Summer is almost here, which means that festival season is too. Tickets have been bought, anticipation is high, and festival goers around the world are gearing up for weekends of great music, fun with friends, and a little bit of mud (if you’re heading to a UK festival and preparing for a classic bit of British weather).
Events like Glastonbury, Download, and Reading/Leeds come to mind when thinking “festival”. But what about smaller, local events that shine a light on emerging music artists? These are great for discovering new talent, and they’re one of the major ways up-and-coming artists showcase their music.
But along with the decline in grassroots venues, the UK has seen a drop in local music festivals – which has a knock-on effect on all areas of the music industry, from grassroots level to the top of the chain. It’s important we support these smaller events!
So, if you’re wondering how to organise a music festival yourself, we’ve put together this step-by-step guide that takes you through everything you need to know, from budgeting and booking a lineup to managing operations on the day.
If you’re going for the DIY method, i.e., using your own equipment and essentially running it from scratch, we’ll also talk you through all the gear you need to run a successful festival.
To organise a music festival, you need to know the theme of the event before you move on to booking venues, a lineup, and staff. There are also things like insurance and permits to think about – but hopefully, with this guide, you should find it all relatively straightforward!
In a hurry?
In a nutshell, here’s how you can organise a music festival:
- Define your theme and goals
- Set a budget and secure funding
- Secure a venue (and equipment if you’re planning a DIY event)
- Get insurance and permits
- Book your lineup
- Create a schedule
- Think about the logistics
- Create a marketing plan
- Sell the tickets!
- Train up staff and volunteers
- Prepare for smooth operations on the day
How to organise a music festival
1. Define your festival’s theme and goals
Before setting anything in motion, you need to have a clear vision for your event. What is the theme? How many days will it be? What kind of music do you want to showcase? And to that end, what is the overall goal of the festival – is it to highlight emerging talent, raise money for charity, or bring people to your local area?
Once you know the theme of your festival and how you’ll measure its success, you can look at your budget and the size of the venue you’ll need.
We recommend doing some thorough research on the local music scene and the kind of festivals that are already up and running in the area. You want to throw an event that’s different to others out there – make yours stand out!
You also want to make sure you can get enough performers in the music genres you’re aiming for, and have enough festival goers interested in that music. That’s why it’s also important to have a few local music artists in mind before you start planning.
2. Set a budget and secure funding
As with everything in life, the kind of festival you organise comes down to money.
Set a realistic budget: one that will cover everything you need without breaking the bank. This is quite broad, so let’s look at the things you should budget for:
- Venue rental
- Equipment (buying or renting)
- Music artists
- Sanitary facilities
- Food, drink, and catering staff
- Festival staff
- Local authority permit
Each of the items on this list above is important, and they’ll be the main things you want to consider in the initial stages of planning a festival. However, there are also all the small extras, such as venue decorations and marketing and promotional material, that bring the festival to life.
It might be unrealistic to self-fund the whole event, which is why you should look at sponsorship, grants, and other ways to fund your festival. Approach brands to see if they’ll offer partial or full sponsorship, consider private investors, or even have a look to see if there are any Government grants available that are applicable to the event.
3. Secure a venue and equipment
Of course, one of the most important aspects of a festival is its venue, and it’s the main expense to get out of the way first.
If you’ve set out a theme and budget, you should know what size venue you’re after. But size is just the start! It’s a good idea to shop around, meet with venue owners multiple times, and have a checklist of the essentials you require from your venue, such as:
- Enough car parking spaces
- Ability to get equipment and all vendors in and out
- Accessibility via public transport
- Enough entrances and exits
- Healthy and safety measures
If you’re organising a festival completely from scratch and going down the DIY route, you’ll also need to think about on- and off-stage music gear. While your performers will bring some equipment with them, you’ll need to provide the PA speakers and wireless system, among other pieces of kit, especially if your acts are smaller bands and emerging artists.
Here’s a list of what you’ll need for a live music rig:
PA speakers
The speakers you go for will depend on the size of the venue. For a large venue capacity, you might choose a line array system – something like the Bose L1 Pro32, designed for use with the Sub1 or Sub2 subwoofers, is perfect as it’s both portable and powerful enough, with great coverage, for events such as festivals and weddings.
