Staff planning for festivals: how to manage event crews

Every summer, the Belgian town of Boom transforms into a global hub for music and unity. Tomorrowland is more than a music festival — it’s a phenomenon. Now celebrating its 20th anniversary, the world-famous event sets the gold standard for immersive festival experiences. With over 400,000 visitors, hundreds of artists, and a temporary city built in De Schorre, the backstage logistics are just as complex as the show itself.

The story of Tomorrowland: two decades of wonder

Launched in 2005, Tomorrowland has grown from a Belgian event into a global brand — with spin-offs, its own airline, merchandise, and even a winter edition. Tickets sell out in minutes. Attendees come from across the world to be part of "The People of Tomorrow": a community shaped by music, imagination, and connection.

What sets Tomorrowland apart isn’t just the stages — it’s the flawless guest experience. And that takes intense preparation.

Festival logistics: what happens behind the scenes?

Think big: multiple stages, bars, food stands, artist logistics, security, sanitation, press areas, VIP zones — and more. Each section requires dozens, even hundreds, of workers across varied roles, shift times, and dates. Add last-minute changes, legal limits, and a rotating crew and it becomes one of the most demanding staffing operations in the world.

To deliver on this scale, trusted suppliers rely on CrewPlanner to keep their teams aligned — whether managing catering, cleaning or customer experiences.

CrewPlanner: the backstage assistant

CrewPlanner is designed for flexible teams in hospitality, events and service industries. It helps businesses to organize shifts, track availability, send updates and manage contracts — all in one place.

At high-pressure festivals, last-minute changes, no-shows and weather surprises are the norm. CrewPlanner brings structure to the chaos with tools that streamline:

• Staff communication
• Shift and project planning
• Availability tracking
• Last-minute replacements
• Contract creation and signing
• Dimona integration (Belgium)
• Calendar sync and reporting

Used across the biggest festivals

Across major festivals, suppliers use CrewPlanner to coordinate everything from food service to brand activations. With hundreds of flexible workers involved, the platform helps them schedule efficiently, reduce no-shows and respond fast to any challenge.

Whether you’re managing ten people or a thousand, the right tool makes the difference.

Smart planning creates great experiences

Festival success comes from creativity, planning, and collaboration. Behind the scenes, great tools keep everything moving. With CrewPlanner, companies can focus less on logistics and more on delivering unforgettable experiences.

Ready to bring order to your event planning?

Whether you're organising a festival, managing catering or leading a seasonal team — CrewPlanner helps you to stay in control.

• Save time on scheduling
• Communicate clearly
• Stay compliant
• Plan faster and stress-free

Curious how CrewPlanner can help your business? Contact us — we’ll gladly help you take the first step toward clarity and calm in your workforce planning.