Festival Production Checklist

Running a festival without a production checklist is how you end up with blown breakers, feedback loops, and a stage that isn't ready when the first act walks on. We've built stages for everything from 500-person outdoor shows in the Poconos to productions at MetLife Stadium. This is the checklist we actually use, broken down by category so you can hand sections to the right people on your team.

If you're planning a festival in Pennsylvania, this guide covers every piece of the production puzzle. Whether you're building a stage in Scranton or running a concert in the Poconos, this covers sound, lighting, LED walls, staging, power, crew, and the day-of timeline that keeps it all on track.

Pre-Production (4-8 Weeks Out)

The production plan starts well before load-in day. Most of the decisions that make or break a festival happen in this window. Get these locked down early and the rest falls into place.

• Lock down the venue and confirm site dimensions. Get an accurate plot map with measurements. Mark stage placement, audience areas, vendor rows, power drop locations, and vehicle access points for production trucks.
• Confirm the artist/performer lineup and stage schedule. You need set times, changeover windows, and technical riders from every act. Riders tell you exactly what each performer needs for sound, monitors, backline, and lighting.
• Secure permits and insurance. Most municipalities require noise permits, assembly permits, fire marshal approval, and proof of liability insurance. Start this early because approvals can take weeks.
• Book your production company. Sound, lighting, LED walls, staging, and power should all be contracted at least 4-6 weeks out. Peak season (May through October) books fast. Bundling with a full-service production company keeps costs down and simplifies logistics.
• Create a detailed site plan. Include stage orientation (consider sun position for afternoon sets), front-of-house mix position, delay tower locations for large crowds, generator placement (far enough from the stage to avoid noise bleed), and cable runs.
• Plan for weather. Outdoor festivals need a rain plan. This means tarps or roofing over the stage, weatherproof covers for electronics, and a clear policy on when to pause or cancel for lightning.

Sound System Requirements by Crowd Size

The number one complaint at poorly produced festivals is "we couldn't hear the music." Sound is the backbone of the entire event. Here's what you actually need based on crowd size.

Key sound checklist items:

• Digital mixing console with enough input channels for your largest act (32-channel minimum for most festivals)
• Stage box and snake run (or digital stage box with Cat6/fiber)
• Monitor system: wedges, in-ear monitors, or both
• Microphone package: vocals, drums, instruments, plus spares
• RF coordination for wireless microphones and in-ears (critical when running 8+ wireless channels)
• Front-of-house tent or cover to protect the console and engineer from sun and rain
• Cable, connectors, adapters, and DI boxes. Always bring more than you think you need.

Stage and Lighting Design

The stage is the anchor of the festival. Lighting turns it into a show. These two go hand-in-hand because the lighting rig hangs from the stage structure.

Stage checklist:

• Stage size matched to your largest act's rider (minimum 24x16 feet for a typical band, 32x24 for larger productions)
• Stage roof or truss structure rated for the weight of your lighting rig plus wind load
• Drum riser (typically 8x8 feet, 12-24 inches high)
• Side fills and wing space for gear, cases, and quick changeovers
• Steps, ramps, and railings for safe access
• Skirting to hide cables, cases, and the underside of the stage

Lighting checklist:

• Front wash (audience-facing lights for visibility on performers)
• Back wash and uplighting for depth and color
• Moving heads for dynamic effects (beam, spot, and wash fixtures)
• LED bars or battens for color washes across the stage
• Blinders or strobes for high-energy moments
• Lighting console with a trained operator (not a "set it and forget it" situation)
• Haze machine. Lighting effects are invisible without haze in the air. This is not optional for a professional-looking show.

For festivals running past sunset, lighting design is what separates a forgettable show from one people record on their phones and post everywhere. Budget accordingly.

LED Walls and Video Production

LED walls have become standard at festivals of all sizes. They serve two purposes: IMAG (live camera magnification so the crowd can see the performers up close) and content display (graphics, visuals, sponsor branding).

• Screen size: For festivals, minimum 12x8 feet for side screens, 16x10 feet or larger for a center screen. The crowd needs to see it from 200+ feet away.
• Pixel pitch: 3.9mm or 4.8mm is the standard for outdoor festivals. You don't need tighter pitch at these viewing distances.
• Outdoor rating: Required. Indoor panels can't compete with daylight and aren't waterproof.
• Video processing: A video switcher/scaler to manage camera feeds, graphics, and content switching between acts.
• Camera package: At minimum, one front-of-house camera and one side-of-stage camera for IMAG. Larger festivals add a jib or crane shot.

For a full breakdown of LED wall pricing, see our LED wall rental cost guide.

Power Distribution and Generators

Power is the least glamorous part of festival production and the one most likely to shut your event down if you get it wrong. Outdoor festivals almost always need generators because permanent venue power can't handle the load.

