Crisis Comms for Food Festivals: Handling Foodborne Illness or Allergen Incidents

Food festivals offer a feast of flavours and fun, but they also carry unique risks. Foodborne illnesses and severe allergic reactions are among the most urgent crises a festival producer might face. In these scenarios, a slow or muddled response can endanger lives and shatter a festival’s reputation. On the other hand, a swift, factual, and compassionate response can safeguard your attendees and even strengthen trust in your event’s brand.

Preparing for such emergencies before they happen is crucial. Seasoned festival producers know that crisis communication isn’t improvised on the spot – it’s planned well in advance. This is especially true for food festivals, where every bite counts in terms of safety. From local street food fairs in Singapore to massive food and wine expos in California, the core principles remain the same: have a plan, communicate quickly, and stick to the facts.

This guide draws on decades of festival production experience across events of all types to outline how to handle foodborne illness or allergen incidents at a food festival. It covers practical tactics such as prewritten statements, contact trees, and rapid response strategies – all tailored to the food festival environment. Real-world examples from festivals around the globe will highlight lessons learned, successes, and pitfalls to avoid.

Understanding the Risks at Food Festivals

Foodborne outbreaks at festivals can arise from improper food handling, inadequate refrigeration, undercooked dishes, or contaminated ingredients. The results can range from a few upset stomachs to a major health crisis affecting hundreds. For example, at a large UK rock festival in 2024, over 75,000 attendees were present when dozens fell ill from suspected food poisoning – social media rumors claimed hundreds were sick, though official reports confirmed far fewer. The organisers, Live Nation, had vetted vendors and had health inspectors on site, yet still faced an outbreak. This shows that even with precautions, incidents can happen anywhere.

Allergen incidents are another serious threat. Many food festivals celebrate diverse cuisines, which increases the chance that common allergens (like peanuts, shellfish, dairy, gluten, or soy) might be present in dishes. A single mislabeled sample or cross-contaminated utensil can trigger a life-threatening allergic reaction in an attendee. Unlike a broad outbreak, an allergen emergency might involve one individual going into anaphylactic shock after a few bites – a nightmare scenario for any festival organiser. In 2019, a UK teen’s fatal reaction to an undeclared allergen in a restaurant meal led to “Natasha’s Law”, mandating clearer allergen labelling. Festival vendors must be just as diligent.

Why do food festivals need special crisis comms planning? Consider the environment: dozens or even hundreds of food stalls, bustling crowds, and often a party atmosphere. News of people getting sick can spread like wildfire on social media – and misinformation can swirl if you don’t get accurate information out fast. Additionally, food festival organisers are responsible for vendors’ compliance with health rules, so the blame (and media spotlight) will fall on the festival if something goes wrong. The international nature of many festivals (from Taste of Auckland to the Singapore Food Carnival) means attendees might be traveling from afar – a widespread outbreak could become national or international news.

Key takeaway: Expect the best, but plan for the worst. By understanding these risks, you can better prepare your crisis communication strategy to handle them.

Crafting a Crisis Communication Plan

Every festival – big or small – should have a crisis communication plan as part of its overall emergency strategy. For food festivals, this plan needs to address the specific scenarios of mass foodborne illness and serious allergic reactions. Here’s how to build one:

