The Rise of the Micro Music Festival.

In recent decades, the music festival sector has seen significant growth but at the same time considerable consolidation. Several large corporate operators are dominating the large festival sector whilst smaller independent festivals continue to face challenges from rising costs. This could be a contributory factor in the rise of the micro music festival sector.

The days of the chaotic and free-spirited music festival have long been replaced by ever larger and sophisticated events. The modern festival is operationally complex and requires high-quality production combined with strict regulatory oversight. This is making it expensive to operate with constant pressure on operating costs and festival-goer ticket pricing expectations. This has seen many festival entities sell out to one of the large corporate operators who have the resources and financial clout to manage and run large complex music festivals. Conversely there is a rise in the popularity of the micro music festival which are less complex and easier to operate for organisers.

The Micro Music Festival.
Regular festival-goers are increasingly prioritising authenticity and affordability which is driving the growth of the micro music festival. These events generally fall into the audience size of 100 to 1000 festival-goers, although some with attendances of up to 5000 also may fall into this category. Most micro festivals focus on specific music genres, cultures or communities and typically feature EDM genres like PSY trance or folk and blues music for example. Small events organised by local communities featuring local artist line-ups are also popular growth areas. Organisers of micro music festivals enjoy the creative freedom to curate the artists they want, and with operating costs kept to a minimum it makes the experience more intimate and affordable for festival-goers.

Drivers for Popularity.
The smaller environment of a micro festival means that festival-goers are more likely to make genuine connections with fellow attendees as well as artists and crew for a real community experience. This intimate authentic experience is not really possible when attending a large mega festival where artists and crew will always seem to have a remote disconnect. With tickets selling at very reasonable rates, it is not surprising that many micro festivals regularly sell out to their maximum capacity. The overall operating costs are significantly reduced for the micro festival, making it easier for organisers to generate a small profit without the need for corporate sponsorship. The larger mega festival is often perceived as an over commercialised corporate machine which attempts to generate revenue at every opportunity. This is alienating many festival-goers who are seeking more genuine experiences where they feel like they are participating rather than just attending. Smaller micro festivals often feature local artists and vendors, which strengthens links to local communities too.

Operational Challenges and Opportunities.
For any micro music festival to be a success organisers need to operate an efficient and slick operation. The organising team may consist of only 1 or 2 individuals to run everything with the addition of a handful of volunteers around the live event dates. Overall, there will be limited revenue stream opportunities; most will come from ticket sales, and any revenue share deals they can do with food and beverage vendors. Smaller events are always vulnerable to adverse weather, and the insurance costs can be expensive; the regulatory compliance will still exist despite the smaller operation. Even where an event is a sell out the margins can be so small that any sudden issue that increases costs can result in a loss, making them financially fragile. However, despite these challenges organisers often have reduced upfront costs because the infrastructure requirements are minimal. A heavy reliance on volunteers will keep staff costs to a minimum with the key organisers or founders doing most of the planning and implementation work. The micro music festival can be a very nimble operation with flexible venue selection possible where relationships with local communities and landowners make planning easier and more cost effective.

Success Through Efficiency.
A key factor that can help the micro music festival organisers to stay profitable is the use of technology that is common at large festivals but also available to smaller operators. This can make their events more efficient, specifically by utilising cashless payments and RFID systems. Other resources like generic ticketing platforms and using social media marketing can reduce operating costs and generate ticket sales for a minimal cost. The nimble nature of the micro festival enables organisers to make quick changes to mitigate costs and produce an attractive event that appeals to a specific niche audience or community.

For festival organisers planning their next event 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, site planning, cashless payments and contactless ordering.

Image by K via Pexels

<< Back to articles