Festival planning checklist from idea to teardown

A festival consists of hundreds of interlocking tasks. This checklist arranges them in nine sections, from the first idea to the last day of teardown.

How to use the checklist

Tick items off while you plan. Ticks are not saved: to take the list with you, print the page or save it as a PDF. Not every item applies to every event, so strike what does not fit.

Requirements and permits differ by state, municipality and event size. The checklist is not legal advice, always confirm details with the responsible authority.

Idea and concept

Define format, audience, size and duration and name what makes the festival special.
Decide on the organiser and legal form: club, company or agency.
Secure the site and date and check them against other festivals in the region.
Create a business plan with income, costs, buffer and break-even.
Form a core team and assign responsibilities per area.

Authorities and permits

Hold early talks with the local authority, building inspection, fire brigade, police and health department.
Apply for the event permit and clarify the requirements for the site.
Clarify noise protection and, where relevant, nature and water protection requirements.
Obtain a permit for drinks and food sales and regulate food hygiene.
Register with the music collecting society and budget for the artists social insurance levy.
Take out insurance: organiser liability, cancellation, property and accident cover.

Safety, medical and rescue services

Create a safety concept with visitor numbers, paths and escape and rescue routes.
Create a medical concept and commission a medical or rescue service.
Commission security and stewarding and plan entry checks.
Develop a traffic and parking concept covering arrival, shuttles and emergency access.
Define a weather concept with decision deadlines and an evacuation procedure.
Appoint people and a communication plan for emergencies.

Site and infrastructure

Draw a site plan with stages, camping, catering, sanitation and rescue routes.
Plan power and water to the demand and have them inspected.
Size toilets, showers and wastewater to the number of visitors.
Set up a waste and cleaning concept including a deposit system.
Plan camping, fences, signage and lighting.
Schedule the build and teardown windows with trades, access routes and delivery times.

Program and production

Book the line-up, sign contracts and clarify fees and technical requirements (rider).
Align stage schedules with changeover times and noise limits.
Tender and commission stage, sound, lighting and video technology.
Plan artist care: travel, accommodation, meals and backstage.
Define the supporting program, vendors and sponsor areas.

Crew and staff

Work out staffing per area and shift: stages, entrance, catering, sanitation, security, build and teardown.
Advertise roles and open shifts online instead of keeping lists by email.
Review applications and collect proof such as a police certificate, first aid certificate or driving licence.
Assign shifts while keeping an eye on double bookings and rest periods.
Prepare accreditation and staff passes before arrival.
Organise crew check-in and check-out on site.
Derive crew catering from the shift plan, including wishes such as vegan or allergies.
Record timesheets and prepare payroll.

How urvent helps with this step

urvent covers this workflow in one system: roles and shifts for every stage and area, accreditation with proof before arrival, check-in by scanning the staff pass, catering from the shift plan and timesheets for payroll. Visitor ticketing is not part of it: urvent manages crew and volunteers only.

Shift Schedule Crew checkin Catering planning

Finances and ticketing

Choose a ticketing provider and ticket prices and plan presale and quotas.
Regulate payment flows, cash desks and settlement with caterers and vendors.
Compare the budget with actual costs on an ongoing basis.
Keep a liquidity plan until presale starts and until final settlement.

Marketing and communication

Set up name, branding, website and social media channels.
Schedule line-up announcements and presale start in a communication plan.
Involve press, partners and sponsors and publish visitor information.

Teardown and follow-up

Hand over the site and check teardown, waste removal and damage to the ground.
Prepare the final accounts, settle crew hours and pay service providers.
Hold a debrief with team, authorities and providers and note lessons for the next edition.

More guides

Checklists and comparisons from real event practice.

urvent or Excel

When Excel is enough for volunteer scheduling and when crew software pays off.

Event planning checklist

Every step for club, summer and town festivals, ready to tick off.

Village festival checklist

For clubs and village communities: align, get permits, find volunteers.

Frequently asked questions about planning a festival

For festivals with several hundred visitors or more, a lead time of twelve months or longer is common. Authorities, the safety concept, booking and service providers all take time.

Usual items are a safety concept, a medical and rescue concept, a traffic and parking concept and rules on noise and environmental protection. What exactly is required is decided case by case by the responsible authority.

Define areas and roles, estimate the demand per shift, advertise open positions, review applications and proof and assign shifts without double bookings. Beyond a certain size, crew software is worth it instead of Excel.

Customers

More than 10,000 assignments at festivals and events of all kinds - an expression of the trust that has been placed in us over the years. The examples shown here stand for some of the events we have had the pleasure of accompanying.