by Now that 2019 is over, we’re taking a look at some of the biggest events of 2020. As an event planner, it’s important to learn from the best. These big events happening in 2020 might just inspire you.
Read on to learn about…
- Music festivals
- Food festivals
- Comedy events
- Sports events
- Conferences
- Fundraisers
- Wellness events
… and everything in between.
What can you learn from big events?
As an event organiser, you may not have the budget, human resources, connections, or experience to rival the biggest events that take place worldwide.
So you may be wondering why you should even pay attention to them. Is there anything a sole trader or boutique event planning agency can learn from these behemoth events?
Yes.
You might not match their scale, but you’ll be able to learn how they handle logistics, planning, promotion, and set up for specific event types.
When it comes to major events, there is a lot of money at stake. By observing what the organisers do well (and not so well), you’ll be able to draw on their successes and failures to fuel your own projects.
Take the Fyre Festival, for example.
It’s a worst-case nightmare scenario with plenty of mistakes that any event organiser can learn from. The events we’ll go over here will be the opposite, so you can learn from professionals that know their craft inside out.
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Biggest music events of 2020
There is no doubt that music festivals are among the most popular events worldwide. There will be no shortage of them in 2020, so let’s have a look at the biggest ones.
1. Burning Man
Every year, the organisers of Burning Man build a village in the Nevada desert from scratch. Over 70,000 people come from all over the world to live an alternative lifestyle for a week.
2. Glastonbury
Glastonbury is the biggest music and performing arts festival in the UK and has gained worldwide notoriety. Over 175,000 people attend each year and 2020 will be no different.
3. Fuji Rock
Skiing, wellness, and rock’n’roll…doesn’t sound like something a rock band would promote. Yet that’s exactly what happens every year at Japan’s biggest rock festival, Fuji Rock.
4. Coachella
Coachella has steadily grown into a cultural phenomenon in the US. Here, you can enjoy all genres of music and impressive art installations. You might even encounter Tupac.
5. SXSW
South by Southwest, commonly referred to as SXSW, is one of the biggest festivals in the US. It’s not only music, either. There will be fashionistas, filmmakers, and comedians. You might even bump into a celebrity or ten. More than 50 venues put on 2,000 artists and attract attendees from all creative industries.
Here’s how you can organise your own music event
Read our guide on how to organise a music festival, but be aware of all of the expenses it will incur. Starting small? Our guide on how to organise a successful music event is applicable to smaller happenings.
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Biggest food events of 2020
Foodies, rejoice! 2020 will be full of great food and drinks events across the world. There will enough to satisfy the taste buds of even the pickiest eaters. Let’s have a look at them below.
1. National Buffalo Chicken Wing Festival
Not only is the National Buffalo Wing Festival a celebration of buffalo wings, but it’s also held in the city of Buffalo. Practice beforehand if you want to win any of the eating contests.
2. Meatopia
American food festivals aren’t limited to the US. Meatopia has migrated to London, where the festival prides itself on sourcing quality meats and combining them with amazing drinks.
3. Vegas Uncork’d
If you thought Vegas was all about things you’d rather not talk about, think again. Vegas Uncork’d is a collaboration between local hotels and restaurants to create an epic food festival.
4. Tasting Australia
Australia is famous for its “barbies” (not the dolls), but Tasting Australia showcases the full range of Australian cuisine. Here, you can also experience masterclasses and farm tours.
5. Oktoberfest
If you’re confident that you can polish off a one-litre stein full of beer and still have room for sausages, make a trip to Bavaria where the Oktoberfest attracts 120,000 attendees.
Here’s how you can organise your own food and drinks event
Check out our guide on how to organise a successful food and drinks event so you have all the tools you need. We’ve even put together a dedicated Oktoberfest event planning guide.
Biggest shows and comedy events of 2020
Watching the news, you’d think the world is going to hell in a handbasket. Fortunately, there’ll be plenty of comic relief in 2020. Have a look at these major comedy events and other shows around the world.
1. Just For Laughs
The organisers of Just For Laughs have one mission: To make people happy. They’ve done that for over three decades—and 2020 will see over 100 acts helping them out.
2. Festival Fringe
Although there are quite a few Fringe Festivals around the world, the original one is in Edinburgh. In addition to comedy, it features a wide range of art installations and music performances. With a 400-page long festival programme, it’ll be one of the biggest in 2020.
3. Women in Comedy Festival
Men tend to do more stupid things than women, which has made comedy a male-dominated field. Women in Comedy bridges the gender gap by putting on the funniest women in the world.
4. Adelaide Fringe Festival
While the Adelaide Fringe Festival doesn’t rival the Edinburgh festival in notoriety, it does in terms of entertainment. No fewer than 5,000 acts will be present here in 2020, and it won’t be limited to just laughs. Expect bandstands and alternative art en masse.
5. Melbourne International Comedy Festival
If you think you can survive laughing through 6,000 comedy shows, you should check out Melbourne International Comedy Festival. It is the third-largest of its kind in the world.
Here’s how you can organise your own comedy event
Whether you want to put on your own festival or just hire a venue to organise a comedy show, you should check out our guide on how to organise a successful show for inspiration.
Biggest sports events of 2020
2020 will be a big year for sports, not least because we’ll see the return of the Olympic Summer Games. But there are also the usual suspects to keep an eye on. See for yourself below.
