers with 50 stages and 200 artists will require a mind-numbing amount of equipment. The efficiency and management of the shipping logistics for a festival are critical to its success so what steps do festival organisers take ensure everything happens as planned.

Despite vast improvements in logistics planning thanks to advances in technology some festival owners still get it wrong. Perhaps there can be unforeseen circumstances that lead to problems but in the modern age festival organisers should now really be producing slick events resulting in great customer satisfaction. 

When a large music festival takes place over three or four days with over 50,00 festival-goers crammed into a festival site it's going to attract unwelcome pests. The country and climate of a music festival may well determine the types of pests that need consideration by festival organisers in dealing with any potential problems.

With meticulous planning months in advance the last thing any music festival organiser wants is a performance artist that goes AWOL (Absent Without Leave) hours or minutes before their scheduled set. Unfortunately, it does happen so what can festival organisers do to mitigate such circumstances occurring. 

2021 has been a mixed year for music festivals around the world with many cancellations yet a reasonable number of big-name festivals have managed to go ahead. Festival season for next year is starting to look promising and numerous organisers are planning for 2022 as an opportunity to re-launch their events. 

Every large music festival will normally have a selection of international performance artists but since the coronavirus pandemic international travel has been problematic. For music festivals with international performance artists confirmed or tentatively booked what are the travel logistics that need to be considered for festivals taking place in the summer this year. 

There has been a shift in the last five years towards use of technology by music festival organisers and this rapid change is gathering pace. What are festival organisers doing to take advantage of these changes that will make their festival more efficient, profitable and safer for festival goers for the future.   

Sponsorship funding is a key part of every music festival and without sponsors any music festival will struggle to cover their costs let alone make a profit. Having the right sponsorship strategy in place can make the difference to an event’s success but what steps can organisers take to secure those all-important deals. 

With the festival sector coming back to life in the UK and other recovering countries around the world the demand for festival staff is gradually picking up again. It has been a catastrophic 18 months for anyone working in the festival business but what new opportunities are there for employment going forwards and what are the trending occupations in demand. 

As most music festivals were cancelled in 2020 and not returning until summer 2021 it could be almost 2 years since a festival took place in the summer of 2019. This has implications for the performance of equipment and artists, how can festival organisers minimise the impact of such a prolonged closure.

Venues are getting ready to open up to capacity crowds and audiences with the proviso that visitors comply with the vaccination and testing protocols for COVID-19. Aside from more thorough routine cleaning in line with any new guidelines venue owners and event organisers should consider regular deep cleaning of their venues too. 

As large capacity events emerge from the impact of coronavirus pandemic nightclubs, concerts and music festivals will start accepting visitors again but with strict entry requirements. It is clear that in pilot schemes the evidence of vaccination or negative test results are no guarantee of excluding COVID-19 positive visitors. Can thermal temperature scanners act as a last line of defence?

With a lot of fanfare and global media attention England* entered their ‘Freedom Day’ on 19th July 2021 where most COVID-19 restrictions were removed. Although this potentially means the return of large capacity music festivals, nightclubs and live music concerts what is the reality for visitors seeking entry to a festival or live event?

The majority of festival-goers have a great experience at their chosen festival but with so many people attending events it's impossible to create a positive experience for 100% of attendees. There will always be negative feedback on just about any subject and festival organisers need to have a clearly defined strategy for handling such feedback.  

There are a minefield of rules regulations and procedures relating to health and safety for any music festival. Aside from understanding all the requirements how can these be successfully implemented to avoid any unnecessary breaches that in the worst case could lead to a premature closure of the event.

Festivals are driven by the skilled professional people involved in managing every aspect of the event organisation and logistics. With large festivals using hundreds of volunteers, staff, artists, crews and contractors it is essential that sufficient facilities are put in place to provide top quality backstage catering solutions.

Despite meticulous planning the power supply for a music festival can fail causing a multitude of issues for organisers, artists, technicians, vendors and festival-goers. What steps can festival organisers take to mitigate the impact of a power outage during a remote site multi-day festival with up to 50,000 festival-goers. 

For music festivals taking place during the summer months in countries with temperate climates an unexpected heatwave can prove uncomfortable and even dangerous. What precautions can festival organisers take to ensure that their event proceeds without any problems associated with high temperatures. 

There are thousands of small festivals taking place every year around the world that have grown out of someone’s hobby. These festivals cover just about every niche conceivable and cater for smaller audiences who have the same interests. How do these hobbies transition from small clubs and local meetings to annual festivals? 

