Background
In 2023, the teams behind GALA and Bird On The Wire launched Rally: a brand new festival dedicated to celebrating London’s music and visual arts communities, all taking place in the beautiful surroundings of Southwark Park.
The event invited a wealth of talent spanning across genres, as well as local artists who ensured the entire site looked spectacular.
OPS and our sister agency The Fair have worked with the GALA team since 2016 – providing production, operational and health & safety services that enabled the event to become one of the most-talked-about festivals of the year. OPS was therefore selected to ensure Rally received the same professional services to deliver a successful event.
Challenges
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Storm Anthony triggered the potential for lightning strikes, meaning OPS had to be remain vigilant and ensure for our Severe Weather Management Plan was ready to activate at any moment.
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Southwark Park’s northern space hadn’t hosted a festival for years, meaning Stakeholder and Community Engagement was key.
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For this reason, Traffic and Transport Planning also required significant consideration.
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Enabling vehicles to deliver to this unfamiliar site, without disturbing local wildlife, nature and historic landmarks.
Delivery
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New premises license secured.
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Minimal damage to the park despite wet weather.
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Successful delivery of a brand-new festival in an unused space.
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On-site Health & Safety during build, live and break of the event.
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Smooth delivery of Operational Management services, as well as Traffic and Crowd Management.
Results
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Minimal disturbance to the park, wildlife and the community.
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A clear and safe site in just 30 minutes.
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Key stakeholders identified and relationships, which can be maintained for future events.
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Excellent feedback from the client, attendees, stakeholders and the media.
