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UK Festival Award final shortlists announced

Summer Festival Guide

The following shortlists were decided by the online public vote:
 
Best Major Festival
 
In association with: PlugGo
 
For festivals with a daily capacity of 40,000 or above. The giants of the festival scene playing host to the world’s biggest acts, tens of thousands of people and multiple arenas across sites that sprawl for acres. Like popup small cities, the largest festivals are a regular pilgrimage and a rite of passage for many. But which one is the best of the big daddies?
 

 
Last year’s winner: Download
 
Best Medium-Sized Festival
 
In association with: Eventbrite
 
For festivals with a daily capacity of 10,000 to 39,999. Not as large as the giants, but by no means in their shadow, these colourful and diverse events provide a more boutique feel, and a more intimate experience. Many start life much smaller, but have grown to this size due to their popularity. Some will keep expanding and join the ranks of the majors, others will settle happily into their niche and stay there. Who will pick up the prize this year?
 

 
Last year’s winner: Kendal Calling
Best Small Festival
 
Often quirky, due to a personal touch and grassroots appeal, the cosiness and sense of community at these festivals is second to none for many people. This award celebrates those who stick to the mantra that small is beautiful.
 

 
Last year’s winner: Bearded Theory
 
Best New Festival
 
In association with: ID&C
 
Once again, some excellent new events were launched this year, bravely taking on those with established reputations. Bringing a fresh take, new music and alternative audiences to the festival scene, which one have you already put in your diary for next time?
 

 
Last year's winner: We Are FSTVL


Best Family Festival
 
Growing up doesn't mean you have to stop going to festivals – it just gives you a great opportunity to bring your kids! Every year, there seems to be more and more children at festivals, with increasingly impressive areas and facilities for kids reflecting this growth. Games, workshops, kid zones and activities for youngsters all combine to make their weekend a memorable one – and often a much easier one for mums and dads. Which festival was the most enjoyable for kids and parents this year?
 

 
Last year’s winner: Camp Bestival
 
Best Metropolitan Festival
 
Using the existing infrastructure of a town’s venues, this sector is growing thanks to no need for camping, very little threat from the weather and the ability to take place at any time of the year. Sold either on a show-by-show basis, or an all encompassing wristband, they give people chance to see multiple acts in the comfort of the indoors. Which one had you ditching green fields for the concrete jungle?
 

 
Last year’s winner: Dot To Dot
 


Best Dance Event
 
In association with: XL Video
 
Tribes have been gathering to dance in fields for millennia. More recently, growing numbers of events solely dedicated to electronic music have been forging a name for themselves as crowds look to dance the day – and night – away to everything from techno to trance and dubstep to house. Which one had you reaching for the lasers?
 

 
Last year’s winner: Creamfields
 
The Grass Roots Festival Award
 
Often the best small festivals spring from an organic labour of love and a long-time dream which has been shared by thousands more. These festivals should be celebrated, not just for the courage, vision, commitment and often personal sacrifice invested by their organisers, but also because they never forget where they’ve come from, supporting their local communities and new music along the way while retaining an independent spirit and resisting commercial saturation. All hail the grass roots festivals and their creators!
 

 
Last year’s winner: 2000Trees
 


Best Overseas Festival
 
In association with: Yourope
 
Increasing numbers of Brits are heading abroad for their festival fix, choosing a different culture, new surroundings or sometimes just more reliable weather over home events. Some have become household names the world over for their international appeal and some even have more Brits in attendance than many homegrown medium sized festivals. Which one will be voted top by the fans?
 

 
Last year’s winner: Snowbombing (Austria) 
 
Best Toilets
 
Always one of the most talked-about issues at festivals, whether it’s pongy portable loos, the lingering longdrops or the unpleasant urinals, all festival toilets tang, but some more than others. Which festival boasted the cleanest cans and quickest queues?
 

 
Last year’s winner: ArcTanGent
 


Headline Performance of the Year
 
In association with: SnoozeBox (curated by Gigwise)
 
A killer headline performance can be talked about for years to come, etched into musical history as one of those “I was there” moments. To succeed requires energy, musicianship, dedication, creativity and a fortuitous coming together of time and space. Some acts may be regulars on the festival circuit, but which one nailed it?
 

 
Last year’s winner: Arctic Monkeys at Glastonbury
 
Best Breakthrough Artist
 
In association with: Last.fm (curated by Drowned In Sound)
 
New talent is the lifeblood of the festival scene and smaller events and stages are abound with fresh acts hoping to catch the ears of the masses of music-lovers, and secure their place on the road to becoming tomorrow’s headliners. This award celebrates the ones that managed to get the fans and critics to sit up and pay attention.
 

