First stop on the festival planning journey - finding your dream venue!
So you’ve decided on a festival event? Great! Now you need to decide where to put it. Here's some key points to factor in when selecting your venue:
Location - This is often the first point we'll consider and it helps to narrow down the search area. How close to your office do you want to stay? We generally recommend no further than 1.5 hours travel for a one day event, or 1 hour if it's evening only.
Travel links - Are there major transport links close by? If you’ve got guests travelling from across the UK or internationally, London venues are likely to be a good option. We also work with lots of rural countryside locations, and if you go for somewhere off the beaten track we'd suggest putting on coach transfers.
Aesthetics - The style of the venue can make or break your festival vibe. We love a backdrop full of trees and foliage (which can be beautifully lit), plenty of flat green space (ideal for marquees) and, if we’re really pushing it, a serene lake! We’re always looking for little surprises in a venue as well - we’ve stumbled across hidden gems including secret walled gardens and old wishing wells!
Licencing - Boring we know, but it’s essential to check the venue has the correct licensing, particularly if it’s a ticketed event or if you want live amplified music into the evening.
Accommodation - Will your guests stay over or head home? Are they the camping type, or do you need high end hotels close by? If it’s a 2-day event a luxury glamping site can work well.
We've worked with lots of fabulous venues, and here’s some highlights from a few of our favourite spots:
Got guests travelling from overseas? Keen to stay within Central London?
We know just the place. This venue describes itself as ‘a piece of the countryside in the middle of the City' which sums it up perfectly! Set in East London, the event space has an incredible cityscape backdrop which provides a striking contrast to a festival set up.
Keen to include a glamping experience?
How about a wonderful stone farmhouse set in the charming English countryside. It comes with over an acre of land just perfect for a festival event. We love that it has its own campsite, complete with a ‘rustic-meets-luxury’ toilet and shower block. The farmhouse itself can be used too, which is ideal accommodation for your event team or VIP guests.
Hoping for some Insta-worthy photos?
One of our all time favourites is located on a working farm with gorgeous, panoramic views; a true countryside feel. This is a really flexible venue with plenty of space for team building and entertainment. The backdrop of rolling green fields makes this a very Instagrammable choice.
Or how about something ultra exclusive? Shhhhh…!
We stumbled across the most wonderful venue and were lucky enough to be the FIRST EVER event agency to view some super exclusive spots at this beautiful estate. We loved the secret vineyard and walled garden, which are just perfect for a boutique festival feel. It’s ideally located just north of London and with excellent transport links we know it’s going to be a firm favourite of ours.
What do you look for in a venue? We’d love to hear!
