Operations and Health & Safety: Mostly Jazz, Funk and Soul Festival
Background
Mostly Jazz, Funk and Soul is a three-day celebration of vibrant and innovative music in the picturesque surroundings of Birmingham’s Moseley Park.
This July, for the festival’s 14th year, organisers invited guests to enjoy over 90 acts across four stages, including KC and The Sunshine Band, Ezra Collective, Kokoroko, Jungle, Craig Charles, Fat Freddy's Drop and Crazy P Soundsystem.
Mostly Jazz is a family-friendly affair, with a selection of fun workshops and street food vendors available for guests to enjoy.
OPS has been working with the client since this festival started, and we have developed a strong relationship as a result of our services. This year, we were therefore requested to again deliver licenses in advance of the event, before heading to Moseley Park to provide on-site event health & safety services at the festival.
Challenges
The festival’s Main, Second and Off Piste stages were joined by new performance area, The Woods, which OPS was required to consider this while providing safety throughout the site.
Torrential rain and flash floods prompted the activation of OPS’s Severe Weather Management Plan. A full evacuation of the site was required on Saturday evening, which the OPS team managed while communicating with event organisers throughout. The festival reopened on Sunday, but another complete evacuation was required due to lightning strike concerns, before the festival reopened for the rest of the day. Throughout this time, an OPS health & safety advisor liaised with organisers to ensure essential communications were delivered to festivalgoers, ensuring their safety while on site, and during the evacuation process.
In previous years, OPS has only been required on site on the morning of the live event, to confirm the event is safe to go live. This year, however, the client was keen to keep OPS on site throughout the duration of the event to ensure the event went safely and smoothly.
Delivery
Effective implementation of OPS’s Severe Weather Management Plan on two occasions throughout the weekend
Safe evacuation of festivalgoers on two occasions
On-site Festival Health & Safety throughout the duration of the event
TENs license provided, enabling alcohol to be served at the event
Results
Audience attendees kept safe amid severe weather
Positive feedback from client, festivalgoers and in the media regarding management of evacuation
OPS’s precense for the entire duration of the festival proved extremely beneficial and the client is keen to continue to have the team there throughout in future years
We look forward to continuing to support the safe delivery of this well-established event