What is a Festival?

A festival is an event, often lasting several days, that brings together many performances or activities across multiple stages or spaces around a shared theme such as music, film, food or literature. Festivals take place on greenfield sites, in city venues or across whole towns. They range from one-day events for a few hundred people to week-long gatherings for over 100,000.

How a festival comes together

Most festivals follow a yearly cycle:

  1. Concept and site: confirm the dates, site or venues, capacity and budget.
  2. Licensing: apply for the licence and agree safety plans with the local authority.
  3. Programming: choose and book artists, speakers or exhibitors, and build the festival programme.
  4. Build: stages, power, fencing, toilets and facilities go in over days or weeks.
  5. Live days: the festival runs, with production, artist, safety and site teams working in shifts.
  6. Break down and review: the site is cleared, suppliers are paid and the team reviews what to change next year.

Running many stages, artists and teams at once is what Crescat Festival is built for.

Festival vs concert

A concert is usually one show with a headliner and support acts on a single stage. A festival runs many acts across several stages or spaces, often over several days, with food, bars, camping and other activities around the performances. Festivals also need far more infrastructure, licensing and staff, because the audience stays on site for many hours or days.

Types of festivals

Frequently asked questions

How far in advance are festivals planned?

Most festivals plan 12 to 18 months ahead. Many start booking next year's headliners and confirming the site within weeks of the current festival ending.

What is a showcase festival?

A showcase festival is aimed at the music industry as well as the public. Emerging artists play short sets to agents, promoters and labels, often alongside a conference programme.

How do festivals make money?

Ticket sales are usually the largest source of income. Bars, food and merchandise sales, sponsorship and pitch fees from traders make up most of the rest. Public funding and grants support many arts and cultural festivals.

Related terms