Environmental impact report for the UK festival and outdoor events industry

Show Must Go On

2021

Show Must Go On is an initiative of Powerful Thinking, a think tank started by Julie’s Bicycle in 2015 to develop ideas around the environmental sustainability of festivals. As a part of the Show Must Go On initiative, more than 100 different British festivals have committed to a 2025 vision which seeks to achieve a 50% reduction in outdoor event-related greenhouse gas emissions. This specific report underlines that significant reductions of waste and emissions were achieved in the last five years, as a 23% reduction in relative emissions per audience day. The report, drawing from the last five years of progress brought by the Show Must Go On initiative, provides case studies, examples of the latest innovations, and key measures which should be put in place by any festival on the topics of energy, waste, food, water, transport, and governance. Additionally, it also outlines barriers that festivals often face in terms of environmental sustainability, citing cost implications, a lack of time to make changes or implement new practices, and the inability of contractors to deliver sustainable options as the principal obstacles. This is an excellent guide for any festival seeking to commit itself to a greener future.