Planning and management for public health impacts at outdoor music festivals: An international study

In 2000 the Glastonbury Festival in England experienced an unprecedented invasion of gatecrashers that severely compromised public health and safety. This incident identified the need for a comprehensive review of planning and management procedures for that event. In order to undertake this review, the 2001 event was cancelled. Upon its return in 2002, the event demonstrated considerable improvements in health and safety with the main features being tighter security and a more secure perimeter fence. Advancements such as these have continued at each subsequent event, with the 2004 festival considered the safest to date. The Glastonbury Festival provides a model for successful management of health and safety issues for large public events. This success was made possible by the collaborative efforts of the event organiser and government agencies, in particular the Mendip District Council. This event demonstrates how the licensing process can be a useful tool to encourage good practice in public health and safety issues for large outdoor music festivals