A Greener Future Unveils the World’s Greenest Festivals and Events for 2024
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Hey, music lovers and festival-goers! 🌿 Today we’re diving into something a bit different but oh-so-important—sustainability in the festival world. While we’re used to chatting about epic headliners and must-see stages, let’s take a moment to celebrate the events that are not just delivering good vibes but doing it responsibly.
Forty festivals and events from 14 countries have smashed it in 2024, earning AGF (A Greener Future) Certification for their efforts in reducing waste, cutting emissions, and improving equality and biodiversity. Basically, they’re making sure we have a planet to keep partying on!
What’s AGF Certification All About?
AGF Certification is like the gold standard for sustainability in the live events industry. It’s no easy feat to snag this title—festivals have to go through rigorous assessments covering 11 key areas, including travel, food, energy, waste, and community impact. This involves everything from self-assessments to on-site inspections and post-event data audits.
Claire O’Neill, CEO of AGF, summed it up perfectly:
“It’s amazing to see festivals going above and beyond what’s legally required to protect biodiversity, cut emissions, and create positive change. These events are holding themselves accountable and inviting external scrutiny, and we love to see it!”
Who’s Leading the Green Scene?
The crème de la crème—those achieving Outstanding certification—include:
- Green Gathering (UK)
- Øyafestivalen (Norway)
- Paradise City (Belgium)
- We Love Green (France)
Øyafestivalen, celebrating their 11th Outstanding certification, shared their commitment to minimizing their environmental footprint:
“We’re proud of this recognition and wholeheartedly committed to creating one of the most sustainable festival experiences in the world.”
Other big names in the sustainability game include:
- Highly Commended: American Express Presents BST Hyde Park (UK), Cambridge Folk Festival (UK), and Les Escales (France).
- Commended: Bristol Harbour Festival (UK), Sziget Festival (Hungary), and Green Man (UK).
- Improvers: Boomtown (UK), Primavera Sound Barcelona (Spain), and Telluride (US).
It’s worth noting that these festivals span all sizes and vibes—from boutique gatherings to international extravaganzas.
A Shoutout to OpenAir St. Gallen
One festival that went all out to achieve certification is OpenAir St. Gallen in Switzerland. They collected nearly 200 documents and hosted 11 in-depth meetings to evaluate their sustainability efforts. Talk about commitment!
Their team said:
“As a society, our sustainable goals can only be achieved together. This certification is a testament to our dedication to environmental protection and peaceful coexistence.”
Boomtown Festival (UK)
What’s Next?
The sustainability spotlight continues on 25th February 2025, when the International AGF Awards take place during the Green Events & Innovations (GEI17) Conference in London. Last year, Belgium’s Paradise City scooped the top award for its incredible vegetarian and locally sourced catering.
Applications for 2025 assessments are already open, so we can expect even more festivals stepping up their green game next year.
Why This Matters
Look, we all love a good festival, but the industry faces a lot of challenges—rising costs, environmental impact, and societal pressures. Seeing festivals take meaningful steps to create a greener future is something we can all get behind. So, when you’re planning your next festival adventure, why not give a little love to the ones leading the charge for sustainability?
Until next time, keep dancing and keep it green! 🌍✨