For ticket buyers, artists, contractors and other suppliers how can they trust the organiser of a new music festival? With the legal fallout and debacle from the disastrous Fyre festival (2017) continuing some four years later what lessons that can be learnt and how can trust be earned between all parties involved. 

With funding at a crucial level for many music festivals and many on the cusp of survival can new sponsorship deals save the day? As the number of festivals cancelled has increased there are fewer choices for festival-goers making those that are going ahead sold out, this is an attractive captive audience for many potential sponsors but can they save the sector?    

As the UK (currently only England) starts getting ready for ‘Freedom Day’ on 19th July there is a frenzy of activity in nightclubs and other live event venues plus music festivals as they get ready to welcome visitors again. It is more important now than ever to keep a constant flow of news content flowing out to interested parties.

The online presence of every music festival has become even more important since the coronavirus pandemic disrupted the sector. Ticket buyers, vendors, volunteers and contractors now rely on a music festival's online presence more than ever and for these reasons it is vital that this works seamlessly for all concerned. 

With restrictions imposed by the coronavirus pandemic it's been difficult to plan ahead music festival attendance not knowing if an event is going ahead or not. Add into that the costs of tickets, travel and time off work the expense can soon add up. For anyone keen to create their own experience is it possible to run your own private mini music festival? 

For live events and music festivals the staffing is often a mixture of core permanent teams and volunteers. In addition, there may be hybrid roles that fit between the two with longer-term full-time contractors but whatever their status a comprehensive training programme should be in place to ensure successfully run events. 

It has been a financially catastrophic 18 months for the live events industry globally and this will mean changes in the near future. From music festivals to venues and ticketing companies some consolidation is inevitable but what are the likely outcomes going into 2022 and who will be the winners and losers? 

The UK’s Step Four roadmap to reopening was delayed from 21st June to 19th July this year. This has been a big blow for many event organisers with numerous music festivals cancelling 2021 altogether. With so much information circulating currently what are the key points of the government’s current plans?

The coronavirus pandemic has accelerated the development and adoption of technology for the music festival sector. With virtually 100% penetration of smart phones in the general population organisers are using mobile tech to improve efficiency and to assist in compliance with any new COVID-19 restrictions that will likely apply to future live events. 

Festival goers are usually going to festivals for the music, atmosphere and overall experience but some visitors like to put more emphasis on the fashion too. It's probably a fine balance between practicality and looking good or at least looking the part for a festival that may have a particular theme or genre style. 

Festival goers have generally been happy to gain entry to the festival site and start enjoying the atmosphere. The branded welcome pack containing useful freebies was once the domain of the VIP ticket holder but this is changing and festival-goers now have higher expectations considering the high price of tickets. 

Many live music events are organised and run by music promoters from small intimate live performances in nightclubs to full blown multi-day music festivals. It sounds like a fascinating and exciting career but how easy is it to become a successful music promoter and what kind of skills are required. 

Whilst the world moves to alternative more environmentally friendly renewable energy power sources music festival organisers need to make informed decisions about how they power their events. The focus has been on reduction in CO2 and other harmful emissions but what are the real impacts of using alternative power sources. 

As many music festival organisers have been forced to cancel their main multi day festivals they have moved to other outlets including virtual online shows and smaller pop-up events. Restrictions brought about by the coronavirus pandemic have made large events impossible but small one day pop-up festivals are gaining in popularity.  

In an effort to increase exposure numerous performance artists have taken to the creation of their own music festivals. There may be other numerous reasons for the motivation in taking this route but certainly there are many successfully run music festivals created by performance artists but what are the challenges in pursuing this route? 

Obtaining the right water supplies for any music festival can present logistical issues particularly when considering the type of water, its source and the quantity required. Getting this wrong can lead to a multitude of issues for festival organisers, what are the key factors to consider when organising water supplies? 

Use of technology at music festivals has been rising over the years but its use will accelerate in post coronavirus times. Technology can help make festivals more efficient and logistics easier to manage. Tech can also enhance the festival-goer experience and help compliance with COVID-19 related protocols.  

Motor shows and other transport related shows, events and festivals continue to grow in popularity around the world. Once live events return expect car related shows to continue their growth spurned on by an increase in more specialised sectors catering for a diverse range of interests from the paying public. 

For festival–goers interested in books there are many great titles to choose from so anyone unable to attend a festival in person can at least read about it. Equally many books provide an insight in the music festival world even for those that have never attended a festival but have a keen interest to know more.

In an effort to differentiate the music festival experience from the competition many organisers have added extra attractions to their events in order to spice things up a bit. What is involved in getting these additional attractions organised and what is currently proving popular.