How festivals can survive major problems

Running a music festival is very challenging. Many things can go wrong during a weekend event, from problems with official permission to bands not showing up or extreme weather. One mistake can be very damaging, especially for smaller festivals where every bit of money and every visitor is important. This year, 36 festivals in the UK have already been cancelled. If a festival is cancelled, it becomes much harder to organise it again the following year.

However, the number of cancelled festivals so far this year is the lowest since the Covid pandemic, and less than half the number cancelled in 2024. Overall, the independent festival scene in the UK and Ireland is remarkably strong, much like the attendees who can happily camp for four days without a shower or much sleep. There are many success stories, such as Sea Power’s Krankenhaus event in Cumbria and the popular End of the Road festival in Wiltshire, which is celebrating its 20th year.

Festival organiser James Scarlett is involved in two other successful festivals: 2000 Trees, a festival for rock, punk, and emo music, and ArcTanGent, which features metal, progressive, and post-rock bands. Scarlett also co-hosts a podcast with Gavin McInally where they discuss the difficulties of organising large music events.

Last year, we asked James to help solve some imaginary major disaster scenarios for festivals, and this year he's back to tackle more. He has already dealt with one potential problem this year, as 2000 Trees took place during a long summer heatwave. Here are five other challenges he has considered:

Disaster scenario 1: On the day of their performance, a band demands an extra 10% of their fee just 15 minutes before going on stage. Scarlett suggests trying to reason with the band, explaining that the festival is run by friends and family and such a demand is unreasonable. He mentioned a festival that showed a band their bank account balance to prove they couldn't afford the extra payment, and the band agreed to play.

Disaster scenario 2: Norovirus spreads rapidly through the festival site, causing widespread sickness. Scarlett’s first step would be to find ways to stop the spread. He would use the festival’s app, social media, and signs to share information about hand-washing and avoiding close contact. Ensuring hand-washing facilities are functional and trying to identify the source of the outbreak would also be priorities. Special care would be taken to prevent bands from getting sick, potentially by isolating them.

Disaster scenario 3: A festival runs out of beer two days into its four-day run. Scarlett explains that usually, you know a day in advance if you might run out. The immediate action would be to contact the brewery for more supplies. However, working with smaller, independent businesses means their supply might be limited. Buying beer from elsewhere, like a supermarket, is an option but often goes against agreements with the main supplier. He noted that running out can be frustrating but also a sign of a successful event if all the beer has been sold.

Disaster scenario 4: An activist group stages a sit-in protest at the main stage. Scarlett’s initial reaction would be to try and remove them, as they are disrupting the experience for thousands of attendees. While supporting the right to protest, he believes it's unacceptable when it affects people's livelihoods. He recalled an incident at 2000 Trees where protestors targeted a Drag Queen Story Hour event with hateful messages, but they were ultimately unsuccessful and the event continued the following year.

Disaster scenario 5: A major storm on the first night causes widespread flooding in the camping areas and on stages. Scarlett mentions using large pumps to remove water, similar to those used for emptying toilets. The main concerns are the risk of drowning and electrical hazards. He stresses the importance of sites with good drainage, like ArcTanGent's location on porous limestone cliffs, unlike some sites where water can accumulate, causing dangerous flash floods as seen at Creamfields in the past.