Your Festival Planning Guide

It's festival season! And here at Gustaf we know a thing or two about what it takes to put on the festival of a lifetime. From Kendal Calling to playing at the infamous Glastonbury, our team has done it all. Here we'll be sharing some thoughts, considerations and things to consider when planning your own festival.

Define Your Vision

When starting out, the most important thing is to define your vision, map out what you want to do and what you want to achieve at your event. Establish your festival's theme/themes and the objectives that you want to achieve.

Determine your target audience and consider what they would like to see and have implemented. Doing a bit of market research as well as some buyer persona research can really help you understand your attendees.

Have your ideal dates and location planned out, with alternative options and backups for if these plans fall through. Event planning and festival planning are never completely in your control as the organiser, as much as we'd like it to be, there are always factors at play and moving parts which can impact your plans.

Budget Planning

Identify and plan how you are going to fund your festival and consider various options such as sponsorships and grants, or a more traditional ticket sales route. Estimate the costs and how much it is going to run you for your venue, permits, paying your staff, equipment and your marketing campaign.

Having this detailed budget plan in place is essential for keeping track of where your money is going and how much you are spending, it makes it much easier to stay within budget when everything is mapped out.

Assemble Your Team

Define the key roles that your team will be performing and create teams for each department, such as an event management team, marketing team, logistics and of course any volunteers that you can assemble.

Volunteers can make up a huge amount of your workforce when it comes to events and festivals, having them in place can really take the pressure off for when it comes to the big day, knowing you have more than enough hands on deck is always a massive bonus. A lot of events find themselves short-staffed, a factor that is often the leading cause of an event's or festival's failure.

We can't stress enough how important it is to have a clear leader who can delegate and produce clear communication to all teams and members involved in the festival.

Secure the Venue and Permits

Explore a range of different venues and consider everything that you might need for your festival, consider size, number of attendees, waste management, room for merch and concessions etc. Your perfect venue is out there!

Have all the necessary permits and licenses in place, and make sure to do thorough research on what is required for your festival, the last thing you want is to be caught unprepared and risk legal interference, this can really harm your reputation in the events space, so commit to research.

Programming and Entertainment

Oftentimes, it's not just music festivals, more and more we are seeing an expansion in the festival space to other mediums and forms of artistic expression. Consider the types of entertainment you want to include at your festival as well as a detailed and well-thought-out programme.

Book your festival acts well in advance, giving them time to prepare for the festival, it is always a good idea to have some backup options as well, it's almost inevitable in the festival space that some performers or speakers will fall through, be proactive in this department and get ahead of the problem before it even occurs.

Logistics and Infrastructure

The logistics and infrastructure of your festival are possibly the most important aspect when it comes to your chances of success. Having all equipment and facilities in place is absolutely paramount when it comes to festivals. These are things that festival attendees expect and perhaps wouldn't think twice about being there, these are things that aren't going to impress but leaving them out or having them run inefficiently can make your festival house of cards collapse in on itself.

Having a well-thought-out and cohesive site layout that takes into consideration vendors, waste management and safety concerns (things like emergency exits) can really improve the experience of festival-goers, once again it is something attendees take for granted and is only noticed when it's poor, avoiding this obstacle entirely is always the best course of action.

Having organised transport links and more importantly organised parking can be hugely beneficial, and can help alleviate a lot of unwanted stress when it comes to the day. Provide information about what is available to your attendees so they know how to prepare and what to expect when they reach the festival site.

Look after your performers and speakers, make sure they have everything they need to put on a fantastic show, make sure their gear is there on time and well protected, don't skimp on sound and lighting setups, they can make all the difference!

Health and Safety

Having a comprehensive safety plan at hand for if things take a turn is a must, it ensures that medical services and treatment are accessible for all, and an abundance of first aiders and kits is always great to have. Crowd management is also a major concern at festivals, having people in place who can manage the large crowds and even working with performers to inform them of how they can help out is always a good idea.

Marketing and Promotion

Putting marketing as a priority can be hugely beneficial, by investing, you can reach more people who might be interested in attending your festival. It also offers the opportunity for more attendees. Marketing can get expensive, so talk to an agency and see what your budget allows for, they will be able to guide you on the best strategy for your festival and boost your social media engagement.

It's also important to get the ball rolling early in this department too, effective and lasting marketing doesn't happen overnight and neither do the results, it's a long game so get in as soon as you can, the earlier the better.

Sustainability

To host a sustainable festival, organisers should implement comprehensive waste management with ample recycling and composting facilities while encouraging attendees to bring reusable bottles and offering refill stations. Utilising renewable energy sources such as solar panels or biofuel generators, along with energy-efficient LED lighting, can significantly reduce the event's carbon footprint.

Promoting public transport, carpooling, and sourcing goods locally helps minimise transportation emissions. The use of recycled or biodegradable materials for festival infrastructure and compostable packaging for vendors can further decrease environmental impact. Water conservation measures like low-flow taps and providing water stations instead of bottled water can save substantial resources.

Partnering with local suppliers for organic and sustainably sourced products supports the economy and reduces transport distances. Educating attendees about sustainability through workshops and activities raises environmental awareness. Investing in carbon offset programmes to mitigate any unavoidable emissions and taking steps to minimise noise and light pollution can protect local wildlife and communities. Collaborating with eco-conscious partners and sponsors ensures that sustainability is embedded in all aspects of the festival.

These are all possible solutions for reducing your carbon footprint, it might not be possible to implement all of them, but having a few ticked off is always a good sign. Attendees are more environmentally conscious than ever and festival planners should be too. Read more about sustainability in the events industry here.

Post-Event

Just because your festival is over doesn't mean the work should stop, it's always a good idea to debrief with your event staff and find ways in which you can improve. Get their input on how the festival went and their experience, what could be improved upon and points of concern, there's always room for improvement for future events. A follow-up email to all attendees is essential, to get their feedback and create a space for them to be able to share thoughts on their experience.

Take a moment to thank sponsors, volunteers and all the team that made the event possible, social media and emails are ideal for reaching out and showing your support.

Conclusion

In conclusion, creating a successful festival hinges on clear vision, detailed planning, and cohesive teamwork. By defining your goals, understanding your audience, and securing the necessary resources, you lay a strong foundation. Efficient budgeting, assembling a capable team, and ensuring seamless logistics are crucial steps that can't be overlooked.

Remember, the devil is in the details – from securing permits to ensuring top-notch infrastructure and safety measures. Effective marketing and post-event follow-up are essential for building and maintaining a positive reputation. With these strategies, you're well on your way to hosting a festival that leaves a lasting impression this summer!

Contact Us

If you'd like to learn more about what we do here at Gustaf or fancy a chat about how we put on our show-stopping festivals, don't hesitate to get in contact. Our team are passionate about the events industry and the festival scene!