Event Failure Examples 

Fyre Festival

When it comes to event failures, being one of the most infamous, has got to be Fyre Festival.

The failed event was an immersive music festival that had been promoted by the likes of high-end celebrities and models such as Bella Hadid, Kendall Jenner and Hailey Bieber. Subject to various documentaries, the luxury event was the most talked about festival of 2017, not because of the hype and fun experience, but for quite the opposite reason.

Upon arrival, attendees were shocked to see the low quality tents in contrast to the advertised luxury stay areas and the absence of catering services, leaving them only with the choice of sandwiches. From the lack of planning to guest accommodation the whole event was a TOTAL DISASTER.   

The Super Bowl Blackout

Another example of a big event failure is the Super Bowl blackout. The highly viewed sporting event featured a moment of embarrassment for the NFL.

The prestigious event was halted for a total of 34 minutes due to a power outage. According to the officials an “abnormality” in the power system triggered an automatic shutdown, plunging parts of the Superdome into darkness and leaving TV viewers with NO football and NO explanation why. 

Don’t worry, we’ve got you… Here’s how you can prevent event failures!

We have spoken to industry professionals in the events sector about why event failures happen, and have found that there are specific reasons why they happen and steps which you can take to prevent the diasters from happening: 

Overworking

Taking on too many responsibilities will not only lead to poor quality of work, but also increase the chances of mistakes and accidents.

Event professionals imply the importance of having systems in place to schedule work accordingly and not overloading – which can also lead to burnout*.

*Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress, therefore it is best to keep responsibilities at a sufficient level.

Gut Instincts

As humans, we tend to place trust in our gut instincts when it comes to unpredictable situations. Event creators believe this applies to events too, as an event organiser, you should be able to stand up for yourself and say no to clients with certain things you are not willing to do. 

Reactive Vs Proactive

Instead of lingering onto the past and responding to problems only after the damage has been done, as an event creator you should focus on the future and use a reactive approach to act before a situation becomes a source of a crisis. 

Here’s what you can take away…

Sometimes event failures can be inevitable, but there are ways to prevent mistakes that lead to these types of failure. Always trust your gut instincts, only take an adequate amount of tasks to avoid burnout, and try adopting the reactive approach into your work culture. 

Want to learn more?

We have a full e-book full of tips and advice on how to smash your event, and avoid future event failures, right here!