Outdoor events can create a unique and exciting atmosphere, whether that’s a festival, community fair, sporting event, or an art exhibition.
The event industry suffered massively during the coronavirus pandemic but saw a dramatic rise in outdoor venues in the following years.
As one of the UK’s leading canopy designers and installers, we have collaborated with many hospitality businesses and sports facilities, so we understand the frustration that the pandemic brought to these sectors.
If you’re interested in the data surrounding these findings, then check out some of these stats below.
The Impact of Outdoor Events
1. In 2018 there were 141.5 million visits to outdoor events. (Source: Bournemouth University)
2. Outdoor music events and festivals provide the greatest economic contribution, with the highest spend per visit in 2018. (Source: Bournemouth University)
3. For over 60% of the population, outdoor events are deemed to be very important to them. (Source: Bournemouth University)
4. The area of the live music industry defined as ‘music tourism’ generated £4.5 billion in spend in 2018, rising 13% from £4 billion in 2017. (Source: The UK Events Report)
5. There are over 7000 major outdoor events each year. (Source: Medium)
6. Following the Olympics in 2012, the UK has established itself as a world leader outdoor events. (Source: Medium)
7. At the end of 2021, according to a survey commissioned by the UK’s DCMS, 96% of outdoor event organisers were experiencing problems with staff shortages. (Source: SportsPro)
8. The top ten events agencies turned over £3.5 billion. (Source: LiveForce)
9. 87% of people said that they attend outdoor events because it offers great entertainment. (Source: Bournemouth University)
10. The total spend on outdoor events in 2018 was £39.5 billion. (Source: Bournemouth University)
11. Nearly 70% of this total spend was on music and recreational outdoor events. (Sourve: Bournemouth University)
12. Outdoor education is part of British culture, with over 2 million children a year taking part. (Source: UKC)
13. At the beginning of 2020, experiential, open air, and live events had been seeing a great growth annually of around 8% in the UK. (Source: Access All Areas)
14. As of 2023, about 16% of the UK’s small music venues have closed or stopped putting on gigs, resulting in the loss of 4,000 jobs and more than £9 million in income for musicians. (Source: The Guardian)
15. The cost of living crisis in 2023 has resulted in many small music venues seeing an increase in bills of up to 30%. (Source: The Guardian)
16. An average of two grassroots music venues closed permanently every week in 2023. (Source: The Independent)
17. While the UK experiences all four seasons, summer is naturally the peak season for outdoor events. However, with proper planning and infrastructure like marquees, some venues can operate all-year round. (Source: Marquee Hire)
18. During the COVID-19 restrictions in 2021, outdoor attractions and drive-in entertainments were not permitted to operate. (Source: The Executive Office)
19. The coronavirus regulations initially based the determination of what should be considered an outdoor space. (Source: The Press and Journal)
20. An outdoor venue can be classed as an outdoor theatre, amphitheatre, street, or other improved area that is used as a public venue or forum to which members of the general public are invited to listen, view, or otherwise participate in an outdoor event that is organised, licensed, or permitted by the owner of the venue. (Source: Law Insider)
Invest in an Outdoor Canopy with A&S Landscape
Are you hosting a business event outdoors or a local festival of your own? Then we can help you to strengthen this experience. At A&S Landscape, we are passionate about providing outdoor canopies which are used by many clients up and down the UK.
Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with a member of our team today. We have every outdoor experience covered with a range of canopies, shade sails, and cycle storage solutions to meet any application.
