The Dos and Don’ts of Organizing a Local Festival

Festivals are wonderful, exciting events that bring like-minded people together to participate in a mutual hobby. There are many types of festivals put on all over the world.

You might be organizing a food festival where you bring together the best of the nearby eateries to show off just how tasty your local cuisine is. Or, you may be hosting a film festival showcasing the best, underrated indie flicks you’ve managed to get your hands on.

While each festival is unique in its own right, there are still some general tips and rules to follow to ensure an enjoyable day for everyone. Whether you’re putting on a beer, music, book, or food festival, below are the dos and don’ts you should follow.

Do: Choose the Right Venue

First thing first: choose the perfect venue for your event. The type of venue you use for the festival will depend on some unique factors, including the number of people you plan on having in attendance, your budget, and the type of festival you’re hosting. For example, if you’re hosting a film festival, you’ll likely need the venue to be a cinema! You should also consider the season; outdoor festivals are popular in the summer, but not so much when the weather gets cold.

Don’t: Forget About Crowd Control

The last thing you want is for people to pour into the venue only for the crowd to become too dense. Not only will a tight crowd make people uncomfortable, but it can also become a serious safety issue. So, to ensure everyone has breathing room and can get to where they need to go with ease, place your efforts into crowd control. For example, if you have a designated parking spot, install traffic barricades from otwsafety.com to show everyone where to go. You can also control foot traffic flow with additional barriers and barricades.

Do: Put on a Range of Activities

When people attend a festival, they expect a range of entertainment, so don’t disappoint them! Here are some of the most popular types of festival activities to put on:

• Live music
• Games
• Rides
• Competitions
• Face painting

Of course, don’t forget to also provide plenty of food and drink stalls to keep people well-fed, watered, and happy.

Don’t: Hire Just Anyone

For a successful festival, you need workers as passionate about the festival as you are, so don’t hire just anyone! Advertise the festival jobs in your local area and then choose the people that have a genuine interest in what the festival is about. For example, if you’re hosting a film festival, you could advertise volunteer work to the local university’s film students.

Do: Pour Your Effort into Marketing

Imagine setting up a festival, only for a handful of people to turn up to the day. That would be very disappointing, so don’t let that happen! Instead, pour plenty of your time and energy into a good marketing strategy. You have many marketing channels that would likely prove successful when getting the word of your festival out there, including social media, local media, and even the traditional method of leaflets and posters!

Don’t: Let the Festival Run Without a Schedule

Even if you want your festival to feel free and easy, you still need a schedule. Make sure everything has a start time and an end time and that the schedule flows seamlessly. This way, the day will more likely go according to plan.

Do: Enjoy the Day

Last – but not least – enjoy the festival! After putting so much work in, you deserve it. So take pictures, talk to the local community, and enjoy all the entertainment you’ve planned. With this experience, you’ll be able to put on an even better festival in the future!

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