The days are longer, the weather is warmer and the sound of music is in the air. It’s festival season – and that can only mean one thing: outdoor festival planning is in full swing. But if you’re planning your next big event, you’ll know just how stressful it can be. With a million things to think about, how do you decide on even the most basic details?

At Wills, we’re experts in bringing festival-style events and celebrations to life – taking the stress out of outdoor festival planning and helping our partners build their perfect marquee event from the ground up. Whether you’re dreaming of an epic music extravaganza, a family-friendly mini-festival, or a stylish summer party, we’ve got some top tips to help make your planning easier.

Read on for our best outdoor festival planning tips and marquee festival ideas for this summer season – from décor and catering to entertainment and location.

1)     Location, location, location

When it comes to outdoor festival planning, location really is everything. While festival marquee hire offers the perfect venue to house your event, you’ll still need to choose the ideal setting in which to host your get-together.

So how do you pick the perfect location for your festival? Well, it really is all about tailoring the location to your event. No two festivals are the same, so it’s important to understand what your location needs to have, and then look for a space that meets these requirements.

To narrow down potential locations for your marquee festival, note down the key details of your big day:

• The size of your event: do you need to spread over a large area, or will you have a small footprint?
• How many people will be attending: is it a close-knit gathering or are you expecting footfall in the hundreds?
• Accessibility and transport links: how close will the site be to transport links, or will you need a car park for the designated drivers?
• Proximity to local amenities: will people need access to shops and facilities, and how will you get the basics like food and water to your site?
• Your entertainment: for example, will there be live music and all the requirements that come with that, or do you just need a quiet space?

If you have hundreds of guests coming for live music, then you’ll want to be close enough to local transport links to be convenient, but far enough away from neighbours to be sure you’re not keeping anyone awake at night. However, if you’re hosting a smaller wellness festival, then you may want to be further from amenities and more immersed in nature.

Once you have these essential details, you should be able to narrow down where your big day will take place – and a quick Google search for locations and venues should yield results.

2)     Choose your marquee

Now you have your location, you’ll want to organise your festival marquee hire. But first, you’ll need to hand-pick your marquee. Again, this depends on the requirements of your event – but choosing the right marquee size should be a whole lot easier than finding the perfect location.

So, how do you figure out which marquee is right for you? First, understand what your marquee will need to cater for – this will help you make an informed decision on size. The factors below will all affect your choice of marquee:

• Seated or standing: will your guests be seated, standing, or both? Or will they be sitting for a meal at a more intimate festival event?
• Entertainment: will you have entertainment inside the marquee, or will there be an outdoor stage?
• Indoor or outdoor: do you expect everyone to be inside the marquee all day, or will they move between indoor and outdoor areas?
• Refreshments: if you’re planning to have an indoor bar, this will also influence the size of your marquee.

Once you know these basics, you can begin to understand what size marquee you’ll need. For example, if you’re expecting 480–550 guests, then a 18 by 54 metre marquee will give you the space you need – and if you have more guests but expect them to move between indoor and outdoor areas, this size will still work well. But if you’re expecting a smaller number of guests, say 100–140, for a more intimate festival, then a 9 by 30 metre marquee will be perfect.

For a full breakdown on marquee sizes, see our handy marquee size guide.

Tip: While most festivals rely on grass as the traditional festival marquee flooring, there are other options – with hard floors and matting offering alternatives depending on the aesthetic of your festival.

3)     Decorate to impress

When it comes to marquee festival hire, the world truly is your oyster – and no more so when it comes to decoration. A marquee gives you a blank canvas on which you can paint your own aesthetic and theme. But it isn’t always as easy as it sounds.

Your theme and aesthetic help you set the tone of your event, so getting it right is a must. Whether you’re going for full-on Glastonbury vibes or something more low-key and boutique, here are marquee festival ideas to take your decorating to the next level:

• Lighting: from fairy lights and festoons, flying lights to disco balls, your lighting will add some of that luminescent wow-factor to your festival as well as setting the tone as day turns to night.
• Colour scheme: while it may seem simple, a cohesive colour palette works wonders for your festival aesthetic. Whether you go bold and bright or earthy and natural, choose one route and let it tie your event together.
• Furniture: hay bales and pallet tables will give you a more rustic feel, while rattan sofas and fire bowls are perfect al fresco additions to a more sophisticated gathering. Choose one that fits your overall festival feeling.
• Ceilings and walls: drapes, bunting, or floral additions can make the interior of your marquee pop with colour – just remember to match them to your overall theme and colour scheme.

Remember, the goal when decorating your marquee is not to just adorn the space but to create a fully immersive experience for every single guest, to create a space in which they can truly relax and have fun.

4)     Make your food fabulous

No festival is complete without the perfect catering – and believe us, it’s never as simple as parking a pizza van in a field (although that is a great option). Festival catering needs to be well thought out, timed perfectly and suited to both the size and the feel of your event.

When it comes to your outdoor festival planning, here are a few catering tips to keep in mind:

• Type of service: will you opt for street food vans and food stalls where revellers can choose what they like, or does your boutique festival call for a more formal dining experience – like a sit-down meal complete with tables and chairs?
• Variety of food: will you offer a single type of cuisine for everyone, or mix things up with multiple stations or stalls?
• Timing: are you feeding people all day – with food stalls open throughout – or will catering be scheduled around key meal times?
• Paid or complimentary: is food included in the ticket price, sold individually, or offered completely free?

There’s nothing more likely to ruin someone’s festival experience than hunger, so whatever you do for food, make sure you cater for everyone – and that there’s plenty of it.

5)     Entertainment is everything

The life and soul of any festival is the entertainment – and while it’s always a good idea to have a showstopping act, you don’t have to book The Rolling Stones to make your event memorable.

When it comes to outdoor festival planning, entertainment can be tricky. You want everyone to enjoy the event, right? So, when you’re choosing your acts or workshops, keep these marquee festival ideas in mind:

• Music: hand-pick artists that fit with the aesthetic and theme of your event. While it’s great to have bigger performers that people recognise, consider local and smaller acts too – your guests will love discovering new sounds.
• Comedy: if there’s a problem, laughter is the cure – and comedy is always a hit at any event. If it fits the vibe of your festival, go ahead and book some comedians. You won’t regret it.
• Wellness and fitness: wellness is high on the agenda for many people these days, and both big and boutique festivals are embracing it. Whether it’s a 9am run club or a woodland yoga retreat, give people space to focus on their mind and body.
• Workshops: poetry writing, pottery, crafts or acting – who wouldn’t enjoy learning a new skill surrounded by great company?
• Fun for all the family: if your marquee festival is family-friendly, then make it feel that way. Create spaces where families can retreat for quiet time, offer child-focused workshops and include music that everyone can enjoy.

Tip: remember to factor in your staging and where your entertainment will be positioned when organising your festival marquee hire. You may want to include some inside your marquee and some outside to create a seamless celebration across your site.

Festival marquee hire without the event planning stress

At Wills, we thrive on helping people build their dream events – creating and curating those memorable moments that last a lifetime. From wedding days and celebrations to boutique festivals and fun-filled carnivals, our sailcloth marquees have hosted unforgettable events across the UK.

If you need any advice on festival marquee hire or help with your outdoor festival planning, get in touch – we would love to be part of your big moment.