Typical power requirements:

• Main PA system: 100-200 amps (three-phase)
• Lighting rig: 60-200 amps depending on fixture count
• LED walls: 30-60 amps per wall
• Backline and stage power: 60-100 amps
• Front-of-house, video village, production office: 30-60 amps
• Vendor row: Variable, but plan for 20 amps per food vendor at minimum

Power checklist:

• Generator(s) sized at 125% of your calculated load (never run at 100% capacity)
• Fuel plan for the full event plus a reserve. A 150kW generator burns roughly 8-10 gallons per hour under load.
• Licensed electrician on site for hookup, distribution, and troubleshooting
• Proper distro panels (cam-lock connections, not extension cords)
• Cable ramps over any runs that cross pedestrian or vehicle paths
• Generator placement: at least 100 feet from the stage to keep engine noise out of microphones
• Backup power plan. If one generator fails, what's your fallback?

Crew and Technical Direction

Gear doesn't run itself. The crew is what makes everything come together on time and sound right. Here's who you need on site.

• Production Manager / Technical Director: The single point of contact for all production decisions. This person runs the load-in schedule, coordinates between departments, and makes the call when something goes wrong.
• Front-of-House Sound Engineer: Mixes the main PA for the audience. Needs to be experienced with live bands and festival changeovers.
• Monitor Engineer: Runs the on-stage monitor mixes from side-of-stage. For festivals with 5+ acts, this role is essential.
• Lighting Designer / Operator: Programs and runs the lighting console. A good LD makes every act look different and keeps the energy moving.
• LED / Video Tech: Manages LED wall content, camera switching, and troubleshooting.
• Stagehands: 4-8 for a single-stage festival, more for multi-stage. They handle changeovers, cable runs, and general stage support.
• Electrician: Licensed electrician for generator hookup and power distribution.
• RF Tech: For larger festivals, a dedicated RF coordinator prevents wireless microphone and in-ear interference.

One of the biggest advantages of working with a full-service production company is that the crew comes with the gear. You get a team that already knows how to work together, and one phone number to call instead of eight.

Day-Of Production Timeline

This is a sample timeline for a single-stage outdoor festival with a 4:00 PM start and 11:00 PM curfew. Adjust based on your specific event.

• 6:00 AM: Production trucks arrive. Begin stage build and generator setup.
• 7:00 AM: Sound system load-in. Hang and wire PA, set up front-of-house.
• 8:00 AM: Lighting load-in. Hang fixtures, run power, focus and program.
• 9:00 AM: LED wall assembly and video system setup.
• 10:00 AM: Power distribution complete. All systems powered on for testing.
• 10:30 AM: Full system check. Walk the field and verify coverage, volume levels, and sightlines.
• 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM: Soundchecks for headliner and key acts (in reverse order of performance).
• 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM: Line checks for remaining acts. Final lighting programming. Crew lunch.
• 3:00 PM: Doors open. Security, vendors, and front-of-house staff in position.
• 3:45 PM: Production hold. Final walkthrough with production manager and stage manager.
• 4:00 PM: First act hits the stage.
• 11:00 PM: Last note. Begin strike immediately or secure gear for overnight and strike the following morning.

Build buffer time into every transition. Changeovers between acts should be 20-30 minutes minimum. If your schedule has back-to-back 15-minute changeovers all day, something will fall behind by act three.

Common Mistakes That Kill Festival Production

We've seen every one of these. Learn from other people's mistakes.

• Not enough power. This is number one. Tripping breakers during the headliner's set is a disaster. Over-spec your generators and bring proper distribution. Extension cords from a farmhouse are not a power plan.
• No production manager. Without a single person running the production schedule, departments work in silos and nobody communicates. Every festival needs a PM, even small ones.
• Skipping soundcheck. "We'll just line check and go" works in clubs. It does not work at a festival with a PA system throwing sound 300 feet across a field. Soundcheck matters.
• Ignoring the rider. When a headliner's rider says they need 12 monitor mixes and you only have 8, that's a problem you discover at the worst possible time. Read every rider early and flag conflicts immediately.
• No weather contingency. Rain happens. Wind happens. If you don't have tarps, weather covers for electronics, and a clear plan for when to pause the show, a 30-minute storm can destroy $50,000 worth of equipment.
• Hiring the cheapest vendor. The cheapest quote usually means the oldest gear, the smallest crew, and no backup plan. Production is not the place to cut corners. A failed PA or a lighting rig that can't handle wind load puts people at risk.
• Not enough changeover time. Twenty minutes between acts is a minimum, not a luxury. If your schedule is stacked with 10-minute changeovers, the show will run late by sundown.

Frequently Asked Questions