1. Olympic Summer Games
The Olympic Games came to Japan for the first time in 1964, and 2020 will see Tokyo hosting the games again. The city has promised to make these games the most innovative yet.
2. Wimbledon
Tennis fans will flock to Wimbledon in London once more in 2020. The event is so massively popular that regular people like us have to apply for a ticket using the public ballot application.
3. Grand Prix
There will be no shortage of Formula 1 races in 2020. From Australia to Abu Dhabi, there will be 22 Grand Prix races taking place from March to November.
4. Champions League
Although the Champions League stretches from this year and into the next, 2020 will be the year of the final match. This will decide which team comes out on top as the champions.
5. Super Bowl
2020 will mark the seventh decade of Super Bowl. Not only will NFL fans flock to the stadium, but companies will also shell out over five million dollars for just 30 seconds of advertisements.
Here’s how you can organise your own sports event
Chances are you don’t have the budget to put on a Super Bowl or Olympic Games. But you can still read our guide on how to organise a successful sports event for lots of helpful insights.
Biggest conferences of 2020
The business world will also be buzzing in 2020. There will be lots of conferences in the tech, PR, and finance sectors to attend and be inspired by. Let’s have a look at just a small sample of what you can expect next year.
1. Expo 2020 Dubai
One of the most hyped conferences that will take place in the new year is Expo 2020 Dubai. The organisers have enlisted Black Eyed Peas leader will.i.am to help them promote the event which is branded “The World’s Greatest Show.”
2. EMS2020 & EVENTtech
This double conference by Event Marketer is aimed at trade show organisers and event planners. It was a massive hit when it started last year. 2020 will see even more attendees join the conferences.
3. DeveloperWeek Conference & Expo
DeveloperWeek takes place in San Francisco and brings together over 8,000 software developers and tech geniuses to discuss the latest developments in the tech sector.
4. Social Media Strategies Summit
Any PR or marketing professional worth their salt will recognise the value of social media. And that’s exactly what the aptly named Social Media Strategies Summit will tackle.
Here’s how you can organise your own conference
We’ve put together several guides to help you organise a conference of your own. Check out how to manage a conference, how to put together a conference agenda, and tips on choosing the right conference ticketing system.
Biggest charity and fundraising events of 2020
Next year will see a lot of fundraisers and charity events hopefully repeat their past successes. We’ve had a look at some of the biggest ones to keep an eye on in 2020. There’s plenty to be inspired by as an event planner.
1. Museum of Contemporary Art Gala
Tourists from all over the world visit the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) every year, and the institution also holds an annual gala to raise funds to support their cause. Over $10 million was raised last year.
2. New York City Ballet Spring Gala
Ballet aficionados will want to check out the annual New York City Ballet Spring Gala, which last year raised over $2 million to support the ballet institution. The event features performances, a cocktail reception, and dinner.
3. The MET Ball Or The Costume Institute Gala
The MET, short for the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, holds an annual ball to raise money for the Anna Wintour Costume Centre. It’s organised by American Vogue and will feature various celebrities.
4. Macmillan Ball
Macmillan Cancer Support is a British charity that regularly teams up with the V&A Museum in London to host a spectacular ball. The event raises money to help the charity support cancer patients.
5. The Big Give
This annual online event is organised to help put a spotlight on local charities in South Central Texas. Past events have raised as much as $25 million in a single 24-hour period.
6. London Marathon 2020
Rhinos, whether native to Africa or Asia, are under threat of becoming extinct. Save the Rhino is a charity dedicated to conservation efforts, and the London Marathon is the biggest fundraiser that supports them.
7. Gamers for Giving
Gamers Outreach is a charity dedicated to providing children’s hospitals with entertainment devices, and Gamers for Giving is a massive LAN streaming party dedicated to raising the funds necessary.
Here’s how you can organise your own charity event
Because a lot of our readers organise charity events, we’ve created a comprehensive guide on how to organise your own fundraiser that will help you maximise the turnout.
Biggest wellness events of 2020
Wellness events are spreading like wildfires, and it’s easy to see why. With so much focus on personal health both in private life and in the workplace, there is plenty to learn and put into practice.
1. Boryeong Mud Festival
The annual Boryeong Mud Festival in South Korea is not only a popular summer festival, but it also features a number of wellness activities. All of which involve mud, of course.
2. National Wellness Conference
The National Wellness Conference in Orlando is an event that focuses on a broad range of wellness initiatives. These include projects in the public, workplace, and educational health sectors.
3. WELCOA Summit
The WELCOA Summit is focused on workplace health and wellness. Professionals can learn about the latest trends that will make professional life better and more comfortable.
4. The Big Retreat Festival 2020
The Big Retreat Festival in Wales is not only about wellness in general, but also yoga, gong baths, and breathwork. There will be over 200 exciting classes to participate in this coming year.
5. London Wellbeing Festival 2020
The London Wellbeing Festival is organised by Mind Body Spirit and will return to the British capital to celebrate all things yoga, vegan, and spirituality.
6. FITMIAMI Festival
This wellness festival rests on what it describes as the four pillars of health: fitness, nutrition, wellness, and beauty.
Here’s how you can organise your own wellness event
To help you out, we’ve put together a series of guides on how to organise a successful wellness event that you can use.
Ready for 2020?
The biggest events of 2020 are the result of many years of hard work done by event planners. If these events don’t inspire you to aim for greatness in the coming new year, we don’t know what will.
What kind of event will you organise in 2020? Leave your comments and share with the community in the section below this post.