The Northumbrian Water Innovation Festival is a key initiative in Northumbrian Water Group’s innovation strategy. The festival fosters creativity, disruption, and collaboration to tackle major industry challenges. Now in its eighth year, the event has grown significantly, drawing thousands of attendees daily to explore cutting-edge solutions and ideas.
Newcastle Racecourse was chosen for its unique and expansive indoor and outdoor spaces, offering the perfect setting for an immersive festival experience. The venue has hosted the event previously and has evolved alongside the festival’s growth, adapting to increased delegate numbers and expanded event requirements.
Event Format & Highlights
The festival’s format included a mix of structured and informal activities:
- Pre-event setup: The client accesses the site three days before the festival for setup.
- Daily agenda: Mornings begin with a gathered welcome, followed by attendees breaking out into various sprint tents for problem-solving sessions.
- Evening entertainment: Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights feature live bands, Q&A sessions with celebrities, flash mob dance acts, and interactive experiences like a Formula 1 simulator and beer bikes.
- Special guest appearances: Olympians Harry Aikines-Aryeetey and Montell Douglas added a special touch to the event.
Catering & Hospitality
Catering played a pivotal role in the festival experience:
- Daily delegate catering: Newcastle Racecourse served 3,000 meals per day, offering diverse choices such as fish & chips, pizza & pasta, and rice & salad bowls.
- Continuous refreshments: Tea and coffee stations were available throughout the day.
- Specialty food stalls: An outdoor tuck shop, an ice cream van, a pancake stand, and a sweet shop added to the festival’s vibrant atmosphere.
- Evening dining: Bowl food menus and a BBQ evening complemented the entertainment offerings.
- Custom catering for young attendees: A dedicated catering package was created for the Young Persons event, which hosted 400 young delegates each day.
Sustainability & Logistics
As a zero-waste event, sustainability was a top priority. Newcastle Racecourse supported this initiative through:
- Efficient waste management practices to minimise environmental impact.
- Coordinating all outdoor structures, including 50 sprint tents, double teepee tents, outdoor stretch tents, and food marquees.
- Providing essential services such as security, medical cover, car parking stewards, and delivery coordination.
- Ensuring a seamless experience through a dedicated and highly responsive event team.
Challenges & Solutions
Managing an event of this scale required meticulous planning:
- Scaling up: The festival expanded from six small marquee tents to 50, accommodating a threefold increase in daily attendees from 1,000 to 3,000.
- Catering logistics: Efficiently serving thousands of delegates within a limited lunch window required precise coordination.
- Venue enhancements: The addition of an outdoor food village provided a fresh and engaging dining experience.
- Young Persons event: A new initiative for 2024, this programme required tailored catering and event logistics.
Industry Trends & Future Outlook
The success of the Northumbrian Water Innovation Festival reflects broader trends in summer events:
- Rising demand for outdoor spaces: Clients increasingly seek hard standing and grassed areas, stretch tents, teepees, and festival-style seating.
- Growing popularity of street food menus: Newcastle Racecourse has expanded its street food offerings in response to client demand.
- Surge in summer event inquiries: The racecourse has seen increased interest in outdoor festivals, corporate team-building events, and large-scale public gatherings.
The Northumbrian Water Innovation Festival at Newcastle Racecourse exemplifies how a well-matched venue can elevate an event’s impact. With seamless event management, a dedicated team, and a commitment to sustainability, YourVenue continues to be a preferred choice for large-scale, immersive experiences. As demand for innovative and dynamic event spaces grows, Newcastle Racecourse remains at the forefront of delivering exceptional event solutions.
