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Considering Running Your Own Community Music Festival?

What it takes to put on a small community music festival: site, stage, facilities and people.

Considering Running Your Own Community Music Festival?
Photo: Rod Raglin / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0

From the archive. This post first appeared on the earlier music blog at this address and is kept as it was published, apart from the design. Names, prices and links may be out of date. All archive posts.

When it comes to the best summer events; the majority of these include music in some way or another. Over the past few years, there’s been a real surge in the number of small, community driven, music festivals being held and such events are quickly turning into the highlight of many people’s summer! From a small event with just a few local bands in the grounds of a local pub to a medium-scale event held on a local farmers field; such events really bring the community together and offer a fantastic weekend of music for all involved.

As such, we thought we’d take a quick look at what you need to consider when thinking about running a small local music festival ranging from where you’ll stage it to finding a portable toilet hire company who can meet the needs of the event!

  • Location!
    Above all; you need to make sure you’ve got a suitable location. This could be the grounds of a local pub, the grounds of a community centre, a local school or even a farmers field for a larger event! Always have a think on possible locations before anything else as this can be a vital part of the planning.
  • Facilities!
    As well as choosing a location, it’s essential to start planning the facilities you’ll need. From hiring a PA rig and staging to getting in portable toilets and other such amenities, think ahead to ensure you’ve obtained everything you’ll need and aren’t met with any nasty surprises!
  • Bands!
    A festival wouldn’t be a festival without bands. If you’re wanting any bigger names, you’ll need to contact their booking agents to secure a slot. If it’s local bands, always be sure to state that they shouldn’t play another local show a month either side to make sure it’s a draw for fans!

Above all, take your time and plan ahead! Running a local music festival is fantastic for all involved and, if you take the time putting it together, it’ll be a fantastic event!