• Identify Potential Scenarios: Brainstorm with your team what could go wrong. For food events, top scenarios include: a widespread food poisoning outbreak (e.g. salmonella, E. coli, norovirus), a single catastrophic contamination (e.g. a batch of spoiled ingredients making many sick), an allergen mishap (like peanut contamination in a “nut-free” dish), or even a false alarm (a rumored illness outbreak that turns out unrelated to your event). Knowing the possibilities helps shape your messages.
• Assign a Crisis Team: Clearly define who will be on your Crisis Response Team. Typically, this includes the festival director/producer, the head of operations, the on-site medical coordinator, a communications/PR manager, a social media manager, and a security lead. For larger festivals, you might include a legal advisor and a liaison to local health authorities. Each person should know their role when an incident arises.
• Contact Tree: Develop a contact tree (phone tree) that lays out who contacts whom in an emergency. Speed is critical, so this should be a cascade of calls/messages that can be executed within minutes. For example:
• First responder (on-site) – The moment staff or medics identify multiple illnesses or a serious allergic reaction, they inform the Safety/Medical Lead immediately with key details (number of people, symptoms, location, etc.).
• Festival Safety/Medical Lead – Activates emergency medical services if not already done (e.g. call ambulances) and then alerts the Festival Director (or Crisis Manager) and Head of Communications at once.
• Festival Director/Crisis Manager – Convenes the crisis team (often via a quick phone conference or in-person huddle at the event control room). Assign someone to keep a log of all actions and times. The Director also notifies any on-site government officials or health inspectors present.
• Head of Communications (PR) – Begins drafting an initial statement (more on this soon) and alerts any PR agency or comms support on standby. They should also notify the social media manager to be ready.
• Liaison to Authorities – Contacts the local public health department or food safety authority to report the incident and ask for guidance. Early notification is key to getting expert help and shows transparency. In many countries (like the US, UK, Australia, etc.), health authorities will partner with you in investigating the source and providing public information.
• Vendor Coordinator – If the issue seems to trace to a particular food vendor or product, someone should discreetly shut down that vendor’s operations pending investigation. (In some cases, like the Download Festival 2024 incident in England, organisers pre-emptively closed two vendors as soon as they saw a pattern of illness.) This person will communicate with all food vendors about heightened safety checks and possibly pull suspect food from being served.
• Security Lead – In a severe outbreak, you might need extra security or crowd management (for example, if a particular stall is swarmed by worried attendees or if ill people gather at first aid stations). The security lead should ensure medical areas don’t get overcrowded and that any on-site announcement doesn’t cause panic.

• Ticketing/Attendee Communications – If you have a ticketing platform like Ticket Fairy with integrated communication tools, assign someone to prepare a message blast to all attendees (email or text) if needed. This can be crucial for post-event follow-ups (e.g. “If you attended on Sunday and ate at XYZ booth, please read this advisory…”).

• Predefine Roles and Backups: Your plan should list primary persons for each role and a backup person in case someone is unreachable. Festivals can be hectic, so it’s possible a team member is off-duty or in a no-signal area when crises strike – always have a second-in-command for each critical function.

• Information Centralisation: Determine where the crisis team will coordinate. For a big festival, you might have an Event Control room with radios/phones – that becomes the communication hub. Make sure all incident information flows to a single point (usually the Crisis Manager or a designated recorder) so that your communications stay consistent.

• Training and Drills: Once the plan and contact tree are in place, train your staff. Conduct briefings with all festival crew and food vendors about emergency procedures. It’s wise to run a tabletop drill before the festival: simulate a scenario (say 20 people coming down with severe vomiting) and walk through the communications steps. This helps iron out confusion and ensures everyone knows what to do.

Prewritten Crisis Statements (Press & Social Media)

One hallmark of a veteran festival producer is having prewritten crisis statements ready to edit at a moment’s notice. In the fog of an unfolding crisis, you don’t want to be crafting a message from scratch while stressed. Prewrite a few templates for the most likely situations, so you can fill in specific details and release them quickly.

Key elements of an effective crisis statement for a food-related incident:

