DR
DRAFT SCHEDULE (Subject to Change - Schedule last updated Tuesday 16th Dec 2025)
Wednesday 4th FEBRUARY
Evening workshop for festival organisers ‘How to Build a Better Bar Deal’.
Venue details to be released in January
Pre-event
Thursday 5th FEBRUARY
VENUE : BRISTOL BEACON
DOORS OPEN 9.30am
Exhibitors across the venue available to meet all day
1783 Insurance
Azorra
Crescat
Festival Pro
Lily
Stryve Energy
Ticket Tailor
Vikin
Pre-bookable 1-2-1s with Azorra Legal Team (use form HERE)
Pre-bookable 1-2-1s with PRS for Music (use form HERE)
Pre-bookable 1-2-1s with Arts Council England Relationship Managers (form coming soon)
LOWER GROUND FLOOR
9.45am-11.00am Coffee, tea, pastries available (also available next to Speed Networking)
12.00pm-1.30pm Lunch - self service and also grab bags available.
SIMON’S BAR
9.45am-10.45am Marketing Meet Up
A facilitated round table to for marketing agencies, and those leading on festival marketing, to meet and network.
2.55pm-3.50pm LIVE Trust Roundtable
A closed roundtable for up to 15 festival organisers to meet with the LIVE Trust (expression of interest form coming soon)
GROUND FLOOR - LANTERN HALL
11.00am Opening Remarks - Matthew Phillip, CEO Notting Hill Carnival & AIF Chair
11.10am Exclusive, Non Exclusive - John Rostron, CEO Association of Independent Festivals
11.25am Live Music Policy Briefing - Jon Collins, CEO, LIVE
11.35am Festival Freelancers - Alice Telford, The Fold
11.45am PRS for Music
12.00pm The Show Must Go On Report : 30 Climate Actions For Event Organisers - Chris Johnson, Vision For Sustainable Events
12.15pm A £1 contribution to the grassroots live music ecosystem - Antonia Lines, The Live Trust
3.15-4.00pm Don’t Leave Your Money on the Table - why control of your payments is good for organisers, traders and all independents.
(speakers to be announced) - a panel with festival organisers and experts who have moved to take control of payments across their event. What are the benefits this brings to the organiser and to the traders; what are the bumps? What is the best practice? What are the greater benefits for independents collectively?
4.20pm-5.10pm When Sh*t Goes Wrong At Events - LIVE PODCAST RECORDING
A very special live recording of the podcast with host Freddie Sparrow. Just how many festivals stories can we fit into a recording when we’re in the room with hundreds of festival organisers and suppliers and just how many will make the final cut? Let’s find out…
5.10pm Closing Words John Rostron (AIF)
STALLS BAR LEVEL 1 - BREAKOUT SPACE
10.00am-10.45am Speed Networking. Start the day getting to know who else is in the building. (apply for a speed networking slot HERE)
1.15pm-2.30pm Greenfield Festivals Operations Breakout - Clare Goodchild & Judy Bec
Join Judy Bec and Clare Goodchild for their now legendary breakout workshop where they will be looking at the operational challenges you are facing in the coming year, alongside an open discussion amongst your peers to find for practical solutions.
2.45pm–4.00pm Marketing Breakout - Zeina Raad & tba
A workshop for all those involved in marketing festivals to discuss what’s working and what’s not. Together you will find solutions, new collaborations and have confidence of what practices need to be ditched.
LEVEL THREE TERRACE BAR - BREAKOUT SPACE
9.45am-10.45am Event Production Network Meet Up (invite only)
A closed meeting for members of the Event Production Network. A community of leading event production companies exchanging best practices, insights, and advice. This exclusive gathering brings together some of the most experienced professionals behind iconic events, both in the UK and worldwide. This 60-minute, invite-only session is reserved for event production companies, fostering collaboration over competition
5.30pm Bristol Beacon Closes
VENUE : LOST HORIZONS
6.30pm Lost Horizons Opens
6.30pm-8.30pm Street food courtesy of Togather is available.
8.15pm onwards DJs in the Yard and Live Music inside..
Afro Cluster
Dogshow
Kray-Z Legz
Connect 3
Tarantism Acoustic Disco
DJs Si Chai & Chris Tofu
1.00am close
FRIDAY 6th FEBRUARY
VENUE : BIMM, BRISTOL
11.00am-1.00pm Connection Sessions - an opportunity for festivals and suppliers to meet with each other and with a handpicked cohort of 20 young emerging talent over a free networking brunch. Festivals and suppliers wishing to attend can register their interest HERE.
1.00pm-2.30pm Finding Your Way As A Festival Freelancer - lead by BIMM and BIG TEAM, a free to access panel for the emerging talent of tomorrow to learn from current independent festival and event professionals. Four festival and event freelancers will be in a conversation lead by Clare Goodchild (We Organise Chaos). Students, young professionals and those wanting to break into festivals who wish to express an interest in attending this free panel can register HERE