USA: U.S. Cellular and Milwaukee World Festival officials have announced a new 10-year agreement that will demolish Summerfest’s existing U.S. Cellular Connection Stage and replace it with a new, larger stage and an enhanced guest experience for the 2018 edition of the festival. The renovation project will include: A completely rebuilt stage, completed in time for the 51st Summerfest in 2018 after the current U.S. Cellular Connection Stage is torn down following the 2017 festival. Increased capacity and improved access for attendees, while featuring a backdrop of the Milwaukee skyline and the lakefront. A larger performance area, enhanced production capabilities…
Author: Festival Insights
USA / CANADA: Bookitbee, the online ticketing and booking tool, has become free in the USA and Canada. Turning the commercial model for its ticketing tool on its head and moving to a freemium model with a fully featured free system, the launch of ‘Bee Free’ accounts sees Bookitbee not charging event promoters for ticketing in addition to having their event promoted for free to potential ticket buyers. “Bookitbee is positioned as a challenger brand – it has all the features people need, for free. The launch of the Bee Free account means that event organisers can bring people together…
UK: Houghton is a three-day festival of art and music taking place on the Houghton estate in Norfolk from August 11 – 13. Curated by the illustrious Craig Richards and produced by the critically acclaimed Gottwood Festival team, Houghton is set to be the UK’s only summer festival that fuses art, music and sculpture, whilst its licence uniquely allows musical programming of both sunset and sunrise. The festival is centred around a beautiful lake, set amongst thick deciduous woodland and plays home to a number of unique venues including an abandoned warehouse, subterranean bowl and a world renowned art and…
UK: VAULT Festival will return to London from January 25 – March 5 2017, both at its expanded tunnel home beneath Waterloo Station and, for the first time, at satellite venues Network Theatre and Morley College. Boldly diverse, the programme features a myriad of shows exploring many themes via many more mediums. New bars and a fresh food offering, plus an array of late night parties complete a must-do destination event for the New Year. For all six weeks at VAULT, award-winning company The Flanagan Collective will immerse audiences in decadence and excess at The Great Gatsby, performed across multiple…
USA: Firefly Music Festival, the east coast’s largest music and camping festival, has announced an expansion of fan engagement and interaction. Through a variety of consumer-focused initiatives including fan surveys, votes, and contests, Firefly has claimed it will become the first-ever fan-curated music festival. Since the festival’s inception in 2012, the organisation has embraced fan feedback regarding the acts they would most want to take stage at The Woodlands, which has directly impacted the line-up each year. Moving forward, Firefly organisers will be incorporating fan feedback into additional major decisions and changes for the festival. Examples of fan voting options…
UK: Field Day has announced an incredible list of names to play East London’s Victoria Park on June 3, including Death Grips, Flying Lotus, Jon Hopkins (DJ), King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, Moderat, Mura Masa, Nicolas Jaar, Nina Kraviz, Omar Souleyman, Silver Apples, Whitney and more. This huge wealth of talent will join headliner Aphex Twin, who will close Field Day’s brand new, indoor second main stage arena, entitled ‘The Barn’. Also joining Field Day 2017’s esteemed line-up are synth specialists S U R V I V E, catapulting to worldwide fame this year with their critically acclaimed score…
Primary ticket company Skiddle recently made a pledge to raise £100,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support by the end of 2017, a move inspired by the support work offered by the charity to one of their employees, Chris Glaba, who sadly died from complications arising from his cancer in December 2016. Skiddle and Macmillan’s partnership has now come up with the first collaborative scheme, with a number of limited edition CHRISmas Cards created to raise money and awareness for Macmillan’s pioneering work. The idea came about after Skiddle spoke with the design team they have worked with over the last 18…
Tim Wilson is a Director of VAULT Festival, whose 2017 event runs from January 25 – March 5 and features almost 200 performances. Visit the official website for full programme information and tickets. Festivals thrive on the people who build them, that’s self evident – but what about professional training? What about job security and retention? How do you offer growth potential? In summary, how do you hold onto the great people working around you? Festivals begin with an idea and no small amount of idealism. They begin with perhaps three or four people huddled around that central idea. From…
Liam Negus-Fancey is the co-founder of Vervem, the world’s leading peer-to-peer sales software for live entertainment events. Verve enables event organisers to turn their most influential fans into ambassadors who promote and sell tickets to their friends in return for unique rewards. Mobilising influential fans makes it possible to reach audiences with genuine, trustworthy recommendations rather than advertising. Ambassador programs are a very effective way to drive ticket sales for the 18 – 34 year old audience, who often choose to buy tickets based on what their friends are doing. Festivals such as Reading, Leeds and Lost Village are using…
UK: The festival for new music, The Great Escape, will return to Brighton from May 18 – 20 2017. Now entering its 12th year and globally renowned for producing some of the most exciting and diverse festival line-ups out there, The Great Escape has announced the first 50 artists who will be performing over the three-day festival of new music discovery. Having graced The Great Escape stage for the last two years Rag’n’Bone Man will head up the first Spotlight Show. Also joining the line-up will be Goat Girl, Skott, Shame, Sturla Atlas, ALMA, Anna Straker, Ray BLK, L.A. Salami,…