European Festivals Association’s Post

FEST TALK & TIPS For Festival Professionals April 21, 2024 TAKIN' IT TO THE STREETS Last year we talked briefly about making street performers a part of a festival or fair program. I think we should dive a bit deeper into this idea since street performers at an event really can enhance the atmosphere and offer lots of benefits at a reasonable price. Here are ten reasons to include them: Entertainment Value: Street performers can provide lively and diverse entertainment, which can include music, dance, juggling, magic, and more. Their presence adds to the festive atmosphere. Crowd Attraction: Performers can draw larger crowds to the festival or fair, as people are often attracted to live performances and spontaneous acts. Consider placing them in areas with less traffic in order to build a crowd. Enhanced Experience: Street performances can make the event experience more memorable for attendees by offering unexpected moments of fun, photo opportunities and direct engagement. Interactive Opportunities: Many street performers interact directly with the audience, offering participatory experiences that can be especially delightful for children and families. Fill in Gaps: Performers can fill in the downtime between scheduled events or performances, keeping the energy high, holding the crowd and ensuring there's always something happening. Promotes Local Talent: Local artists and performers get a platform to showcase their skills, which can help them build their reputations and followings. Economic Boost: Increased foot traffic generated by performers can lead to higher souvenir sales on-site and sales for vendors and local businesses around the festival or fair area. Flexibility: Whether assigned a specific street corner or strolling the grounds, street performers are typically adaptable and able to perform in various spaces and conditions, which makes them ideal for a festival or fair environment. Visual Appeal: The visual spectacle created by performers, whether through costumes, tricks, or elaborate setups, adds to the allure of the event, making it an even greater opportunity for those special KODAK moments to be shared on social media. Including street performers can be a strategic and effective way to elevate a festival or fair, making it more engaging and enjoyable for everyone involved. Give it a try. TEXAS FESTIVAL & TOURISM CONSULTING Mike Baxter, CFEE 281-222-4775 mike@txfestconsultant.com Former Chairman and long-time member of the Texas Festivals & Events Association, and member of the Texas Association of Fairs & Events. #texasfestivalandtourismconsulting #MikeBaxter #TFEA #TFEA #festivalsoup

Another festival bites the dust due to adverse weather conditions. It's disheartening to see yet another event succumb, joining the ranks of cancelled festivals, including the beloved Blue Dot, which we have been a part of for many years. These turbulent times for the festival industry are more than just rainy days; the increased costs across the sector is making it exceedingly difficult for new events to even get off the ground. The financial burdens, logistical challenges, and unpredictable weather patterns are stacking up against organisers, leaving many struggling to keep their dreams alive. As the article mentions. The Association of Independent Festivals is sounding the alarm, calling on the Government to step in and provide some much-needed relief. One significant way they can do this is by reducing the VAT rate on festival tickets to 5%. Such a move would be a massive help, alleviating the financial strain on both organisers and attendees alike. Lowering the VAT rate would not only help existing festivals stay afloat but also pave the way for new and innovative events to flourish. It's a lifeline that could prevent further closures and ensure that the vibrant UK festival scene and events sector continues to shine. https://lnkd.in/eW-JFm8K

Byron Bay Bluesfest has announced the 2025 event will be its last, joining a long line of Australian festivals that have either cancelled or folded entirely, from Big Day Out to Splendour in the Grass and Groovin The Moo. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gghiA_iV While it's easy to suggest festivals are victims of cost-of-living increases, big-ticket superstars like Taylor Swift, Dua Lipa and Harry Styles are still selling out Australian stadiums — despite the cost of tickets. Cinemas are recovering from a ticket slump associated with the Hollywood writers' strike, pandemic hangovers and cost-of-living constraints, with a bright future ahead. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gvV9a_mk The Marketing Cellar owner Craig Turton tells LinkedIn festivals are especially hard to make worthwhile and "the simple issue is the costs outweigh the revenue and the work involved just isn't worth it". He points to overregulation, increased artist fees and wage rises as driving factors. "When you put all this in the mix, you end up with a ticket price that becomes too challenging for the punter especially when money is tight — smart operators won't run events at a loss or for a small profit," he writes. Read more: https://lnkd.in/g6rvyCCd Does the festival industry need to be revived? What motivates you to attend a live event? Share your thoughts in the comments section below. By Cayla Dengate Photo: Getty Images

