Music festivals are fun, lively events with thousands to tens of thousands of people in attendance. But it’s no secret the people working the event can influence whether everyone has a good time or not. That’s why you need to assemble the right team. To achieve this, you’ll need to enlist the help of experts across various roles, including product specialists, ticket takers, directional staff, brand ambassadors, and more. Even the best music festivals can seem like a failure without the right event staff.

Here are five tips to help you staff a music festival.

1. Know what positions you need to fill. Before you even begin hiring a team of festival staff, you need to determine which positions are available. These positions will vary for every event and depend on certain factors, including the size of the festival, the number of attendees, and the types of activities you have planned. For example, you may need ticket takers to assist with registration and crowd control, directional staff to help your attendees, product specialists to promote your sponsors’ products, brand ambassadors to distribute band materials and push merchandise. 
2. Hire experienced staff. When looking for event staff, you’ll want people who have previously worked at festivals or other large events because they bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the job. They can anticipate and manage potential problems before they escalate, handle large crowds, and work effectively under pressure. Additionally, they have the personalities to make a lasting, positive impression on attendees. Overall, experienced staff members can contribute to a safe and enjoyable event.
3. Have a plan for the music festival. Most employees will be able to handle the basic needs of the job, but you’ll want to familiarize them with details specific to your event, including the festival’s layout, schedule, and policies, as well as any particular skills needed for their position. By equipping product specialists with knowledge about the products or bands they’re promoting and promotional models on how to engage with music festival attendees, you’ll be pleased with their performance the day of the event. They’ll be able to effectively communicate with attendees so they leave more informed and are more likely to interact with the artists or sponsored products once the event is over. You’ll also want to distribute a safety plan to all staff so they’re prepared to deal with potential threats and know what steps they need to take to ensure the festival-goers’ — and their own — safety in the event of an emergency. Additionally, keep everyone aware of logistics like parking and transportation, and encourage those working the festival to help promote the event, sharing information on their social media.  
4. Communicate effectively. Without clear communication, your staff will be unprepared, which can lead to an unpleasant experience for attendees. Ahead of the event, ensure your team is aware of their responsibilities and have all the pertinent information they need, like schedules and contact information. Training is highly recommended. When your staff is informed, they’ll be able to help guests with questions, resulting in fewer complaints and more fun.
5. Foster a positive work environment. On the day of the event, don’t forget to take care of the staff. It would be best to provide a comfortable break area, snacks and drinks, and recognize staff members for their hard work. A positive environment will help the event staff stay motivated and ultimately provide excellent customer service to festival-goers.

Hire Experienced Staff for Your Next Music Festival

When it comes to staffing a music festival, experience counts. All Aces Promotional Staffing has the resources necessary to help you staff your event with the best brand ambassadors, registration staff, and more. Our pool of experienced event staff has worked similar events and has the skills needed to do the job well.

Have your own team and want to save money but don’t want the administrative headache or liability? All Aces offers payroll services and can perform administrative tasks like onboarding and paying your staff once the event is over. We also have a robust business liability insurance plan and national worker’s comp policy so you won’t have to worry about what to do in the event there’s an injury on the job. These services are especially helpful if you plan to have volunteers working your festival and know they need to be on the payroll. We’ll handle these back-end responsibilities and you can focus on running a successful event!

Do you need help staffing a music festival? Contact us now or give us a call at 646-829-1602 to see how All Aces Promotional Staffing can help you.