Festivalisation Of Events

As far back as 2017, festivalisation has been a heavily discussed topic within the events industry, so why are we still talking about it in 2024? As our relationship with social media and content has changed over the years, so has the landscape of events. With an increased focus on community and experience, organisers continue to find ways to keep audiences’ attention, and many talking points on the topic apply now more than ever. 

The goals and expectations may vary with event types but nobody goes to an event wanting to be bored. More and more, attendees at business events are seeking ways to build experiences to their wants and needs which means organisers have to work harder to connect with them.

Festivalisation has become a powerful way to bridge that gap by,

• Giving attendees the flexibility to create their schedules.
• Utilising content schedules to create more networking opportunities.
• Opening up opportunities for different types of content.

So when creating a festivalised experience, where do you start? In this blog, we share how temporary structures and staging can be integrated into your business events to capture that festival feeling for your attendees. 

 

Help Your Speakers Shine 

If you have read our blogs before, you know we’re big on making keynote speakers your headline acts. When putting on a headline act, good sound quality, AV and lighting can be the key factor between a good and a great show. 

The same is true for your speakers. No matter how informed and insightful a speaker may be, a slight break in the immersion is all an attendee needs to lose interest. Choosing temporary structures and staging that complement your audio and AV can go a long way in helping our speakers stand out, and keeping your audiences in!

 

Make It Distinct

From the districts of Boomtown to the carefully themed Bluedot, festivals know how to maximise space for the greatest impact. When planning your next business event, consider how temporary structures and stage placement can improve your attendee experience. 

Using structures to create central locations or zones can be a great way to highlight key features and content while making the space easier to navigate. Those small but mighty changes to the floorplan can go a long way towards creating a seamless visitor experience. 

 

Enable Community 

Community has become a central focus for event attendees. Many are now looking for more than sales pitches, and are searching for long-term connections and support networks instead. You can create designated spaces through meeting pods or coffee bars for them to connect and engage with fellow attendees without disrupting the main event. 

 

Make Room For Fun

From interactive digital escape rooms to ball pits, events like International Confex continue to distinguish themselves by creating immersive and hands-on spaces. Not only does it help add a unique touch to the show, but it also helps you break up the day for your attendees and adds an extra dimension of fun to your exhibition hall; keeping them going for longer. 

Or take the RecFest approach and flip tradition on its head! Talent acquisition may be associated with meeting rooms and interviews, but taking the event outdoors created more opportunities for the organisers, speakers, and exhibitors, to make a lasting impression through fun.

 

Conclusion

At its core, festivalisation is about creating a meaningful experience that makes attendees feel engaged and understood. By embracing creativity, you can create a space for attendees to feel inspired – putting them in a positive headspace that they will carry with them throughout the event.

 

Want to learn more about how temporary structures can be used to festivals your event? Contact the team at Info@evolutiondome.com or call us on 01487 640640.