How to organise a music festival

How to throw a music festival

1. Define your vision so you can bring it to life

Let’s start by nailing down the big picture for your music festival. It’s important to have a realistic budget and strong idea of what you want your festival to look like from the outset to help keep you on the right track throughout the planning process. Think about:

• What kind of music will be featured? Are you sticking to one genre or splashing out to please a wider audience?
• Leading on from that, who is your target audience?
• How long will your festival last? A one-day affair may be enough or you might want a full weekend experience if you have the time and budget.

Also, you should consider how much you’re willing to spend to make it all happen. When thinking about your realistic budget, you should note all the key expenses down and consider how much you’re happy to spend on them, such as the venue, artist fees, staffing and security, and don’t forget about insurance and contingency costs.

2. Secure the venue and necessary permits

The location can make or break your music festival. When choosing the best venue, consider accessibility for attendees, capacity and crowd flow, sound restrictions and the availability of facilities like power, toilets and water access. You’ll also need to check licensing requirements depending on your location and plans, for example:

• Temporary Events Notice
• Music licence

3. Select your artists and vendors

When organising a music festival, it’s crucial to book the right artists to match the vision you’re aiming for. Lining up your headline acts and supporting performances as early as possible will give you the best chance of creating a memorable experience for all attendees. When discussing performances with artists of your choice, make sure to cover performance times, equipment needs, payment terms and cancellation clauses.

Alongside the music, you may want to book food and drink vendors as another offering to your festival-goers. Choosing the right food and drink will all add up to enhance the festival vibe, so have a think about what you might want to include.

4. Don’t forget about safety and insurance

It’s important to understand that throwing a music festival comes with risks – extreme weather, accidents, cancellations and equipment damage just to name a few. That’s where festival insurance plays a vital role in ensuring you stay protected from unexpected events like:

• Accidents or injuries on site
• Damage to equipment or property
• Last-minute cancellations
• Adverse weather disruptions
• Legal claims from attendees or vendors

Making sure you’re covered from any claims helps you stay financially secure while focusing on what matters most – delivering a successful, memorable event.

5. Promote your music festival

One of the most important steps for organising a music festival is the marketing and advertising. Effective promotion is essential for selling tickets and attracting guests. There are many ways you can choose to market your event, including:

• Social media campaigns.
• Email newsletters.
• Local advertising, such as posters or radio outreach.
• Collaborations with artists and local influencers.

You can use a reputable ticket platform such as Eventbrite for sales and ensure your pricing reflects your audience. Early-bird tickets and group discounts are also a great way to get people excited and claim some early sales.

6. Stay vigilant on the day and have a great music festival

When the day of the music festival finally arrives, you’ll hopefully see your initial vision truly come to life. There will be a lot of fun to be had, and you should absolutely take the time to enjoy yourself and what you’ve accomplished. However, as the festival organiser, you should also oversee the operation and make sure any staff know their roles and responsibilities, emergency plans are in place and all risk assessments and safety protocols are being followed. There may be mishaps and bumps along the way, but putting a solid plan in place beforehand can help the day run as smoothly as possible.

Do I need festival insurance when organising a music festival?

Absolutely! Festival insurance is essential when organising a music festival as it helps protect you against the wide range of risks involved in hosting a live event. Even with the most careful planning, things can go wrong from guests getting involved in accidents and getting injured to cancellation costs due to weather, artist no-shows or other unforeseen issues.

Festival insurance gives you both financial protection and peace of mind, ensuring you’re not left personally liable for accidents, damages or losses.

Looking for festival insurance?

Protect your event now with a reliable, effective insurance policy. At Event Insurance Servies, our music festival insurance policy is comprehensive, covering many aspects of a festival including cancellation, equipment, band and DJ, hot food and public liability insurance for very large audiences. Get a quote or contact a specialist today for more information.