Music festival events have boomed in popularity over the last decade and from the outside, they look like endless fun and entertainment. However, looking on the inside, they require dedication, organization and a team of experts to pull it off effectively. We wanted to give you some planning tips on how to start a music festival and what makes a successful music event. 

Planning a Music Festival Checklist

1. Create a Budget

You will first begin by creating a realistic budget so that you do not overspend. You will want to break your budget down into categories such as music event venues, artists, merchandise for sale, staff and so forth, to make managing a budget easier on you. This will also help influence many of the decisions you make because you have a set plan to stick to. The budget will vary depending on the event, but any successful event profits or at the very least, breaks even, and that should be your goal as well.

2. Find a Venue

The next question is how to find venues to play music? You will want to start by searching music venues near me and then narrow down your search from there. The music venue quite literally sets the stage for your event, so you will want to make sure you find one that your audience and guests will love. Quite often, people come back to the same venue over and over for festivals because they are such a huge fan. You will also want to consider the size of your event in terms of capacity. Knowing this will also help narrow down your options based on the right size and fit for the event you would like to host. There are a plethora of websites that exist nowadays as well to make finding venues easier and connecting with bands. A couple of examples are Venuefinder and Bands in Town.

3. Curate Bands and Artists

Next you will want to pull together the bands and artists that will perform at your festival. Knowing your target audience is crucial here so you understand their taste in music and who they would want to see perform. You will want to consider the scale of your event here as well because this will directly impact the kind of artists you book for your event. If you book larger bands and artists, they can also bring their own fans due to their reach, as opposed to smaller bands and artists where you may have to do most of the marketing for the event.

4. Organize the Right Equipment

You will also want to ensure you have the right equipment available to you for the event. How many microphones and speakers do you need? Do you need DJ equipment? One stage or multiple stages? Do you need LED screens or space to display banners? You will want to consider everything that you need to make sure your event is a success. This will take coordination with the venue you book through to make sure everything runs as smoothly as possible.

5. Plan Logistics

Finally, you will want to have a master plan for all the logistics of the entire event. This is crucial to the success of the music festival so that everything operates according to plan. This is where you will keep you and your team informed and up to date. This will include security plans and protocols, performances and lineups, timeline of the entire event for staff, roles and responsibilities, ticketing, and so forth. When you have event logistics organized and planned out, your event is sure to succeed. 

When it comes to event space rentals in Los Angeles, Piovra Group has you covered. We work with many different venues across the board and would be more than happy to help you plan your next music festival.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: How will I know what kind of music my target audience likes?
A: By doing your research. You need to learn and understand your audience so you can meet their wants and needs. This will help you reach them effectively and put on a festival that they love and enjoy.

Q: Can I coordinate with a venue for the equipment I need?
A: Absolutely. Sometimes venues will already have a lot of the equipment you’re looking for, however if not, you can always rent equipment through a third-party vendor as well.

Q: Can Piovra Group help me set a budget for the event?
A: Of course we can. Being in the industry for many years, we can help lay out a realistic budget based on the venue, your needs and wants, the size of the event and the artists.