Tips to help you plan a summer festival – Breeze Bites

With summer fast approaching and the festival season nearly here, festivals are a great way to get the community together for all things summer, music and a whole lot of fun. It can also be a bit stressful if this is your first time planning one.

As event planners we all want the best location with the perfect weather, the best line-up of artists and an ideal audience who love the music, food and everything else in between.   However that rarely happens and planning a large-scale festival with hundreds of people is a complicated process with more than a few hiccups along the way. 

See below for a few essential dos and don’ts to help you get started.

Do take care of the basics

Every festival has a budget and you might be tempted to spend it all on securing the best artists or entertainment for your guests, but think about your guests buying the tickets. Along with good music they want protection from the weather, parking, seating and somewhere to chill out. Get your basic amenities of food, drinks and portaloos in accordance with tickets sales and keep your attendees well hydrated providing easily accessible water to everyone - enjoying the outdoors is thirsty work for your attendees.

Do have a planned layout

This comes in the form of knowing how much space you have and your maximum guest capacity. It is crucial you abide by the guest capacity guidelines, having long lines and no room to breath can really frustrate attendees. Keeping a close eye on your tickets sales will keep guests happy and avoid human traffic jams. 

Do cater for all ages

During your planning stage remember to plan activities for guests of all ages! Even if you are hosting an adult focused event such as: music festivals, food & wine events or any special event, be sure to set up an area where kids can get involved and create with giant sandpits; kids workshops, TV characters and a parents area for mums and bubs – (a baby animal farm is always a big hit with the kids too). 

Do attract sponsors

Sponsorship should not be the main concern, but if you’re going to have a festival it might well be an ideal place for sponsors to promote their products.  When thinking about having sponsors you should not only be considering what brands to go for, but also the best way to creatively present them. Many brands are more than willing to sponsor events so seek sponsors from local restaurants, cafes, retailers and education outlets. 

Don’t underestimate your toilet situation

Whether there are toilets on the grounds or your providing portaloos – as a general rule of thumb there should be one toilet per 50 people. Depending on the size of the event as an Event Manager it is your job to properly estimate the number of restrooms you need to cater for your attendees…getting it wrong will be unpleasant. Make sure you have plenty of toilets and staff to clean them as often as possible.   This is the deal breaker whether or not your attendees will come back next year. Get it wrong here and you’ve got the whole festival wrong.

Don’t understaff

Get as many volunteers, staff and family as you can. It will be well received by your attendees. They will need help for directions, event information to I’ve lost my dog. Providing excellent help will leave a lasting impression.

Don’t leave a big mess

Festivals come with huge clean-up and a lot of rubbish.  Have a plan to recycle and try to make your event as eco-friendly as possible. Make a point to remind all guests to recycle and have well-placed bins everywhere with your eco-friendly statement.

Hosting a festival is a great idea and gives your community a sense of belonging however they can be a lot of work, but the efforts of your work will be felt through your entire community. Good luck!

For any enquires on Event Management Gold Coast, Corporate Events Gold Coast, and Conference and Incentives Days please call Jo. Jo can bring all her experience, passion and skill to the table to create a fresh and innovative partnership with you. Click here to get our ebrochure & download our PDF.

Jo Kane

Events Gold Coast