3 questions for festivals and events.

As the country pushes the pause button on just about everything, we wanted to share some of the topics we are discussing in our office that might be helpful to consider.  We will be reaching out over the next week to discuss your thoughts and provide our recommendations.  

This is by no means a comprehensive list but a great starting point and will open up many more questions.  We are here to help you navigate this changing landscape. 

Should your festival/event move forward, postpone or cancel?

Prior to making any decisions you need to ensure you have all the information available.  It’s important to work closely with your team and ensure everyone is involved in the decision making process.  Generally the decision to cancel is being made for you by the city or state, but the decision to take a year off or postpone till later in the year is solely yours to make.  While it might be a little early to worry about July-November events, it’s a good idea to consider the possibility.  

Helpful hints

1. Set a final decision date (this can change, but having deadlines is helpful). 
2. Ensure you have an understanding of each contract and how decisions will impact it.
3. Develop media and social copy that addresses each of the options you have (we have this for you). 
4. Have a full list of contacts that need to receive any updated information.
5. Look at the budgets, sometimes is better to cancel as hard as that might be.

How can you turn a cancellation or postponement into an opportunity?

Let's face it, many spring and summer events/festivals either have or will be canceled or postponed.  There is some light during this time as this provides a great opportunity to pursue something different. Many festivals do things the same way each year for fear of change.   Since everything else is changing, why not try something new?

Some questions worth asking.

1. Does this event need to be two days long, what does a one day event look like?
2. Should you try a different location? 
3. What could be done virtually on the original date of your event? 
4. Can you combine with another event?  With the current fall line up of events and most of the spring/early summer events moving to the fall, how many events/festivals can your patrons handle?
5. What are new online revenue opportunities?

How can you best use your platforms to support your community and generate income?

Your festival/event has a loyal and engaged audience, so let’s start there.   

1. How can you use your social platforms to promote vendors and encourage people to support them? Those vendors count on the income generated at festivals and we can help provide them customers.   
2. Set up an e commerce store and give your audience the chance to support your festival and not for profit.  
3. Get sponsors to pivot a festival sponsorship to focus on web and social content?  We are working on updated sponsorship packages for sponsors to consider. Benefits might include supporting an online forum, live streaming content, and online auctions.    

We are here to help with innovative solutions to ensure your festival or event is successful despite any challenges.  We are your partner in this and look forward to sharing our ideas and listening to yours over the next week.