Quick question...opinions valued

[Sonofjackass]

Im in the VERY early stages of managing and organising a festival

It will only be small time....obviously. Mostly with local acts but with any luck 4-6 national bands which people have heard of, across 2-3 stages.

Atm im in the shitty number crunching period trying to plan ticket prices...how many sales to breakeven, how many sponsers i need, profit margins blahdy blahdy blahdy

Anyways, just want to ask you guys basically, considering the size of the festival would you be willing to pay £60-£70 pounds for weekend with camping....and how far would you be willing to travel to go to an event of this size.

Cheers guys,

p.s any other advice or some help from someone whos done this before will be greatly appreciated

[thetime]

New festivals are notorious for going bust after one year. look at hop farm and sonisphere this year, I think your prices is very high for local bands and maybe a few national bands. You might be better charging a lot less and just having local bands to build a brand. the truck festival with ash and supergrass is only 70 quid.

I hope it works out for you by the way, but its very very procarious.

[luckysalt]

Id say you have no chance of making a success of this

Theres so many festivals folding because they can't cope, theres so many exclusive contracts these days and bands will always go for the big pay off and the media attention over the small time

theres so many similar smaller fests with repuations and values that people will go for above your own

£60-70 is a lot of money for a festival that people don't know and have to take a risk on

You would have to do it in a very accessable area, with acts of a strong cult following, and really where there isn't competition from another festiavl

I always think that the Staffs site should hold more than one festival a year, one at the end of may for 30,000 people which has smaller acts. But theres probably contract issues why this doesn't happen

Getting sponsors these days is going to be VERY difficult as well

Right now with a recession this is probably the worst time to attempt something like this

The fact that festivals like Summer Sundae still don't sell out even though it has a GLOWING reputation shows how difficult it is

[Sonofjackass]

Yeah i was thinking £60-£70 was ambitious really

Sticking with local bands is most deffo the path im gonna have to go down

I know that it seems possibly the worst time to try this...what with recession n all that but i wasnt relying on this project to be running for a while yet really, 2 years, hey maybe even three

Thanks for the advice and support anyways guys. If things work out ill keep you posted. Im nice like that. Hey, if im lucky enough to get about as big as truckfest n whatnot maybe i can steal a few of you efest legends who have given up on Vfest lol.

[Gaaz]

precarious is right

i wish you all the luck in the world mate but i just bought a ticket to a local 3 day festival where its a mixture of local and some relatively big names (NYPC, The Holloways, Mystery Jets) and it cost me 39 pounds. so thats the prices you should be looking at. 70 is far to ambitious as this festival will be new and the one i'm going to is quite established.

[Benj]

Yeah i was thinking £60-£70 was ambitious really

Sticking with local bands is most deffo the path im gonna have to go down

I know that it seems possibly the worst time to try this...what with recession n all that but i wasnt relying on this project to be running for a while yet really, 2 years, hey maybe even three

Thanks for the advice and support anyways guys. If things work out ill keep you posted. Im nice like that. Hey, if im lucky enough to get about as big as truckfest n whatnot maybe i can steal a few of you efest legends who have given up on Vfest lol.

[the_hedge]

Just look at this festie YNOT

Only charges £42 and it has a pretty good line up!! This is what you will be competing with.

[Bunny]

Maybe it would be worth starting as a Sunday and building from there? Overheads will be far less and without camping you could possibly utilise the space for something a bit different that would appeal to more than just main stream festival goers to not only ensure you break even, but to build up a fan base.

With so many festivals - you really need a unique selling point to avoid going the same way as before.

I think Latitude are a prime example, they found an area of the Country where festivals were limited, and formed a festival aimed at the 20 something + market (almost a modern Glastonbury) with poetry, and comedy and film as well as the normal music - they're now built it up to a sell out festival with a high reputation that attracts the likes of Thom Yorke.

Out of interest, where will it be based.

(P.S. I do know a bit what I'm talking about, I have made a career in Sales and Marketing Management!!)

[The Cat Burglar]

I think Latitude are a prime example, they found an area of the Country where festivals were limited, and formed a festival aimed at the 20 something + market (almost a modern Glastonbury) with poetry, and comedy and film as well as the normal music - they're now built it up to a sell out festival with a high reputation that attracts the likes of Thom Yorke.

[luckysalt]

Look at a festival started in Birmingham in 2006 here http://www.efestivals.co.uk/festivals/othe...6/soundstation/

It was in Birmingham City centre had fantastic access, line up and price and sold well but still didn't succeed enough for it to continue, shame cus it was great, I went, was brilliant festival

This location and theme has the ingrediants to succeed I believe, and should be tried again

[derekb.]

Heres a 3 day festival that costs £70 to give you an idea what people will expect

http://www.kendalcalling.co.uk/lineup.htm

Edited June 28, 2009 by derekb.