• Acknowledgement: State up front what has happened, in clear terms. For example: “We are aware that several attendees have fallen ill with suspected food poisoning at the festival.” Or for an allergy: “Earlier today, one of our attendees experienced a severe allergic reaction at the food festival.” Recognising the problem shows you’re on top of it and prevents rumors from defining the story.
• Empathy and Concern: Show care for those affected. A simple line like “Our thoughts are with those feeling unwell” or “The wellbeing of our guests is our top priority” goes a long way. Be human – festivals are about community, and your audience wants to see that you genuinely care about attendees’ health.
• Actions Being Taken: Briefly outline what you’re doing in response. For a foodborne illness outbreak, this might be: “We have mobilised on-site medical staff to care for anyone who feels sick, and we are working closely with local health authorities to determine the cause.” If you’ve shut down a vendor or stopped serving certain foods, say so: “As a precaution, we have closed the stalls in question for now.” For an allergen incident: “Our emergency medical team responded immediately and the attendee was transported to the hospital. We are reviewing all food vendor ingredients and procedures on-site.” This reassures people that action is underway to contain the problem.
• Factual Clarity, No Speculation: It’s okay if you don’t have all the answers yet – say what you know and admit what you don’t. Avoid guessing the cause or blaming anyone in those initial hours, as facts can change. For example: “The cause of the illnesses is not yet confirmed, but officials are investigating. We will share more information as soon as it’s available.” This avoids misinformation.
• Guidance for Attendees: If applicable, tell people what to do. For instance: “If you attended the festival and are feeling unwell, please seek medical attention. We have first aid stations on-site at [location], and volunteers are distributing water.” Or post-event: “Anyone who attended on Saturday and ate from Vendor X’s booth should monitor their health and contact their GP if they experience symptoms of food poisoning.” Providing practical advice can also reduce panic – people feel more in control if they know the next steps.
• Contact Information: Provide a way for people to reach out. In a crisis, you don’t want a flood of confused attendees or media with no direction. Set up a dedicated info hotline or email. For example: “We have established a hotline at 123-456-7890 and email [email protected] for anyone with questions or who needs assistance.” Notably, after a serious salmonella outbreak at a Spanish food festival (Trasan Fest 2025), the organisers set up a special phone line and email to support affected attendees – a move that was praised for showing accountability and care.
• Promise of Updates: Let people know that this is not the last they’ll hear from you on the matter. “We will provide further updates as soon as we know more. Thank you for your patience and understanding.” This buys you some time to investigate while assuring the public you won’t go silent.

You should have a few versions of statements drafted: one for immediate use on social media (short and straightforward), one slightly longer for a press release or website update, and perhaps an internal one for staff/volunteers so they all have the same talking points. Keep the tone calm, factual, and empathetic.

Pro tip: Don’t forget to prepare statements for conclusion of crisis as well. For instance, once the cause is confirmed or the event is over, a follow-up message might say: “We have identified the source of the issue…” or “Health officials have confirmed the outbreak is contained. We thank everyone for cooperation.” If the festival continues the next day, you might add “Tomorrow’s program will proceed with additional safety measures in place.” And if you had a serious incident, a heartfelt apology or note of thanks to those who helped (medical staff, attendees for their understanding) can help rebuild any lost goodwill.

Responding Fast: The First Hour

When a foodborne illness or allergy emergency strikes, the first hour is golden. How you communicate in that initial hour can define the narrative and impact of the incident. Here’s how to make that hour count:

• Immediately Secure Safety First: While this is about communications, always remember that communications come after immediate life-safety actions. Ensure those who are sick get medical attention. This might mean pausing the music or activities briefly to make an announcement like, “If anyone is feeling unwell, please proceed to the First Aid tent located at XYZ.” Saving lives is the priority – good comms support that by directing people to help.
• Activate the Contact Tree: As outlined earlier, as soon as on-site leadership learns of the developing crisis, they should trigger the contact tree. Within minutes, your key team members should be informed and gathering either physically or via a call. This rapid internal communication allows you to pool information: How many are ill? Symptoms? Which vendor or food item is suspected? Is the festival continuing or do we need to halt anything? Quick intel gathering is the basis for your public messaging.
• Send a Holding Statement (If News Is Spreading): If it’s clear to attendees or already hitting social media that something is wrong (e.g. people tweeting “Is anyone else sick at XYZ Festival?!”), you cannot stay silent. Even if you have few details, issue a short holding statement on your official social channels and website within the first hour. This could be as simple as: “We’re aware that some attendees have reported feeling ill. Our medical team is on-site assisting and we’re investigating the situation urgently. We’ll update everyone as soon as we have more information.” This 3-4 sentence initial statement serves to acknowledge the issue, show you’re taking action, and promises updates. It prevents vacuum for rumors.
• Notify On-Site Attendees: Depending on the severity, consider an on-site announcement over the PA system or big screens, especially if you need people to take action (like avoid a certain food or go get water). Be mindful of tone: you want to alert, not alarm. For example: “May we have your attention: The organisers have received reports of some visitors feeling unwell. We have medical staff available at the First Aid tent by the main gate. Please visit if you need any assistance. We are looking into the cause and will keep you informed.” If the issue is isolated (say one allergy case and it’s handled), a public announcement may not be necessary; but if dozens are vomiting around the venue, you owe it to attendees to address it on-site.
• Leverage All Communication Channels: In a crisis, meet your audience where they are. Post that holding statement on Twitter/X, Facebook, Instagram – wherever your festival has an official presence. If you have a festival app or an SMS alert system through your ticketing partner, push out a notification. Emails can be slower, but for multi-day festivals, an email blast by end of day to all attendees recapping the situation and advice can be very effective. (Using a system like Ticket Fairy, you could filter recipients by those who attended on the affected day, ensuring the message is targeted.) The key is consistency – all channels should carry the same core message so there’s no confusion.
• Alert External Stakeholders: Quickly inform key partners and stakeholders before they hear it from the news. This includes sponsors, venue owners, nearby community leaders, and anyone with a vested interest. A sponsor, for instance, will appreciate hearing directly from you that “we have this issue but here’s what we’re doing,” rather than reading a panicked tweet first. Internal stakeholders (your staff, volunteers) should also be updated via a quick briefing or message, so they can answer questions accurately if asked by attendees.

