Festival Operations and Health & Safety: Halo Festival 2026
Background
On 4 July 2026, We Are OPS partnered with software company Halo to deliver the operational planning and safety management for the inaugural Halo Festival at Trinity Park, Ipswich. Working alongside The Fair, who led production and site management, We Are OPS supported the project throughout the planning, build, live event and break phases to ensure the festival was delivered safely, compliantly and efficiently.
As a first-year event promoted by a team with no previous experience of delivering live music festivals, Halo required an experienced operational partner capable of providing clear guidance, robust planning and confident leadership. Our team worked closely with the client from March 2026 onwards, developing an operational framework that enabled the festival to open safely while giving the promoters confidence throughout the delivery process.
Our scope included event operations, event licensing, festival health and safety, event safety planning, emergency planning, risk assessments, documentation and compliance, together with experienced on-site Health & Safety Advisors.
Delivery
- Delivered operational support from planning through to build, live event and break.
- Managed event licensing requirements and compliance documentation.
- Developed risk assessments and emergency response procedures.
- Provided experienced on-site Health & Safety Advisors throughout the event.
- Coordinated with the Safety Advisory Group (SAG), local stakeholders and food safety officers throughout the planning and live event.
- Provided Traffic Management
Results
- Delivered a sold-out inaugural Halo Festival safely and successfully.
- Positive feedback received from the Safety Advisory Group and Food Safety officers regarding the operation.
- Demonstrated the value of experienced event operations planning by adapting quickly to an unexpected transport change immediately before audience egress.
- Positive coverage generated across social media and regional media, including Halo Festival, BBC News and Halo Festival's official Instagram.
"Halo is a software company with no previous experience in delivering live events, so finding the right production partner was absolutely critical for us. From our first conversation with Nick, it was clear that We Group were the right fit. They understood what we were trying to build and guided us through the entire process with real care and expertise. Jules and Emma were outstanding throughout, from preparation and planning, through to the build, show day and post-event debrief. Their support gave us huge confidence and played a major part in helping Halo Festival feel credible, professional and well delivered in its first year. We are hugely grateful to the whole team and look forward to continuing to work together as we grow Halo Festival over the coming years."