 
Last year’s winner: Rudimental
 


Anthem of the Summer
 
In association with: Clash Magazine
 
The ultimate test of any song is how it’s received live – and there’s no better place than at festivals. While thousands of great records have been lapped up by millions over the summer, a few stood out as true classics, creating defining festival moments and were sung all the way back to the campsite. Which was your fave?
 

 
Last year’s winner: Daft Punk – ‘Get Lucky’
 
 
The following more specialist awards are decided by panels of industry experts:
 
Line-Up Of The Year
 
Picking the right bill will make or break a festival – no mean feat when there are hundreds of others trying to better you and a decreasing pool of established acts to bid on. Whether it’s about securing the biggest names in the world, putting together special collaborations, or just knowing what the audience wants, our judges are looking for the festival which displayed the most vision when booking acts.
 

 
Last year’s winner: Latitude
 


Best Use of New Technology
 
In association with: White Light
 
Technological innovation is one of the strongest forces propelling the festival marketplace forward at this time. Whether it’s applied to help organisers forge closer relationships with their audiences outside the event or to enhance visitor experiences and operational efficiencies on-site, many new and groundbreaking tools are entering the market, and some of these will forever change the way that festivals are produced and experienced. This award recognises the individual application of new technology at a specific event that offers the greatest promise for the future of the market as a whole.
 
Bestival – For their fan ambassador scheme using an online platform provided by The Physical Network
 
Creamfields – For its epic live Youtube stream covering every stage of the festival
 
Eden Sessions – For their live global broadcast on Youtube delivered in association with Asus
 
Liverpool Sound City – For their iOS-integrated itinerary scheduling system
 
Lovebox – For their mobile audience engagement platform delivered in association with HTC using technology provided by Airbeem
 
The Parklife Weekender – For their revolutionary substance-analysis system supplied by The Loop and working with Greater Manchester Police
 
Salford Music Festival – For its smart, integrated ‘Event1’ event management system provided by 1SecureWeb
 
V Festival – For their ‘FanPic’ social engagement application, delivered in cooperation with Ticketmaster
 
Wireless Festival – For their smart visitor tracking system provided by Crowd Connected working with Eventbase
 
Y01 Festival – For its new queue-busting electronic access control system delivered by We Scan Tickets
 
Last year’s winner: Intelligent Venue Solutions on behalf of Barclaycard at Barclaycard British Summer Time (Hyde Park)
 


Agency of the Year
 
In association with: IQ Magazine
 
Recognising the booking agency responsible for making the greatest positive contribution to this summer’s festival content.
 

 
Last year’s winner: CODA
 
 
Concession of the Year
 
Food, drink, cash machines, merchandise: the essentials that keep festival-goers on their feet not only provide an essential source of income for festivals, but can also make a huge difference to the overall colour of an event. Concession staff are there day and night, rain or shine, with a smile and good humour, and this Award acknowledges the hard work they do and the importance of concession at festivals.
 

 
Last year’s winner: Strumpets With Crumpets
 


The Greener Festival Award
 
In association with: Bucks New University
 
The Red Kite mark is awarded by www.agreenerfestival.com on the basis of a questionnaire and where possible an environmental assessment. All festivals must demonstrate that they have coherent green policies promoting environmental efficiency and sustainability, including issues such as CO2 emissions, waste management and recycling. Which is the Greenest of them all?
 

 
Last year’s winner: Shambala Festival
 
 
The Extra-Festival Activity Award
 
Music may be the vital heartbeat of all our festivals, but it’s often the “extras”, such as pop-up performances, mass participation games, quirky installations or just spectacular attention to detail which fill heads and cameras with memories that last a lifetime. There are so many unique and wonderful creative elements at festivals, but which one was extra special?
 

 
Last year’s winner: Wilderness
 


Promoter of the Year
 
In association with: Peppermint Bars
 
Recognising the festival organiser who has produced an outstanding event, overcome adversity, or truly gone above and beyond the call of duty and pulled something phenomenal out of the bag. There’s always at least one each year, often several so this one is often a very tough call for judges.
 

 
Last year’s winner: Paddy Glasgow (Glasgowbury)
 
The Outstanding Contribution to Festivals Award
 
In association with: Intelligent Venue Solutions
 
Dedicated to an individual whose personal vision and energy has propelled the entire festival marketplace forward in a dynamic, creative and positive way.
 
Winner to be announced in due course.
 
Last year’s winner: Fiona Stewart (Green Man)

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