In the midst of festival season, we know you know all about your favourite rappers and DJs. But, do you know what goes into the behind the scenes setting up and creating a whole festival?
We caught up with Bizzo, co-founder of Fresh Island festival which is happening next week, to find out all the ins and outs of setting up a huge festival abroad.
What’s the very first part of the process?
The name, location and vision of how it looks and feels. Then comes the money.
Why did you choose Croatia as a location?
Croatia is our home turf! Plus it’s unique, beautiful and very very festival friendly.
What hurdles did you face that you weren’t expecting?
Pusha T missing his plane in Mexico when he was due to appear was an issue. If an artist misses a plane in Europe it’s all good, if it’s another continent it becomes a bigger problem. He played at Fresh Island the next year though, so it was all good!
Are building festivals abroad more difficult than UK festivals?
Not for us. Fresh Island is like a UK festival but in Croatia, owned by Croatians who like to party with the UK crowd. The UK has that party vibe that nobody can mess with.
What are the differences between putting on an event and a festival?
A festival is a year-round job, working the whole time to make sure the 3 – 6 days happen. It’s much more work than an event, but also much more exciting.
How do you choose which acts you’d like to perform?
A combination of 3 key factors – Who you want to see live, who you think people would want to see live and who has a great live show. Plus a few more smaller tactical researches.
What is the most difficult stage of the organising?
The last 10 days before the festival, because you’re tired and bit nervous, finishing final preparations and constantly looking at the weather forecast. But once the festival starts the adrenaline kicks in and you’re happy as a kid!
Get last min tickets for Fresh Island here.