Are you planning to host a music festival this year? Whether it’s to showcase local artists or raise money for a charitable cause, one of your main priorities should be excellent security. This way, you can keep people safe while also preventing any damages or financial losses.
With that said, what are the five most common security risks at music festivals, and – more importantly – how can you prevent them? Find out directly below!
Risk #1 — People Rushing the Stage
Unfortunately, it’s quite common for people to attend music festivals, drink lots of alcohol, and then attempt to rush on the stage. You consistently see this at some of the world’s biggest festivals, including Wireless Festival and Coachella. It’s not ideal, but you can stop it in plenty of ways.
Solution: The best solution is to use crowd control barricades. Having barricades around the main stages helps prevent crowds under control and stops people from rushing onto the stage. This is why almost all major music festivals have started using crowd control barricades to protect their on-stage performers better.
Risk #2 — Sneaking Alcohol In
You’re more than likely planning to sell alcohol at your music festival so that you can make money. Or, you might want it to be an alcohol-free event altogether. Whatever the case, it’s important to stop people from sneaking alcohol, as this happens at music festivals.
Solution: Hire security guards to work at the entrances. Security guards can assess people coming into the event and pat them down if they suspect they’re carrying alcohol. Anyone caught doing this can then be turned away from the event.
Risk #3 — Overcrowding
Overcrowding is a big problem whenever it happens at music festivals. In some cases, it can even cause injuries, which then (often) lead to lawsuits. This is why crowd safety is so important.
Solution: There are several solutions to this problem. Firstly, you can use a staggered entry system. On top of this, use barriers to keep people out who don’t have tickets. For extra measure, hire stewards who can monitor the crowds throughout the festival.
Risk #4 — Fake Tickets
If your festival has a popular artist who’ll be performing there, then it’s highly likely that some individuals might try to get inside with fake tickets. The more who attempt this, the more dangerous the event could become due to overcrowding.
Solution: These days, most music festival organizers use event ticketing software that involves ticket holders scanning QR codes attached to their tickets to get inside.
Risk #5 — Phone Theft
Phone theft is a huge problem at music festivals. People often let their guard down when watching live performances, making it very easy for thieves to steal their smartphones without them realizing it.
Solution: Although it can be extremely difficult to prevent phone theft from happening, some good solutions include hiring lots of security guards for the festival as well as having smart security cameras covering all of the key areas. If someone reports that their smartphone has been stolen, you can review the security footage to find the culprit.