On the other hand, you might choose a column PA system, ideal for medium-sized gigs, or a portable PA speaker for smaller events or stages. To find out more, check out our guide to PA systems. And to see how to assemble the equipment for your event, see our guide to setting up an outdoor PA system.
Mixers
Mixers allow you to bring all the different audio sources together and control their levels, tone, and balance. A well-set-up mixer ensures that what the audience hears is clear and well-balanced.
You’ll need to choose between an analogue or digital mixer. Analogue desks offer tactile control and are usually simpler to use, but they can be limited in terms of effects and routing. Digital mixers provide more flexibility, with built-in processing and memory for presets, but they often take longer to learn.
Make sure the mixer has enough inputs to handle all performers, plus outputs for speakers and monitors. You’ll also need to think about placement – it should be easily accessible to your sound team but not in the way of the audience. We recommend you label everything, test everything, and have spare cables handy!
Microphones
At any gig, whether it’s a festival or an open-mic night at the pub, the right microphone is essential.
Start by thinking about what needs to be captured – vocals, drums, acoustic instruments, etc. Dynamic microphones are well-suited to loud environments, while condenser mics offer more sensitivity and detail, making them useful for vocals and acoustic instruments on quieter stages.
You may also want to consider a wireless system. These reduce cable clutter and make it easier for performers to move freely. Think about the frequency spectrum and ensure that it’s as unsusceptible to drop-outs and interference as possible.
When choosing mics, it’s also super important to know what level of sound capture is right for your setup, and from which angles you want this sound to be picked up. This will inform what polar pattern you need. To learn more, take a look at our polar patterns guide.
Lighting
Lighting is one of the key ways you’ll bring the atmosphere of your festival to life.
Of course, the music is the main selling point – and with the right gear to amplify and project it out to the crowd, everyone will have a great time! But to really home in on the theme of your festival and take your event one step further, invest in some good lighting.
This will shape the mood and bring the stage to life after dark. Look at options like LED fixtures, moving heads and strobe lights, as these offer flexibility and work well across a variety of music styles.
You’ll also need a lighting controller, especially if you want to synchronise visuals with the music. Our guide to stage lighting will give you everything you need to know about setting the atmosphere with these handy pieces of kit!
4. Get insurance and permits
Now for the boring part: insurance and permits (yawn!). This might not be fun, but getting the right insurance and permits in place is vital for protecting your festival against unforeseen issues. You’ll need public liability insurance to cover injuries to attendees or damage to property. It’s also worth looking into cover for event cancellation, equipment damage, and employers’ liability if you’re hiring staff or volunteers.
You should also conduct a thorough risk assessment early on. This will help identify potential hazards, from weather disruptions to crowd control issues, and help you determine which insurance policies are most relevant for your event. Be sure to check if your policy includes cover for extreme weather, as this can be a common cause of last-minute cancellations.
On the permit side, requirements vary by location and scale, but you may need licences for alcohol, music, food handling, and temporary structures. You’ll likely need to liaise with your local council to obtain a Temporary Event Notice or similar approval. Our advice is to plan ahead as some permits can take weeks to process.
5. Book your lineup
From the boring part to the exciting part: booking the music artists! You may already have an idea of the bands and solo artists you want performing at the event, and it’s a good idea to reach out to them or their management team as early as possible, but only when you have a venue and dates to present.
If you’re looking for acts, think about your audience and the kind of performances that would appeal the most to them. Build a shortlist of musicians that suit the tone of your event. From there, you can contact agents or artists directly to check availability and request quotes.
Be realistic with your budget. Established acts will charge more, so try to balance headline names with emerging talent. If you’re working to a tight budget, you may want to focus on local performers, who may be more affordable and easier to coordinate with.
When negotiating with your artists or their team, try to be as professional as possible by outlining exactly what you’re offering, the festival’s goals and dates, and even things like the stage size and set times.
In the same vein, it’s also a good idea to reach out to vendors early. Make sure to have a good variety of food, with options for all preferences and dietary requirements. Your festival will be a great way for local restaurants to get some good coverage, so reach out to them sooner rather than later!
6. Create a schedule
So, you have your venue, you know who’s performing, now you need to plan how things will run on the day.
