By Al Turner, Marketing Counsel, National Outdoor Event Association
It has probably never been harder to deliver an outdoor event. Costs are rising, inflation is putting pressure on ticket sales, and the operational pressures on organisers continue to grow. And yet, at the same time, events have rarely been more important to the communities they serve.
Part of that comes from experience. In conversations across the sector, the same themes come up time and again. But it’s also backed up by research. The data is compelling. Study after study shows that events drive local spend, support jobs, increase footfall and contribute to the cultural life of towns and cities. Those numbers help make the case to stakeholders and local authorities, and they matter enormously. But they’re only part of the story.
Outdoor events sit right at the heart of the experience economy. They don’t just generate activity; they create moments that shape how people feel, about where they live, and the brands that choose to be part of that experience. We can measure attendance, dwell time, demographics and spend. We can map our ABC1 audiences and understand behaviours. And that data is essential, particularly when it comes to attracting sponsorship and commercial partners.
If you know who your audience is and can evidence their profile, you move from selling space to offering access; access to a defined, engaged and relevant community. For brands, that’s incredibly powerful.
And yet, some of the most important impacts of events are still the hardest to quantify. You can’t easily measure the pride a community feels when a much-loved event returns. You can’t fully capture the lift people get from being part of something shared.
Research tells us that live experiences create stronger and more lasting emotional connections than many other forms of engagement, and we see that play out every day. People remember being there. They remember the atmosphere. They remember how it made them feel.
That emotional connection runs deep. It builds loyalty. It shapes perceptions. And it influences how audiences feel about the brands and organisations that support those moments.
This is also where placemaking comes into its own. From a local government perspective, events are a policy choice. They support regeneration, boost visitation and help define the identity of an area. The evidence for that is growing all the time. But from an organiser’s point of view, placemaking is something more human.
Events remind people what a place is. They turn parks, streets and open spaces into shared reference points. They create moments of pride and belonging that communities carry with them long after the infrastructure has gone. That sense of place is a powerful emotion, and outdoor events sit right at the centre of it.
For sponsors and commercial partners, this is where real value exists. When a brand supports an event, it’s not just placing a logo; it’s stepping into an experience. Research consistently shows that positive live experiences improve brand perception and increase the likelihood of future engagement. People remember who was there. They remember who helped make those moments happen.
That kind of emotional association is incredibly difficult to achieve through traditional channels. And yet, in our sector, it happens naturally.
This is why organisers should feel confident in the value of what they create. If you understand your audience and can tell that story through data, demographics and insight, you’re offering something incredibly meaningful. Brands and businesses benefit from being part of these environments. They should recognise that, and they should be prepared to invest in it.
Because the reality is, without commercial support, sustaining events becomes harder. And without events, places lose something important, economically, culturally and emotionally.
At a time when delivery feels more challenging than ever, audiences are placing greater value on live, shared experiences. In an increasingly digital world, people want to be present. They want connection. They want to feel part of something.
Outdoor events provide that better than almost anything else.
So my message to organisers is simple. Know your numbers. Understand your audiences. Use the data to demonstrate your worth. But don’t underestimate the deeper impact of what you do.
That feeling has real value. It shapes identity, builds loyalty, supports places and creates lasting connections. At a time when it’s never been harder to put events on, it’s worth remembering that what we create matters more than ever, and it’s something partners, sponsors and communities should be proud to invest in.