The true cost of festivals isn’t just the ticket price. 🎟️ Let's dive into three ways festivals affect the environment and how we can help. Read more in our latest blog: https://loom.ly/PdQQv_c

#TheEventEffect and festivals    We've been posting a fair bit recently about the #TheEventEvent from major stadium tours and the economic impact that these events have on the cities they visit. However fans are also travelling significant distances for festivals as we've seen for Portugal’s Primavera Sound Porto - "A total of 14.1% of all festivalgoers came from outside Portugal, of which 18.7% were from Spain, followed by England (14%), Brazil (12.3%), France (7.6%), Germany (4.7%) and Italy (4.7%)." Accommodation continues to be one of the biggest revenue opportunities that event organisers are frequently missing out on - "Residents from outside the AMP [Porto Metropolitan Area] recorded an average daily expenditure of €397.87 in the city, with accommodation the most significant expense at €117.74 per day." At Bundl we can help you capture this additional revenue stream. DM me to learn more 🎪 💶 🏩 Link to full article below; https://lnkd.in/eKhjVSSW Mike Bayon | Alex Ogilvie | Emma McGirl | Jo Raftery | Joanne Dixon | Peter Antoniou

OUT NOW 🥶 The Winter edition of Access All Areas, 'Breathing New Life Into Festivals', is out now! This year has been an incredibly tough one for independent festivals operators, with AIF reporting more than 70 UK festivals were cancelled this year largely due to escalating production costs. Against that backdrop, it is great to not only hear plans announced for the launch of new independent festivals such as Found and Homestead, but also large-scale festivals including Lido in London and Newcastle’s Come Together. In the latest edition or AAA, we hear from independent promoters and major players, including AEG’s James King and TEG’s Toby Leighton-Pope, on why they feel next year is a good time to launch a festival.    We also hear from two other major players in the festival world, with Tomorrowland co-founder Michiel Beers calling on today’s investors to take a more positive approach to supporting young live event entrepreneurs, while on the back of the 25th edition of the Isle of Wight Festival, promoter John Giddings discusses the event’s reprisal and continued evolution.   Sticking with the festival theme, we also focus on the success of one of the big winners from the AAA Awards. Voted Promoter of the Year, From The Fields has seen its Kendal Calling festival sell out in record time this year. We ask co-founder Andy Smith what’s behind its continued success. 👉 View the issue online here: https://lnkd.in/eY-NgHjP 👉 Request a physical copy here: https://lnkd.in/ebC9pyGg David Martin John Rostron Jeff Burke Jonathan Davies Mary Hodson Gerard Edwards-Webb Nico Elliott John Probyn Jess Shields Rupert Bassadone 📍🎪

Having control over your own ticketing fees is so important 👇 According to the Association of Independent Festivals, over 100 festivals in the UK are expected to disappear in 2024 due to the pressures of unpredictable and rising costs. Now more than ever, people are noticing the price of tickets and additional fees, which is why having control over your own fees is so important. Additionally, as the number of failing festivals increases, supply chain firms have imposed more stringent terms on events. Due to concerns about bad debts from these festivals, the upfront payment for equipment rental, which was previously 10%, may now require the full 100% in advance. This makes it increasingly important for ticketing companies to release funds from ticket sales as organisers sell the tickets, rather than after the event. Otherwise, it is becoming impossible for festival organisers to cover the costs of running the festival. If you’re struggling with your ticket fees or having trouble getting the money from ticket sales released ahead of your event, drop me a message! 💸 Featuring my fave festival last year, Cross The Tracks Festival!

