Suggested Timeline
A reliable and feature-rich technology platform is critical to the success of your festival event and GiveSignup is the best solution. But what about the rest? Check out our general festival event planning timeline below. It is not meant to be comprehensive. Rather, this suggested timeline provides first-time festival event planners a starting point on what to do and gives seasoned pros reminders on the ABC's that can get lost in the sea of details.
9-12 Months
- Establish the event purpose, format, goals, name, and branding
- Secure date and venue
- Begin booking talent
- Apply for special event permit application with the city (if applicable)
- Update website
- Reach out to last year's sponsors and work on establishing major support
6-9 Months
- Create artist/merchant/nonprofit exhibitor application
- Develop sponsorship deck with benefits and levels
- Create sponsor prospect list and reach out to potential sponsors
- Invite your current supporters and offer exclusive savings or other amenities (e.g. bonus swag, free drink) that will motivate them to commit early and initiate your word-of-mouth campaign
- Announce event with initial "Save the Date" marketing campaign
- Create your event registration website and test with your team
- Use tiered pricing to encourage early sign ups (Ex: Save $10 if you sign up before April 1st!)
4-6 Months
- Launch ticket sales
- Market exhibitor opportunities to artists, merchants, and nonprofits
- Identify, quote, and secure third party vendors (stage, sound, barricades, toilets, security)
- Continue sponsorship sales efforts and communicate milestones and deadlines to confirmed sponsors (e.g. when their logo is due for the thank you sponsor banner)
- Create staffing plan to cover all functions needing support and oversight from your organization
60-90 Days
- Reevaluate performance of marketing and promotion activities, adjust as needed
- Update website with additional event details, changes, and fun updates about fundraising progress
- Build your event team and confirm staff positions, shifts, and personnel. Collect employment documents (W9 for independent contractors, for example) as you confirm each team member.
30 Days
- Apply for special event liquor permit license
- Re-confirm vendors and other support resources and make sure you know their deadlines (last date to add equipment or modify the food and beverage head count)
- Update website with changes
- Consult with venue and discuss event day timeline, support services (parking, security, trash and recycling, deliveries, WIFI, etc)
- Remind fundraisers about goals and milestones, provide them with tips and tricks for their final push to help them reach their goal
- Check in with top fundraiser and special guests
- Review budget and adjust spending and orders as your registration or ticket numbers require
Event Week
- Send out pre-event guide to current ticket purchasers with important details like directions, parking, check-in location, meal package, entertainment schedule, event day timeline, etc)
- Complete final outreaches to vendors and review orders, times, and costs
- Send out QR code for each ticket holder one day before for quick and easy checkin upon arrival
After the Event
- Send a thank you email with the total number of attendees, photos, and other memories from the weekend to show attendees how their participation supported your event and/or cause, and how they can keep engaged or how they can support you further.
- Include a link to a survey and allow your participants the opportunity to give you feedback
- Thank your vendors and collect final billing and payment instructions
- Thank your sponsors and provide demographics on attendees and summaries of their benefits and total impressions
- Finalize budget with all actual costs and centralize all statements and receipts for easy review by stakeholders and next year's event team
- Conduct a wrap-up meeting with your team to document successes, challenges, and areas to improve upon for next year
