Number Crunching Music Festival Capacities.

The number of festival-goers attending a music festival can have a huge impact on multiple factors that can determine the success or otherwise of an event. What do festival organisers need to consider when planning their events and calculating the ideal number of on-site visitors.

From the outset when considering organising a music festival it is essential to determine the available budget as this will drive the size of the event. With a logical approach and an experienced team, it's possible to determine how big the festival could be. Whether it’s a small local festival with just several thousand visitors or a mega festival with hundreds of thousands of visitors the number crunching principles are the same.

Venue Capacity. 
If a suitable venue has been secured this will determine the maximum capacity of any proposed festival. On some occasions it may be the venue owner who is organising the festival which can limit alternative options. Once the maximum capacity of the venue is known it enables other factors to be planned. If the capacity is 5,000 it’s better to plan for 4,000 to allow for unexpected additions, it’s probably better to run an event at 90% of capacity so don’t plan for a small audience in a large capacity venue, equally a venue that is too small where potential visitors exceed capacity should be avoided. Careful calculations can determine the potential visitor numbers which can drive other key planning aspects of the festival.

Tickets Sales Revenue. 
Obviously, the revenue from ticket sales is a key factor in determining the likely profitability of an event. Once the venue and capacity numbers are known it’s time to calculate the costs of running the festival which allows organisers to calculate the maximum potential ticket revenue and break-even point. Using different number scenarios for ticket prices and negotiating supplier costs and artist’s fees can contribute to more accurate financial planning. An important factor to consider when determining ticket numbers and prices is the mix of early bird discount sales, VIP sales and complimentary guest tickets issued. 

Crowd Management. 
Knowing the venue size and expected number of visitors contributes to the planning for the overall safety of the event. How much needs to be invested in security fencing, security staff and the volunteers to keep all visitors safe? These are important calculations because they are factors that impact on effective crowd control and flow through a festival site. Many festivals are guilty of severely underestimating the number of security staff and volunteers required to safely manage large crowds.

Services and Facilities. 
There are established calculations that suppliers can help with to determine the number of toilets required for a given number of people on a festival site. In addition, the visitor numbers will drive how many food and beverage vendors will be required to feed and water a multi-day festival site.

Accreditations.
Organisers should not forget about the accreditation of selected site visitors who should be included in all calculations. A 5,000-capacity venue may sell 4,000 tickets but additional accredited passes can add another 500 to this number. Accurate estimates of the number of accredited passes issued is essential and may include staff, suppliers, artists, artist’s crew & guests, volunteers and sponsor's guests for example.

For festival organisers planning their events using a software management platform like Festival Pro gives them all the functionality they need manage every aspect of their event logistics. The guys who are responsible for this software have been in the front line of event management for many years and the features are built from that experience and are performance artists themselves. The Festival Pro platform is easy to use and has comprehensive features with specific modules for managing artists, contractors, venues/stages, vendors, volunteers, sponsors, guestlists, ticketing, cashless payments and contactless ordering.

Photo by Mikhail Nilov via Pexels

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