Festivals: prayers and plandemics!

In live events, there has always been a fair chunk of uncertainty. We start with a blank green canvas, add some marker paint followed by some fence lines, tents, toilets, flashing lights and finally a few thousand people. Despite the well-intentioned protestations of my ill-informed friends, our team spend all year planning this to the millimetre; learning lessons from the previous edition, refining the model and constantly striving to improve.

Since I first walked through the doors of Bournemouth 7s Festival HQ in March 2011, we have faced down a whole host of challenges. Quite aside from the logistical work involved in delivering a festival which welcomes 30,000 people, we effectively septuple the population of the semi-rural conurbation we host our festival in. As such, there is a constant block of work to engage with the local residents and mitigate the impact of the festival on their beloved community - something we've done increasingly well over the years.

Outside of our immediate footprint, my time with B7s has been impacted by incidents such as the appalling terror atrocities in Manchester, an almost constant conflict with weather mitigation and a raft of ever-changing legislation. Fair to say, though, nothing has ever really compared to the enormity of Covid-19 and the impact it is having on the sector which I, so dearly, love working in.

Yet, as I sit here now, working from home and planning diligently for an event which we sincerely hope will happen but, let's be honest, may fall victim to extended government restrictions; I am more proud than anxious, more positive than pessimistic and more filled with hope than I dared think possible at the outset of this nightmare.

Yes, these are uniquely challenging and (forgive me for saying the UK's current favourite cliché) unprecedented times. As we we start to pass through this initial 'peak' of the virus, I am acutely aware that our entire sector is just at the start of its most challenging chapter. Events are cancelling, suppliers are failing and the network of freelancers which power our industry is collapsing into itself. The reality is stark, the future is uncertain.

How, then, can I find hope for our sector at this time?

Well, in the past few weeks, I have seen companies I've always been proud to work with, repurposing themselves on a sixpence. I have seen a silent army of #eventprofs grafting in the most challenging of circumstances, without praise or indeed any want for it, to help bring the much lauded NHS Nightingale Hospitals to life.

Freelancers have found new positions, sat behind supermarket checkouts, and done so with a smile on their faces. Our partners in the emergency services, local authorities and private safety contractors are finally getting the recognition they so deserve. The industry is using this time to learn new skills, to spend time with a family it so often has to miss as a result of the gruelling nature of our festival season and our entire industry is talking, collaborating and finding hope - together.

Throughout the pandemic, I've seen our incredible team put their own personal concerns to one side and adapt seamlessly to a new set of circumstances. In our new digital workplace, we've managed to keep up the same level of camaraderie that, has helped us to deliver 12 fantastic and ever-improving festival experiences. I've seen Roger and Fleur, who own our festival and thought the most serious of financial pressure was behind them, put their employees first without hesitation.

Through my roles on the Council of the National Outdoor Events Association and our local Destination Management Board - I have seen first hand the work which is going in to steer our industry through these turbulent waters. We're working hard to ensure that we understand the severity of the impact, communicate this impact to the highest possible level in government and put plans in place, not for just recovery, but for this unique opportunity to reimagine our businesses and their potential.

Whenever this is all done, people will need a damn good party. And it'll be people such as our magnificent team who will provide it. It's not about Churchillian quotes, it's not about blind optimism. It is about knowing that our industry problem solves, constantly. Granted - this is a big f*cking problem - but we're also working together in a way I've never seen before to combat it.

I'm not a religious person, I've always considered myself far too practical to believe destiny is controlled outside of our bubble. However, I do believe in the power of society, that acting in the right way comes back to us and that by living morally - we somehow strengthen our chances against this silent enemy. And, truth be told, I have been praying for an end to this disaster and that the events we all love so much will bounce back, as they always do.

Resilience is a word you hear a lot in event planning circles, now is our time to reinforce its value and truly make it count.

I look forward to seeing you in a field, hopefully not too far into the future.