Throwing a festival, be it music festival, food festival or mini festival can be a fun but daunting task. With the right festival planning, festival marketing and festival goals in place you can create an experience that festival goers will never forget. In this post we’ll go through how to throw your own festival event, so every element from the perfect venue to event marketing counts.
1. Define Your Festival Vision and Goals
Before you start event planning, define the festival concept and vision. Ask yourself:
- What’s the theme of your festival?
- Who’s your target audience?
- What do you want your festival attendees to take away from the experience?
Clear goals and a solid concept will be a crucial aspect of your festival, guiding decisions from artist fees to the festival site and helping you stand out in a crowded festival market.
2. Pick the Perfect Venue
The festival venue can make or break your event so it’s important to get it right. Whether you’re hosting at an outdoor site or private land, consider:
- How much space do you need?
- Do you need special local authority permits?
- Is there parking spaces for the attendees?
- Are there local restaurants and food vendors nearby?
- Indoor or outdoor venue?
For a big event, venues like those used for Edinburgh Fringe Festival are perfect. For a mini festival or more intimate gathering, make sure the festival venue fits the scale of your event.
3. Festival Marketing Plan
Selling tickets is the key to a successful festival. A festival marketing plan that includes digital marketing strategies and traditional methods will help you reach your target audience. Here are some ideas:
- Use social media and email marketing to build hype and increase social media engagement.
- Use Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to showcase your event branding and share festival acts and other important info.
- Offer early bird tickets and limited time offers to drive ticket sales.
Your marketing should focus on the unique aspects of your festival and what will make it a festival to remember.
4. Budget: Artist Fees, Catering and Venue Rental
A festival budget will ensure all the necessary expenses are covered:
- Stage hire and venue rental
- Artist fees for performers and entertainers
- Catering services, local food vendors
- Event insurance to cover risks
Don’t forget to allocate some of your budget for entertainment and security. These costs are essential for the festival to run smoothly and if managed properly will help your festival go smoothly.
5. Get the Right Permits and Health & Safety
For any temporary events notice you need to comply with local regulations. This means working with local authorities to get all the necessary approvals. Health and safety is a big part of festival planning so consider hiring a logistics manager to oversee the operation and keep festival goers safe. Security, first aid and emergency protocols should be part of the planning process.
6. Hire Event Staff and Volunteers
Your festival success depends on having a dedicated staff and good volunteer management. You’ll need event staff to help with logistics, ticketing, customer service and security. Volunteers can be instrumental in making sure guests are happy and everything runs smoothly.
7. Don’t Forget Festival Facilities: Showers and Toilets
When you’re festival planning, one of the most important things to consider is the facilities for your festival attendees. Proper sanitation with clean toilets and showers can make a big difference to the overall festival experience. Partner with companies like Portable Toilets Limited who offer high quality portable toilets and shower units to ensure your festival goers have a comfortable and clean experience.
Portable Toilets LTD have a range of options including standard units, luxury portable toilets and shower units perfect for multi day festivals. These facilities will keep your guests happy and ensure your festival meets all health and safety regulations so your event runs smoothly.
By having toilets and showers you’re showing you care about the comfort and well-being of your attendees which is a big part of any successful festival. Make sure to factor in the number of attendees and talk to Portable Toilets LTD to get the right number of facilities for your venue and event duration.
8. Work With Food Vendors and Local Restaurants
Food is a big part of any festival. Festival attendees expect food to be available, whether through food stalls, trucks or local restaurants. Talk to food vendors to get a variety of options for different dietary needs.
9. Event Branding and Social Media
A consistent and solid event branding will help your festival marketing, attract your target audience increase ticket sales. Share your festival theme and festival vision across social media to get social media engagement. Hashtags, contests and live updates will keep your festival trending and increase visibility for future events.
10. Offer a Festival Experience
From choosing festival acts to curating festival themed celebrations, make sure your festival has something special for attendees. Whether you’re hosting your own music festival or food festival, having something unique and engaging will help you stand out and make festival dreams a reality.
11. Get Feedback and Plan for Next Festival
After your festival don’t forget to get feedback from your attendees. What went well and what could be improved will help you plan for next festival. The feedback from festival goers and potential attendees will be gold in shaping future events.
Conclusion
Hosting a festival big or small requires festival planning and organisation. From setting a clear festival vision to finding the right venue to executing a targeted event marketing campaign and managing event logistics, every part of the process counts. Follow these steps and you’ll be well on your way to a festival your target audience will love and remember. Keep your festival goals clear, work with the local community and leave a lasting impression on your festival attendees.
Good luck with your festival dreams!
