How to organise a food festival

How to Plan a Food Festival

1. Define your food festival theme and goals

It’s important to set goals for your event in order to create a clear vision of how you want your food festival to go. Think about why you’re running a food festival, whether it’s to increase community engagement and entertainment, for fundraising or to promote local businesses. Once you’ve defined your main purpose, you can consider the type of cuisine you want to feature, such as street food, a specific international cuisine or alcohol – there are many themes to choose from and don’t be afraid to mix and match if more than one interests you!

2. Secure the perfect venue

Food festivals are typically outdoor events and can encourage many visitors or passersby to engage once they see the event kick off. If you’re especially worried about the weather, you might consider choosing an indoor venue if possible. When deciding on your perfect venue, you must consider the capacity, accessibility and facilities that your site has to offer. For example, if it’s in a field or farmland, you’ll need to provide bathroom and hygiene facilities and ample parking spaces for guests.

3. Obtain licenses (if applicable)

If your food festival is taking place in a park or public space, you will need to seek permission from your local council to:

• Sell and supply alcohol
• Sell and supply hot food or hot non-alcoholic drinks between 11pm and 5am (referred to as ‘late night refreshment’)
• Put on ‘regulated entertainment’ (such as live music, films, indoor sporting events and dance performances)

This is in accordance with the Licensing Act 2003. Once your local council has granted permission, you will receive a permit enabling you to proceed with the festival.

4. Take out insurance

Whether your event is held on public or private land, it is essential that you protect yourself and your food festival with an effective insurance policy.

At Event Insurance Services, we offer a comprehensive festivals insurance policy to cover public liability, employers’ liability, event equipment, cancellation, abandonment or postponement as well as adverse weather conditions.

5. Recruit food vendors and partners

For a successful food festival, a variety of food and drink options are key to pique the interest of all your guests. You’ll want to recruit vendors and partners that serve high quality food, fit your theme and have the required food hygiene rating for the best possible outcome. Staying local if possible is ideal to help promote smaller businesses within the community. 

6. Plan entertainment and activities

Planning entertainment and activities for your food festival attendees can create a fun and exciting atmosphere alongside the culinary delights you’ll have to offer. A top tip is to plan as early as possible to have the best chance of booking your first choice of entertainment and avoid any last-minute panic. Some great ideas include live music, activities for children such as face painting and a bouncy castle or a showcase of different entertainers such as a marching band or dog show.

7. Promote your event effectively

It’s so important to promote your event effectively to the correct audience, likely to be foodies, drink enthusiasts and local residents. Utilising social media to create a buzz online about your food festival will increase your reach and allow more potential guests to discover and attend the exciting event. You can also try to advertise in local listings such as the newspaper or a community newsletter as well as offer early bird discounts to ticket prices that can encourage more sales.

Why is Event Insurance Is Essential for Food Festivals?

Organising any event can come with risks such as accidents, bad weather, vendor cancellations or unexpected disruptions. Event insurance for food festivals provides peace of mind and financial protection, ensuring your festival runs smoothly even if the unexpected happens. You’ll be securely covered and safeguarded from injuries and claims made by the public, damage to equipment or venue as well as sudden cancellation fees due to weather or other unavoidable reasons.

Speak to Event Insurance Services Today!

At Event Insurance Services, we offer comprehensive insurance policies to cover public liability, equipment damage, event cancellations and more. Contact us today to secure your event and enjoy a stress-free food festival!