The Olympic Parks Pop Up Legacy

Firstly dear readers I realise as ever I’ve been an absolute hound on all sorts of frightful fronts! Firstly I’ve only gaawn and bleedin’ swapped shires for summer! Devonshire for Hertfordshire & very plan to continue to pester both! So some entries may be SLIGHTLY less Devonian focused. Secondly I’ve been an as absent as Rolf Harris to children’s television…apologies a situation I plan on resurrecting, no…not Rolf.

 

In recent times I’ve seen an awful amount of interest in all things ‘Pop-Up’. Whether it be exhibition stands, high impact promotional instillations or promotional ‘Pop-Up’ shops offering the latest products.

 

Following the success and positivity of last summers Olympics Londoners have a new exciting and dynamic outdoor event space…The Chuffing Olympic Park! A fresh ‘Popped-Up’ Festival Site. Harnessing the nation’s feel good factor following Olympic glory the park has already played host to an array of outdoor cultural events, ranging from the Open East Festival to the Wireless Festival.  

The sheer scale of the project does impress; amongst the on-going renovation works, you’ll find a festival field you’d never expect, complete with swing ball arenas, cultured catering, multiple stages and a chunk of astro turf to play host to over 70,000 bottoms of all sorts of sizes without feeling squished…no mean feat! 

 

Having recently attended an epic Gentlemen of the Road record label Gig at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, containing some musical chaps you may have heard of Mumford & Sons, Vampire Weekend & Ben Howard. This heady hedonistic heaven got me thinking…

 

 So far, the immediate Olympic legacy has been most enjoyable, with the diverse nature of the Park’s Event calendar perhaps the most pleasant surprise. Yet, the best bit of the lot! Is the fact that this ‘Pop-Up’ perfect festival ground is wham bam in the middle of London’s east end bringing exciting arts programmes to the masses, a green playground which really shouldn’t be. Here lies the nation’s fascination and long may it continue!

Keep your eyes peeled for more thought provoking ‘Pop Ups’ as the trend continues to sweep the industry & nation.

 

Festivals Enhancing Experiential Value

Festival goers now seek that added value, the Wow Factor! Usually through the tantalising aspect of Theming, I’m a chuffing sucker for a hearty slice of themed cake…any chance to dress up & ‘act up’.

 To truly stand out in an already saturated summer music festival market, we’ve noticed the great efforts festival organisers nationwide are making to distinguish their events, whether by creating a niche for themselves or specializing in the wacky and wonderful. We’re huge admirers of the work these guys are doing, by creating experience that are memorable and special to keep ‘goers’ buzzing until the following year’s efforts. With such high experiential levels achieved, then consider the marketing campaign somewhat nailed.

Two Festivals this summer I’ve spotted are; The Playgroup Festival & The Boomtown Fair. (Follow Links for further amazement)

 

 The Playgroup was born from the quirky stirrings of Event Organisers in Brighton, staged in a secret Sussex location; attendee’s are grouped into tribes of toys, picked up and camped separately. Ranging from Toy Soldiers to Dinosaurs... even Barbie’s! Brilliantly the tribes are then pitted against each in a series of Playgroup challenges throughout. Whilst the ‘kool kidz’ from Brighton’s diverse music scenes entertain the lavishly dressed crowd. In a ludicrous lovely nutty-shell, every creative and experiential aspect of a summer festival has been absolutely amplified for the benefit of all fans of nostalgic fun.

 

Anybody partial to all things bonkers’n’brilliant from in and around Bristol will, know and love The Boomtown Fair. Think… Mad Max, think… fun loving zombies, think… the best futuristic apocalyptic world you’d ever want to imagine & BOOM! You’ve arrived at the Boomtown Fair. In a world where a bombed out Tesco’s Store becomes a Jazz Club, Inflatable Churches with Spaceman Pastors officiate legal weddings. Boomtown allows its attendee’s to utterly escape to the best rubbish future time travel, just for three days!

 

Sure, most festivals have SOME quirky factors/ areas, yet these guys can truly be considered the Pioneers upon principle of Perplexing themed events, Experts of festival Escapism, experiential offerings to the Extreme.

Long let the festival industries continue to take us away to worlds we could only dream of. Escapism is something we all seek from the events we choose to attend, if through our festivals we’re enabled to become futuristic zombie pirates for the weekend, let the experiential escapades continue!