During this first hour, it’s common for anxiety to be high. Encourage your team to stay calm and stick to the facts. If someone on the team isn’t sure about a detail, it’s better they say “we’re looking into it” rather than provide incorrect information. United messaging is vital: the festival should be speaking with one voice to avoid contradictions.

Fact-First Communication (Don’t Hide, Don’t Speculate)

In any crisis, especially one involving health, credibility is your currency. Festival producers must communicate facts as they confirm them, and avoid the twin pitfalls of hiding information or speculating without evidence.

• Transparency Wins Trust: It might be tempting to downplay an incident (“maybe it will blow over, let’s not mention it”). This approach nearly always backfires. If people are getting sick at your food festival and you say nothing, attendees will create their own narrative – perhaps an exaggerated one – and you’ll seem dishonest. Being transparent (to the degree possible) actually protects your reputation. For instance, when over 150 people fell ill with salmonella at Trasan Fest in Spain (2025), the organisers promptly informed everyone about the situation and collaborated openly with health officials. This open approach resulted in media noting how quickly the festival responded, rather than accusing them of negligence. Trying to cover up or stall only fuels suspicion and anger.
• Stick to Confirmed Facts: In the heat of the moment, misinformation abounds. You might hear unverified claims like “It was the sushi stand that did it!” or wildly inflated numbers of victims. As the official communicator, only share what you have confirmed through reliable sources (medical team or health department). If you don’t know yet what caused the outbreak, say so – don’t guess or repeat rumours. For example, a good line is: “We are aware of some reports on social media, but we are awaiting laboratory results to identify the source of the illness.” By being the source of truth, you help quell panic.
• Avoid Blame and Legal Pitfalls: Be careful about blaming a particular vendor or individual prematurely. Even if you strongly suspect one food stall, public accusations can have legal consequences if you’re wrong. Instead, communicate actions like “We have paused operations at several food stalls as a precaution while investigation continues.” Focus on behaviours not people (e.g., say “a batch of food” rather than “Chef John’s cooking”). On the flip side, if it is clearly your festival’s fault (say a refrigeration truck failed and food spoiled), take responsibility in your messaging: “We take full responsibility for this issue and are determined to make it right.” Owning the problem is better for long-term trust than dodging it.
• Use Clear, Jargon-Free Language: In crises, everyone from a panicked attendee to a concerned parent at home might be reading your updates. Avoid technical jargon or corporate-speak that can confuse or alienate. Instead of saying “We experienced a Level 2 food safety incident,” say “Some festival-goers got sick after eating food at the event.” Keep it simple and direct.
• Monitor the Narrative: Assign someone (often the social media manager or PR staff) to monitor news and social media for what’s being said about the incident. This helps you catch and correct false information. If you see a misconception spreading (e.g. people saying “the festival ignored sick people”), address it in your next update: “We want to clarify that medical help has been available on-site since the first report of illness, and we’re doing everything to assist those affected.” It’s often not productive to reply to individual rumors directly, but you can gently dispel them through official channels by providing the correct info.

Fact-first communication can be tough when emotions run high. But it’s exactly when things get tough that maintaining honesty and clarity matters most. Regular, factual updates will ultimately silence the noise and let the truth prevail, which in turn preserves your festival’s integrity.

Coordinating with Health Authorities and Vendors

Foodborne illness outbreaks and serious allergic reactions often involve external entities like health departments, food safety inspectors, or even police (if negligence or malicious food tampering is suspected). As a festival organiser, build a bridge with these authorities, not a wall.

