Eventbrite UK’s Head of Festivals – Sally Pigott – talks us through the current trends that all aspiring pop-up event creators should be aware of when planning for 2018.

Pop-ups have long been a way for event goers to get a taste for the newest and most exciting events out there. As 2018 ramps up, here are some of the biggest trends we’re seeing in the pop-up and festivals space:

A new twist on an old favourite

With a seemingly endless list of experiences on offer for event goers at any one time, it can sometimes feel impossible to come up with a new concept that will catch people’s attention. When you need inspiration, look to events like Pop-up Painting – a painting experience in a relaxed, fun atmosphere…with a few glasses of wine thrown in for good measure.

Events like Pop-up Painting are a great example of how adding a unique twist to a proven concept can enable organisers to tap into an audience that wouldn’t have considered the traditional version of that event. By unlocking this new audience you’re in a prime position to get your sales off to a fast start and have a successful event.

Keep your eyes peeled for the latest drinks trend

Each year sees rise to a stand-out drink that takes the events world by storm. It started with Gin Festivals, then came the Rum Festivals – in 2018 we’re seeing the continuing popularity of Prosecco Festivals.

Prosecco Events UK are a sparkling example of the success you can have when you identify a new trend – their first event in just 2017, the organisers are already running Prosecco Festivals for thousands of guests across multiple towns and cities in the UK.

If you think you’ve identified the next big drinks trend, it’s worth thinking carefully about where you host your first event. The chances are someone has had the same idea as you – and these events tend to spring up in major cities. Give your event the edge by considering hosting your event in smaller cities or major towns – this allows you to target a large audience without having to compete with as many other events.

This approach can also work particularly well with drinks events because event-goers don’t always want to have to travel long distances to attend them – just make sure that there’s a big enough local audience of the right demographic to get the attendance numbers you’re looking for.

Appeal to the big kids!

Children’s events have long been one of the most popular and widely published event categories on Eventbrite, but in recent months, we’ve watched the rise of “children’s events” for adults. Events like The Labyrinth Challenge, the world’s longest, continuous inflatable obstacle course, tap into our desire to act like a big kid for the day!

If you’re interested in this angle for an event but want to tackle it tentatively, one option is to make your event family friendly, with separate sessions or days specifically for adults. The Labyrinth Challenge follows this approach, setting specific sessions towards the end of each day for over 18s.

Make your pop-up permanent

If you’ve started a pop-up event and hit on an idea that event-goers just don’t want to say goodbye to, it doesn’t have to end there. Ballie Ballerson started as a pop-up, and two years later it’s still going strong, with an evolved concept in a larger venue.

If this is something you want to consider for your event, start by looking at your sales velocity – is the event still as popular as the day it started? Is demand outpacing availability? If you think your pop-up can stand the test of time, consider whether you can evolve or tweak your concept to keep people interested and get repeat trade – this is also likely to lead to additional publicity which will help to boost awareness as you go permanent with your pop-up.

Instagram is the perfect platform to promote pop-ups, with opportunity for creative visuals and a host of influencers to make noise on your behalf – check out our Complete Guide to Instagram Marketing for Events and make sure that your event has an impact.

The above serves as a starting point for any aspiring pop-up event organiser – consider these trends as part of your planning process and we look forward to seeing the results! …maybe we will be adding your pop-up to our events calendar for 2018?