Nationwide, UK, 17th December 2025
Due to significant growth and overwhelming demand in recent years, AIF’s Festival Congress will be an invite only event in 2026.
The annual B2B gathering for independent festival organisers in the UK will return to Bristol Beacon on Thursday 5 February 2026. Those who wish to attend the event should make an expression of interest via this form.
Festival Congress has a progressive and innovative format that includes lightning talks, breakout workshops, keynotes, fireside chats and a host of experts and inspiring individuals and organisations from across the festival and event world.
400 delegates will enjoy a full day’s conference followed by a social networking after party in the evening. Places are restricted to independent festival organisers and their teams, key supporting organisations and reputable festival suppliers.
The 2026 delegate list has already begun to be populated from within the membership of AIF Festivals and Suppliers, and includes festival representatives from Field Maneuvers, Heal Festival, Nozstock, Shambala, Show of Hands, Streets Eats And Beats, Valley Fest, The Fair, Wild Paths Festival and Y Not as well as suppliers such as D&B Solutions, Team Kinetic, Lewis Silkin LLP, Tickets for Good and Orbit Tickets.
Companies set to exhibit at the event include 1783 Insurance, AtVenu, Azorra, Crescat, Festival Pro, Lily, Stryve Energy, Tysers and Vikin.
The conference itself will include sessions on taking control of payments at events; a LIVE Trust roundtable, an extended marketing breakout, the now legendary ops breakout and a live podcast recording of When Sh*t Goes Wrong At Events.
There will also be dedicated closed roundtable sessions for event production companies as well as marketing agencies and festival marketeers, plus the ability to make pre-bookable 1-2-1s for dedicated time with Azorra, PRS for Music and others.
The conference will be followed by the infamous evening party at Lost Horizon curated by Global Local with live performances from Afro Cluster, Dogshow, Kray-Z Legz, Connect 3 plus Tarantism Acoustic Disco and DJs Si and Chris Tofu.
The following day (Friday 6 February) will be hosted by BIMM Bristol. The day will consist of a dedicated Connection Session for festivals and suppliers to meet with each other over a brunch with a handpicked cohort of 20 young emerging talent; and a Finding Your Way As A Festival Freelancer session – a free to access panel for the emerging talent of tomorrow to learn from current independent festival professionals.
For more information visit festivalcongress.co.uk.
AIF CEO John Rostron said: “Festival Congress grows in popularity every year and has become the most important industry event for independent festival organisers and promoters across the country. It is the physical embodiment of what AIF does – that is bringing the independent festival community together so that they can share, learn and lift each other up. We look forward to welcoming the best of the sector to Bristol once again in February, for what is sure to be another incredibly insightful gathering of like minds.”