• Notify Public Health Officials Immediately: In many jurisdictions, large events are required to have health inspectors or officials on call. The moment you suspect a foodborne outbreak, call them in. Their expertise is invaluable – they can help identify the source (taking food samples, etc.), advise on whether you need to shut down all food service, and lend credibility to your communications. Working alongside the local health department also shows the public you’re not hiding anything. For example, when an outbreak occurred at a county fair in California, organizers were praised for quickly bringing in the county health team, which then issued joint statements with festival officials about the ongoing investigation. A unified front with authorities can reassure attendees that professionals are on the case.
• Follow Guidance and Orders: If health inspectors tell you to close certain stalls or even to end the event early, heed their advice. It might be painful to cut a festival short or pull the plug on fan-favourite vendors, but safety must trump all. Your communications should reflect that you are following expert guidance. For instance: “At the direction of public health officials, we have shut down all food and drink operations pending a full safety inspection.” It shows decisive action.
• Maintain Vendor Communication: Your food vendors are your partners, and in a crisis they’re likely anxious too – after all, their product is under scrutiny. Keep them informed through the vendor coordinator or a group messaging channel. Advise all vendors to double-check their hygiene and stop selling if they have any doubts about their food. If the issue is traced to one vendor, handle that relationship with care and discretion. You may need to coordinate with them on recalling items or providing info to investigators. Importantly, avoid scapegoating in public. Even if one stall caused the problem, frame messages around solutions: “We have identified the source of contamination and that vendor is no longer operating at the event. All other vendors are being re-inspected for safety.” Internally you might be furious at the vendor, but externally focus on the resolution, not blame.
• Legal and Insurance Notifications: This is more behind-the-scenes, but part of your crisis team’s job is to inform your insurance provider or legal counsel early if the incident is serious. They can guide on statements from a liability standpoint. However, avoid letting legalese dictate your tone – you still need to sound caring and human in public communications, even if lawyers are advising in the background. (Many a corporate PR disaster stems from overly legal-sanitized statements that anger the public. Don’t fall into that trap.)
• Document Everything: As the crisis unfolds, keep diligent records: times of reports, actions taken, names of officials you spoke to, etc. Not only will this help in later analysis and any official investigations, but it also means your communications can be precise. If the media asks “When did the festival first learn of the outbreak?”, you can confidently say “At 2:30pm Saturday, when 5 cases were reported, and by 2:45pm we had closed the affected vendor and called the health department.” Detail demonstrates competence.

By cooperating fully with health authorities and professionally managing vendor relations during a crisis, you demonstrate leadership. Your public messaging can highlight this cooperation: “We are in close contact with the City Health Department and following all their recommendations.” Such statements boost credibility since people trust impartial authorities. It also shares a bit of the burden – you’re not alone in solving this, you have experts involved.

Tailoring the Response: Large Festival vs. Boutique Event

The scale of your food festival will influence how you execute crisis communications, though the core principles remain consistent. Let’s explore some differences and considerations based on event size and scope:

• Large International Festivals: Big events (like an international street food congress or a major city’s food and wine festival) have large crowds and consequently bigger potential outbreaks. News from these events can quickly hit national or even global media. For large festivals:
• Dedicated Comms Team: You likely have a whole communications team or agency on-site. Use them – assign one person to media inquiries, another to social media monitoring, etc. The volume of communication needed will be higher.
• Press Conferences: If an incident is major, consider holding a brief press conference or media briefing on-site once you have the basic facts. This ensures accurate info goes out to all reporters at once. Have your festival director or head of communications speak alongside a public health official for added authority. For example, after a high-profile outbreak at a big food fair in Sydney, the festival’s CEO and a NSW Health spokesperson did a joint press briefing which was very effective in answering questions and demonstrating transparency.
• Crisis Comms War Room: For multi-day festivals, set aside a space (physical or virtual) for the crisis team to meet regularly as updates come in. In a large event, things change fast – maybe hospital numbers rise, or lab results come back. Convene your team perhaps every hour to regroup and adjust messages.

• Global Audience Messaging: If attendees flew in from other countries, your communication might need to extend beyond local channels. Posting updates in multiple languages (if you had a significant international audience) or notifying foreign partners (like tour operators or travel agents involved in attendee packages) could be considerate.

