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How to Plan a Festival with AV and Site Infrastructure in England

To plan a festival with AV and site infrastructure in England, develop the site plan, audience capacity, production specification and safety arrangements together. Do not design the stage and sound system separately from access routes, power, fencing, welfare and emergency planning.

1. Define the Festival

  • Event dates and opening hours

  • Build and removal periods

  • Audience capacity and demographic

  • Number of stages and performance areas

  • Artists, attractions and traders

  • Alcohol and catering arrangements

  • Camping or overnight use

  • Accessibility requirements

  • Available budget and contingency

2. Survey the Site

A technical site visit should review vehicle access, ground conditions, noise-sensitive locations, electrical supplies, rigging options, drainage, emergency routes and the position of neighbouring properties. Measurements and photographs should feed into the working site plan.

3. Build the Site Plan

The plan should show stages, front-of-house positions, entrances, exits, fencing, barriers, toilets, medical provision, event control, traders, generators, cable routes, accessible facilities and emergency access. HSE guidance emphasises that event organisers must ensure a venue or site is designed safely.

4. Design the AV Package

  • PA coverage and noise-management requirements

  • Stage monitoring and artist inputs

  • Lighting rigs and control positions

  • Video screens, projection or LED

  • Radio microphones and communications

  • Playback, recording and streaming

  • Crew, rehearsals and changeovers

  • Backup equipment for critical systems

5. Design Power as One System

Create a power schedule covering the stage, catering, bars, site lighting, traders, production offices and welfare facilities. Distribution must be planned around actual loads, cable distances, weather exposure and safe isolation. Avoid allowing separate suppliers to add uncoordinated generators and cables late in the process.

6. Coordinate Infrastructure

  • Stages and technical structures

  • Front-of-house towers

  • Temporary fencing and barriers

  • Trackway and ground protection

  • Marquees and support structures

  • Site lighting and signage

  • Furniture and operational compounds

  • Toilets, water and waste services

7. Plan Safety and Operations

The event management plan should define responsibilities, communications, crowd management, emergency procedures, adverse weather decisions and incident reporting. Technical suppliers should contribute their risk assessments, method statements and operating information.

8. Create a Build Schedule

Sequence deliveries so access routes remain usable and major structures are completed before technical equipment is installed. Allow time for testing, artist checks, safety inspections and corrective work before the audience arrives.

Use One Coordinated Team

Phantom PD can combine festival event management, AV production, temporary power and site infrastructure. This gives organisers one team to coordinate the site plan, production specification and live delivery across the complete festival.



 
 
 

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