A solid festival schedule should strike a balance between entertainment, logistics, and flow. Begin with your headline acts and build outwards – once those times are locked in, you can position supporting acts, activities, and breaks around them. This will help avoid overlap and give attendees time to move between stages or grab food.
Plan for practical elements too. Leave enough turnaround time between sets for soundchecks or changeovers. Include buffer periods for any delays and don’t forget to schedule breaks for staff and volunteers. Create a visual run sheet showing who needs to be where and when – this will keep the schedule on track during the day.
You should also use your layout to inform timings. If people need to travel between stages, avoid back-to-back sets in distant areas. And it goes without saying to factor in crowd flow and safety!
7. Prepare for last-minute changes
Nothing in life is easy! And without sounding too pessimistic, when organising a music festival, you should plan for all eventualities on the day. This accounts for staff absence (illness or no-shows), all weather forecasts, and equipment damage (always have a backup!).
8. Create a marketing plan
In order to sell tickets, you need to let people know that the festival exists! Start by identifying what makes your festival stand out – whether that’s your location, your lineup, or a unique theme – and build your messaging around that.
It’s also a good idea to give people an incentive to buy tickets early – many events of this kind offer a discount for tickets bought in advance.
Social media will likely be your most effective tool, so choose platforms that match your audience and post consistently. Make your posts as engaging as possible, with updates on the festival, behind-the-scenes content, and countdowns to keep interest high.
Email marketing can also help you connect with past attendees and offer early bird deals or exclusive updates.
Get in touch with local media outlets to secure press coverage and consider running ticket giveaways to increase engagement.
9. Sell the tickets!
To sell the tickets effectively and quickly, you’ll first need a reputable ticketing platform that’s easy for customers to use and can handle your expected volume. Make sure your event listing is clear and contains all the key details – line-up, location, timings, and ticket types.
As mentioned in the previous step, tiered pricing works well to drive early interest. Offer early bird tickets at a reduced rate, then gradually increase the price as the event approaches. This encourages early sales and gives you some financial security before the event takes place.
It’s also worth linking ticket sales directly to your marketing strategy. Share direct links through your social media posts and email newsletters to make buying as smooth as possible.
10. Train up staff and volunteers
Training your staff and volunteers properly is a major factor in delivering a smooth, safe festival experience. Start by identifying every role that needs to be filled and create clear, detailed descriptions of what each one involves.
From ticket scanning to backstage access control, everyone should know exactly what they’re responsible for and when they’re needed.
One of your main priorities should be health and safety. This includes briefing teams on emergency procedures, crowd management, and any site-specific hazards. If your event has multiple entry points or zones, everyone should also be familiar with the layout and communication procedures.
To keep morale high, incentivise your volunteers or staff – whether that’s through free meals, festival merch, or access to certain acts.
You should also make a real effort to ensure they feel informed and supported. Pre-event briefings, on-site supervisors, and access to mobile comms will all help your team stay connected and confident on the day.
11. Get the festival underway!
If you’ve followed the previous 10 steps, you should be well-prepared to host your own music festival! Now all that’s left to do… is do it! On the day of the event, brief your staff thoroughly, remember all your preparations for last-minute changes, stick to the organised schedule, and have fun!
FAQs
What license do I need for a festival?
To host a festival, you’ll need a Temporary Event Notice (TEN) or a Premises License and a Music License. Additionally, you’ll need public liability insurance to cover injuries to attendees or damage to property. There are other licenses and insurance you need, depending on the event and your local council – so make sure to research what your specific event will need.
Is a music festival profitable?
Music festivals can be profitable, but the size of the festival and how well-established it is will have an impact on the profitability. Larger festivals tend to make 10 – 25% profit, while smaller music festivals tend to make 5 – 10% profit.
What makes the most money at festivals?
Most festivals make their money through ticket sales, merchandise, advertising, and sponsorship. There are also the small extras like VIP access and mobile phone charging that bring in money.
Final thoughts
So, there we have it! An 11-step guide to hosting your first live music event. If you’ve been wondering how to organise a music festival, follow this article and you won’t go wrong.
We haven’t said it above, but we also recommend thoroughly reflecting after the festival, looking at what went right and what could have been done better. Measure the performance against the goals you set out in the planning and make the next year even better!
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