Overview
Organisation of events
Technical security
Logistics
Staffing
Catering
We tamed dragons or Lovestream festival 2023
The production division of Nefkus has a lot of projects under its belt, in which it has made sure that the stars shine on the stage and the happy faces of carefree visitors shine underneath. But the biggest challenge came on the wings of a kite in early 2023. We faced it head on and in return the Dragons built a festival grounds for 60 thousand people.
Source.
Three-day festival, three quarters of a year of preparation
The offer to collaborate landed in our inbox about eight months before the festival, and it took us about eight seconds to accept it. Right at the ninth we took over the agenda, which included the management of material, technical, logistical and personnel support for the construction of the entire festival grounds. The function of local site coordinator was given to Adam, who is the head of the non-fancy production division and thanks to his rich experience he knew exactly which cube of the kit should be placed first.
“We started work immediately and we have really ramped up the activities in the preparatory phase. For the first three to four months we were putting together all the preliminary needs and requirements of the individual organizational and technical components of the festival and we were constantly updating everything. In the last month before the start of construction, the logistics and various specifics and details that arose from the specific needs of the festival were already being fine-tuned,” says Adam, who with his team was able to react promptly to every single festival challenge. With Lovestream, he had the time of his life.
Material, technology, logistics and personnel under the baton of Nefkus
The young festival broke the record for the attendance of Slovak events in its second year and at the same time grew literally on a green field. It was transformed into a festival town by a sophisticated infrastructure that grew first in Adam’s head, then in Exel and finally in Vajnor. The excel table had four main sheets and countless rows.
Material security
The complex had to be built from the ground up. So we gradually brought in everything that made the bare surface into a festival runway in the spotlight. For weeks, equipment flowed onto the site – from the smallest details, such as non-woven fabrics to cover trinkets, to huge, large-capacity tents and artistic steakhouses. Toilets, sanitary facilities, containers and garbage bins, huge containers to create facilities for all the components of the festival, interior furnishings, furnishings and changing rooms were also being added to the area hand in hand with other preparatory activities.
Technical security
These included, for example, the preparation of the area, which after several months of work became a full-fledged festival grounds. After systematic mowing, cutting down of trees and compaction and levelling of the terrain, an honest orientation followed. The construction of such a colossus required the use of heavy equipment and mechanisation. Every category of equipment – from forklift trucks, to off-road telescopic handlers, to a 90-tonne crane – was on site.
Logistical security
Everything that was brought into the area had to leave it. And that required a detailed chart. The basis of all logistical operations was therefore the planning of deliveries and removals of materials and technical support, the entry and exit of contractors and all other components of the festival. The order was clear: no passage without permission.
Staffing
But the organizing team came through with flying colours. The core lineup consisted of about ten members, but in total we coordinated several dozen other macaques who worked at all levels of the festival hierarchy. “I was very pleasantly surprised by the whole team. It was the first time working together in this composition and they all worked together as one organism. They helped each other, complemented each other and during the whole festival there was not a single conflict or escalated situation,” adds Adam, who always chooses people for the team on the basis of strict criteria.
Years of experience behind the success
Adam has been in the world of festivals and events for about 20 years, during which time he has worked his way up through virtually every position. “I’ve tried everything from a garbage collector, to head producer or manager at my own events. And that is what I consider to be the biggest advantage in my job at Nefkus Production. I’ve experienced every single position within the hierarchy, so I understand what each job entails, what the pitfalls are and how to do it really effectively.” His experience and poise could be felt both on set and backstage. And it has been appreciated by the biggest names of the contemporary world music scene.
The management of Imagine Dragons sent a thank you email to the festival organizing team after the concert. At Lovestream they experienced the best and most beautiful backstage of the entire tour last year. According to their words, they have never encountered a similar level of service and hospitality.
Event full package
The Nefkus production team shoulders the responsibility for an excellent result with every production. Adam says that a man in his shoes shouldn’t miss a backpack with a good variety of “even” equipment. “Creativity, steady nerves, determination, loyalty, diligence, logical thinking, purposefulness, self-reflection, humanity, and managerial and organizational skills are a must in this industry. Sometimes you even need to be a diplomat, sometimes a psychologist.” We have tested this event full package at the biggest event in Slovakia so far. And as Adam says – it’s the experiences that move the ladder to higher and higher goals.