Articles like this should give us all a push and remind us what we’re striving for in 2025. I’ve been in the industry a long time, and the last few years have undoubtedly been some of the most worrying. Although those nerves haven’t gone, I’m very excited to see what 2025 has in store. Last year was no joke for the industry – over 72 festivals closed their doors, more than double the number in 2023. The industry took a serious beating, and to say the past few years have been challenging for festivals is an understatement. But despite it all, 2025 is shaping up to be a year of innovation, resilience, and opportunity. 🎶 Big Names, Bold Events Major launches like Come Together in Newcastle (70,000 capacity) and LIDO Festival in London’s Victoria Park (35,000 capacity) prove that large-scale events are achievable, even in the face of adversity. 🌱 Sustainability at the Forefront The sustainability battle continues, and it’s exciting to see LIDO Festival making waves as AEG’s most sustainable event yet, setting new benchmarks for eco-conscious festivals. With several 2024 initiatives taking root, 2025 could see major advancements in sustainable practices across the industry. 🌍 Independent Festivals on the Rise This is a personal favourite. Despite the challenges of recent years, boutique events like Found Festival and Homestead (1,500 capacity, exclusively for over-25s) are redefining what it means to create intimate, meaningful, and inclusive experiences. Hats off to the organisers who are stepping up with these bold concepts. I think what is most important is that despite rising costs and economic pressures ( which definitely still need addressing), the appetite for live music and shared experiences is undeniable. Organisers are innovating with creative, audience-focused ideas, making festivals more sustainable, engaging, and accessible. So YES I am excited for 2025…because no matter what it promises to be packed with fresh ideas and opportunities to reconnect. What are you most looking forward to in the festival scene this year? #festivals #liveeventsUK #innovation #sustainability #2025 #concessions https://joom.ag/I37d/p24

Rakhi is a brilliant festival. Its probably the most modern of festivals in that it bridges heritage with practicality. A festival where you affirm your alliance to your siblings with a ritual that is crafted very deliberately to cement obligations that are slowly fading away. But with this festival, these ties will continue to stay relevant. And be reimagined. I wish to offer a derivate festival of Rakhi. Brokhi. Brokhi is that festival where we meet our fellow gangsters. “Gangs” that we formed to escape institutions and the process of institutionalisation. Gangs from school. Gangs from college. From our first job. From our longest job. From when we were in the trenches during that gig in that company. From the time we were in the world of all those institutions that are not “family”. Brokhi is a form of Rakhi but you meet with the brothers and sisters you chose (or were chosen for you ) and not the ones you were born with. When you are in your 40s like I am, the filial bonds are amazing to recount. You truly see how rich you really are when you go through a few festivals. Who is really around you and how eager they are to be around you. But many of these are traditions and we submit to these traditions with a mix of volition and expectation. Seeing more volition fills you with joy. But Brokhi is all volition. All choice. And when you make that call to meet for Brokhi, you quickly learn how rich you really are in social currency. But Brokhi is not a once a year festival. Its more of a quarterly thing or H1 and H2 thing. And it isn’t a date on the calendar but if you do want one, the first Saturday of May typically works. This is usually start of financial year for many and the on-ramp to the year is approaching. A time to brace before take off. A time to reflect with your Brokhi on life in very different dimensions than your personal life. And the next good time for Brokhi is first week of December. Globally this is the start of a quiet period. As the name suggests, this time of the year you kick back with your Brokhis and make mulch wine and rum soaked raisin bread and savor esoteric tea brews. The rituals of Brokhi are simple. Meet as a group or 1:1. Groups are more fun. Recount stories. Figure out current coordinates of immediate and 2nd degree network and leave a few items as follow-ups. Repeat every 6 months. Beware though, your friendly HR may convert this to recruitment drives where they offer company wide Brokhi event to call your Brokhis to campus for games and tech talks. I’d surely attend those. But the ones outside of institutions is where the real bonds are reaffirmed. Perhaps the only “corporate bond” you should actively invest in. And its ok if you don’t like the name. I don’t either. But this was the best I could come up with. And if you look beyond the name, Brokhi is what most of us can ask for and actually have in real life! Our own (Pay)Pal mafia!!

Already, 50 UK festivals have announced they will either postpone, cancel, or completely shut down in 2024. Without immediate intervention, we could see the number of lost festivals exceed 100 this year due to rising and unpredictable costs. In early February, the Association of Independent Festivals (AIF) launched the "5% For Festivals" campaign, advocating for a temporary VAT reduction on festival tickets to prevent more closures. This campaign aimed to raise awareness among festival-goers about the challenges faced by promoters over the past five years and encouraged them to lobby their MPs for support. However, the campaign is currently on hold as the country prepares for a general election. The solution is clear: the UK Government needs to provide temporary relief by reducing VAT on ticket sales from 20% to 5% for the next three years. This would give festival promoters the breathing room they need to recover and continue offering vibrant cultural events. For more details, read the full story https://lnkd.in/d3wPUR7r