At the time of year when we have to pile on the layers before heading out and bump up the heating for an evening in, it is good to have a few thoughts of the summer.

The vision of days of feeling sand between our toes the beach, of hearing the tempting ring of the ice cream van, inviting friends over for a BBQ and enjoying a glass of wine in the garden as the sun goes down.

Another summer favourite is heading off to a music festival. In recent years there have been a growing number of family friendly events, where all ages can enjoy live entertainment over a summer weekend.

Cornbury Festival

One such event that has been running for the past 12 years is Oxfordshire’s Cornbury Festival. This annual celebration has attracted debuting bands and big name headliners, along with a wealth of other entertainment, food and fun.

Cornbury festival has recently made two big announcements. The first is that Bryan Adams, the Canadian singer is to be the headline act for 2017. A long term favourite of the organisers, Bryan Adams has been invited to perform on many occasions, so they are delighted that he has agreed.

The other announcement is that this 13th event will be the last; Cornbury Festival is coming to an end. Even if you’re not familiar with Bryan Adams, the opportunity to experience Cornbury should not be missed, especially by local Oxfordshire residents.

Filing the Gap

So, come 2018, what will fill the gap? Would you consider hosting your own mini festival for family and friends? Maybe you’re interested in a more commercial venture?

If you are considering putting on your own festival, it takes a lot more planning, preparation and resources than you might imagine. It’s not a case of erecting some marquees in a field, paying a few bands to play and selling tickets, so now could be a good time to get started.

Planning a Festival

Unless you have an exceptionally large garden, the first thing is finding a suitable site. In addition to space for the event, you also need to consider parking facilities and unless it’s a one day event, a camping field or two.

In addition to the musicians, you’ll need to find catering companies, stalls and bar facilities. You may also want to include other entertainment, which depending on your target age group could include face painters, fairground rides, inflatable games, comedians, jugglers or story tellers.

On the more practical side, your performers are going to need a reliable source of power, lighting and PA system. Everyone at the festival will need toilet facilities and in addition to installing, there should be provision to have them cleaned during the event. There is also the need to provide appropriate first aid, security and bins (ideally with recycling and composting options).

You may need to apply for a Temporary Events Notice (TEN), get in touch with your local council to find out. In order to sell tickets, you could either sign up with an online ticket seller or create a website, with a secure payment gateway, for your event. Then you need to promote it!

Self Storage

It can be useful to hire a self storage container. This facility can be used to securely store all the items that you are collecting for the event. Not everything can be hired or brought in just a few days before, so self storage provides the solution. For a one off event, short term storage options are viable, but if you want to run commercial events, then you could benefit from long term options, which are often offered at a lower rate.

If you are keen to find out more about self storage, Oxford and surrounding areas are served by Barretts Self Storage.

Whether you want to get tickets to the last Cornbury Festival or have aspirations to run your own festival, we hope this article has been a temporary distraction on a cold winter’s day.