Outdoor Events + Festivals
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Sector at a Glance
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Outdoor events and festivals of all types are woven into the UK’s cultural fabric
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Globally renowned Glastonbury, Notting Hill Carnival, Edinburgh International Festival – to events of all sizes spread across the UK
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Over 141m attendees of outdoor events and festivals in the UK per year
Sector Overview

Outdoor Events + Festivals

Outdoor events and festivals of all types are woven into the UK’s cultural fabric. With a world-leading reputation for experience, delivery and safety, these events welcome millions of people each year. Offering a diverse blend of entertainment and content, shows come in all shapes and sizes and see professional expertise working in tandem with a proudly independent creative element.

The sector sees a diverse mix of multi-national corporates and independent promoters working alongside a host of professional event operators. Often coordinated by technical production and event management specialists, the industry sees temporary infrastructure and structure providers deliver alongside commercial agencies, creative organisations and a host of freelance producers. Safety is a pivotal part of outdoor event delivery and sees close collaboration between authorities, crowd management providers, medical providers and safety consultants. More than 141m attend outdoor events and festivals in the UK demonstrating the strength of this industry sector. With a diverse mix of event types, attendees attend for entertainment, socialising, experience and escapism. A strong sense of discovery, innovation and community lie at the very heart of the Outdoor Events and Festivals sector. From the globally renowned Glastonbury and Notting Hill Carnival to events of all sizes spread across the UK, these shows are often dedicated to culture, entertainment, arts, food, comedy, leisure and lifestyle, offering something for everyone.

Sector News
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Government rejects call for standalone business events strategy
The government has rejected a recommendation to develop a standalone national strategy for business events, instead confirming that the sector will be included in a wider Major Events Strategy due to be published by spring 2027.
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The events industry has an entry-level contradiction
The events industry talks constantly about talent shortages. But there’s an uncomfortable contradiction sitting underneath many of those conversations: businesses want experienced junior talent, despite being increasingly reluctant to create the opportunities that develop that talent. Across the industry, employers continue to say they struggle to find candidates with the right skills, operational understanding and commercial awareness. Yet at the same time, many entry-level roles now ask for previous event experience even though candidates haven’t had a chance to properly enter the sector.
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Businesses could gain £3,000 for employing young people
The UK government has launched the new Youth Jobs Grant to incentivise businesses to take on young people who are currently out of work, with a view to reducing the large number of those not in employment, education or training (NEET).
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What Clarkson hosting ‘Cereals’ says about the future of events
Jeremy Clarkson hosting Cereals 2026 at Diddly Squat Farm is the kind of announcement that instantly generates national headlines – which is pretty unusual for an agricultural trade show. Not because Cereals is small: it isn’t. With more than 25,000 attendees, it’s one of the UK’s biggest and most commercially important business-to-business farming events. But historically, its visibility has been contained almost entirely within the industry itself. As with many B2B exhibitions, Cereals has always been built around practical value: machinery, crop plots, agronomy, policy discussions and supplier relationships. Essential to its audience, but not culturally relevant to the masses.
Outdoor Events + Festivals Sector Industry Events
October 26
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The Showmans Show 2026
The Show offers the first opportunity at the end of a busy season for the events industry to meet, network and to start planning and sourcing equipment for the year ahead. It will see hundreds of suppliers and manufacturers from around the world exhibiting in the custom built indoor Exhibition Hall or on the Outside Open Space, showing the latest products and services available to the event industry. It is an unrivalled market place to discover, learn, and try the latest innovations, meet a diverse range of new suppliers and network with colleagues and event professionals all in one place, in a fun and relaxed environment’. The Show is FREE to attend and open to ALL. So if you are an event supplier looking to stock up on new gear or an event organiserr or production manager looking for new ideas and suppliers; this Show is for YOU.
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November 26
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Sustainable Events Show
The 6th annual Sustainable Events Show will take place on Friday 6 November 2026 at the Chicago Booth London Conference Centre in the heart of London’s Square Mile. This carbon-neutral exhibition connects event organisers and buyers with vetted eco-friendly suppliers. EVENT OVERVIEW & LAYOUT • Date: 6 November 2026 (8.30am – 4.00pm) • Location: Chicago Booth London Conference Centre, City of London EC1A 7BL • Format: One-day carbon-neutral event industry trade exhibition and seminar series • Exhibitor Layout: Arranged in an efficient, IKEA-inspired floor plan featuring 80 specialized eco-vendors ensuring you don’t miss anyone! KEY EXHIBITOR ZONES  Event Venues: Showcasing sustainability-verified and certified spaces Event Services: Featuring catering, sustainable furniture, and entertainment providers Event Technology: Highlighting hybrid/virtual solutions, lighting, sound, and digital registration Dedicated B Corp Zone: Highlighting accredited organizations leading in social and environmental responsibility PROGRAM FEATURES Seminar Theatre: This year’s theatre programme follows one journey through the day. […]
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November 26
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Production Futures on Tour
Production Futures On Tour is a free event designed to help young people discover the wide range of career opportunities available across the production industries. Taking place on Thursday 19 November at Production Futures On Tour, the event brings together industry professionals, employers and experts from across live events, music, theatre, TV, broadcast and film. Attendees can take part in hands-on workshops and expert-led training, meet and network with people already working in the industry, and explore different career pathways, including roles they may not have previously considered. The event is open to newcomers, apprentices, freelancers and those looking to develop their skills or progress their careers, with a strong focus on making the production industry accessible and inclusive for everyone. Key themes include: Hands-on learning and training Networking with industry professionals Career development and progression Discovering behind-the-scenes roles Diversity and representation Inclusivity and access across the industry It’s an […]
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Exhibitions + Congress
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