Having good up-to-date information about every aspect of a festival is essential for the smooth operation of the event. Providing information about the festival that is easily accessible will make festival-goers feel comfortable about their attendance safe in the knowledge that every eventuality has been catered for.

The coronavirus pandemic and restrictions on live events had a dramatic effect on the finances and survival of numerous festival organisations and this had a knock-on impact on suppliers to the industry too. Many suppliers now feel nervous about receiving payment from festival organisers and the result has been an increase in the size of deposits requested.

The majority of music festivals in the UK are for the over 18s because of the wide availability of alcohol and the additional requirements needed for providing safety for children. Many organisers operate the Challenge 25 scheme to prevent underage festival-goers entering the site but how can this policy be implemented. 

Despite the non-stop flow of news about a gloomy economic outlook for the UK demand to attend a music festival in 2023 seems as buoyant as ever. It’s still a competitive landscape and festival organisers should be maximising their publicity by collaborating with relevant parties to increase their chances of achieving planned ticket sales volumes.

Music festival organisers are putting great emphasis on their sustainability polices and reduction of an event’s carbon footprint. Encouraging festival-goers to use transport with a low carbon footprint has been popular and some organisers offer free parking for visitors using EVs and PHEVs but why might his increase the event’s overall carbon footprint?

In most countries the economic pressure on inflation and rising prices has been brutal over the last 12 months. Prices for just about everything have risen and especially transport costs which is a concern for festival-goers who are already facing more expensive festival ticket prices. What is the easiest and cheapest way to get a festival this year.

For any music festival organisation that locates an event in an area that has a cultural centre or is has popular tourist attractions there are opportunities to partner with government funded entities. Both parties will gain benefits from the relationship and will have a synergistic impact on the potential success of any proposed festival.

Many multiple day music festivals now have dedicated chill-out zones which are increasingly popular with festival-goers. A chill-out zone gives visitors a chance to take a break from the music performances that can sometimes go on for up to 12 hours a day. What should organisers consider when planning a chill-out zone for their music festival.

Every country operates different rules and regulations for managing noise levels from music festivals. Any event licensing permission granted by local authorities will usually include provisions for noise levels and hours of operation. If any of these are breached it will likely lead to difficulties in obtaining the necessary event licence the following year.

Many music festivals made a return in 2022 after a 3-year break enforced on them by the coronavirus restrictions. In 2023 there are even more events returning after the forced closure but what steps can festival organisers take to get their events successfully up and running again this year after almost 4 years. 

Every music festival whether they are big or small needs to book a relevant line-up of artists. The organisers will have a budget for artist’s fees but they want to minimise that spend whilst artists want to maximise their revenue. This can lead to an impasse in negotiations but these can be overcome by considering other aspects related to the artist’s attendance at the event.

Music can transcend any language barriers as understanding the language used in lyrics is not essential to enjoying songs. This makes it possible to book artists from around the world to performs in their chosen language. What steps can festival organisers take to ensure that language barriers are not an issue when scheduling and booking artists form overseas. 

Any music festival can be incredibly complex to organise and schedule every production element. Although some organisers still do these tasks manually this can take too much time and is prone to errors. Using a computerised system to schedule festival production is now standard but dedicated event management software tools are also becoming popular.

It can take a considerable amount of time to plan a music festival but this can vary depending on the size and complexity of the event. There is no set standard about how long a festival takes to plan but anyone contemplating organising a festival in 2023 is probably already well into their planning phase.  

A testimonial is an endorsement statement from a satisfied customer and is a great tool that can be used by music festival organisations to boost the reputation of a particular event. How can organisers obtain customer testimonials and how can they be managed to the benefit of a music festival.

What staff managing a music festival wear during the live dates of an event is an extension of the event’s brand and its perception to all on-site visitors. Whether it’s full-time permanent staff or volunteers organisers should produce guidelines and dress codes for everyone working on site.

Every music festival incorporates an element of design in the branding presentation and is a key element of the organisation's public persona. Who are the people behind some of the most dazzling and creative images often associated with music festivals and how can organisers harness these creative individuals to build their own distinctive brand.  

Anyone attending a music festival is expecting to be entertained from the moment they arrive until they leave the site. With many festivals taking place over 3 or 4 days it can be challenging to provide non-stop activities for festival-goers. How can organisers ensure their event is scheduled to ensure a continuous flow of activities.

After any music festival it is essential to conduct a review of the event particularly the operational and logistical aspects. A comprehensive review of event’s operations will help in understanding what went well and what can be improved for future festivals. What are the key aspects to consider when conducting the post event review.

Event marketing has evolved over the years and this is set to continue into 2023 and festival organisers should embrace changes and developments that increase their marketing spend effectiveness. What aspects of the marketing mix are shifting and what should organisers focus on over the coming years.