A Greener Festival (AGF) have announced all 25 winners of the Greener Festival Award since the schemes relaunch in 2016. These are the first events to receive this prestigious award since it’s relaunch last year, with additional requirements of events who apply.
An Awards ceremony for winners was held at EPIC, Eurosonic Noorderslag, in partnership with Green Event Netherlands on Friday 13th January, 2017. AGF Director Teresa Moore presented certificates to winners including Glastonbury Festival (UK), Das Fest (Germany) and Body & Soul (Ireland)
Co-Founder of AGF, Claire O’Neill said “Events who have achieved the Greener Festival Award 2016 have shown an incredible dedication to walking the talk, minimising the environmental impact of their events and using them as a positive and much needed portal for change. It has not at all been easy, with the most challenging assessments to face events in our 10 year history. We salute all of you!”
To participate festivals are required to complete a self-assessment looking at 11 categories of sustainability including travel & transport, waste, local ecosystems and external reach and behaviour. Independent AGF Auditors visit the event to inspect the actions on the ground, and work with the organisers post event to gather supporting evidence and data.
“After five years of raising the bar on the environmental and community impact of Green Music Fest, A Greener Festival challenged us to critically analyze all aspects of event operations. Bright Beat now brings this elevated level of awareness to all of our events, as 'a rising bar lifts all festivals” said Stephanie Katsaros, Sustainability Director of Highly Commended Award winner, Green Music Fest (Chicago, USA) and Bright Beat Founder.
And the 2016 winners are:
OUTSTANDING
Boom Festival (Portugal)
We Love Green (France)
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Cambridge Folk Festival (UK)
DGTL Festival (Netherlands)
Glastonbury Festival (UK)
Green Music Fest (USA)
Heart of Glass Heart of Gold (France)
Øya Festival (Norway)
Welcome to the Future (Netherlands)
COMMENDED
Bona Nit Barcelona (Spain)
Das Fest (Germany)
Extrema Outdoors (Netherlands)
Greenbelt Festival (UK)
Kew the Music (UK)
Liberation Festival (Netherlands)
Malmofestivalen (Sweden)
Northside Festival (Denmark)
Primavera Sound (Spain)
Wood Festival (UK)
IMPROVERS
Arla Food Fest (Denmark)
Body & Soul (Eire)
LaSemo (Belgium)
Metal Days (Slovenia)
Nozstock: the Hidden Valley (UK)
Paradise City (Belgium)
An insight to what these events are doing, and what is on the horizon for sustainable events will be presented at the 9th annual Green Events & Innovations Conference, London, 7th March, in association with the International Live Music Conference (ILMC).