• Small Local Festivals: A boutique food festival or local event might have fewer attendees (hundreds or low thousands) and modest reach. But crisis comms are no less important – in some ways, the community aspect can make mishandling more damaging since word-of-mouth in a small community is powerful. For smaller events:

• Personal Touch: You might communicate in a more personal, informal tone as fits your community. For instance, a farmers’ market food fair in a small town can use the town’s Facebook group to update residents, with the organiser speaking directly (“This is Jane from the Downtown Food Fest – I want to let you know what happened and what we’re doing…”). This transparency in a tight-knit community can garner a lot of support and forgiveness if done sincerely.
• Local Media and Channels: Ensure you contact local newspapers or radio quickly to get your statement out. Many locals might rely on these sources more than national news or Twitter. If you have contacts at the local news station due to event publicity, call them as soon as you have a statement – they’ll appreciate being looped in and may even help dispel rumors by broadcasting accurate info.
• Limited Staff, Multiple Hats: In a small festival, one person may be handling multiple roles (the organiser might also be the PR lead). Here it’s important to prioritise and possibly seek help. If you’re overwhelmed addressing the crisis and talking to sick attendees, maybe delegate someone (a volunteer or colleague) to handle posting updates, or request the local authority’s spokesperson to take on more of the public info role. Don’t be afraid to ask for help from partners when resources are thin.

• Aftermath in the Community: Small festivals often plan to return annually to the same town. Your crisis comms should aim to maintain goodwill so the community feels safe attending future events. This might involve a town hall meeting or public forum later on to discuss what happened, especially if the incident was severe. Community engagement and willingness to listen can turn a bad situation into something that ultimately improves trust. Imagine a scenario where after a food scare, you invited attendees and vendors to a post-mortem discussion, showing you value their input – that can win back hearts.

• Different Audience Demographics: Also consider the audience. A family-friendly food festival (with kids, elderly) might require extra-sensitive communications: parents will want to know specifics to protect their kids, so mention things like “we have baby-safe rehydration fluids at first aid” or “pediatric care is available at the medical tent” if relevant. A food festival geared toward young adults might rely more on rapid-fire social media updates since that’s where that crowd gets info. Always tailor your tone and channels to the people you’re serving.

Regardless of size, one commonality is empathy and responsiveness. Whether you’re addressing 500 people or 50,000 people, those affected by a crisis want to feel heard and helped. Scale your communication methods up or down, but never scale down the empathy.

Learning from Crises: Post-Incident Recovery

Once the immediate crisis has passed – the illnesses have been contained, the festival is over or the day’s activities wrapped – the work isn’t completely done. How you handle the after-crisis period can influence long-term perceptions and your own team’s growth. Here’s what to focus on:

• Debrief with Your Team: Gather your core festival team and review the incident in detail. This should happen soon after (within a week) while memories are fresh. Discuss questions like: What went well in our response? What could we have done better or faster? Did everyone know their role? Were our statements effective? Be honest and focus on improvement, not blame. For example, you might find that the contact tree had a gap (maybe a key person didn’t get the call in time, suggesting the need for an alternate contact method or backup). Or perhaps media feedback indicated your first statement lacked information – so next time you’ll include a specific detail. Document these lessons learned and update your crisis plan accordingly.
• Follow Up with Affected Attendees: A truly compassionate festival organiser goes beyond just managing PR – remember the people who were hurt. If many people got sick, consider a follow-up email or call to those individuals (if you can obtain their contacts through ticketing or health dept). Express sympathy, give any new information on what happened (like test results that found the cause), and if possible, offer something: a refund, future event discount, or even assistance with medical costs if you’re in a position to. This can turn angry victims into loyal fans because they feel cared for. One example is a food festival in Canada that had a contamination issue; the organisers emailed every ticket holder acknowledging the incident and provided a voucher for a free admission next year plus a sincere apology. Many recipients commented publicly that the gesture was classy and restored their faith in the event.
• Public Post-Mortem Statement: Issue a wrap-up communication to the public and media once you have full clarity. This could be a press release or blog post on the festival website. It should include: a summary of what happened, the confirmed cause (if known: e.g. “lab tests confirmed the presence of salmonella in a batch of chicken from Vendor X”), the outcome for those affected (without breaching privacy: e.g. “all those who fell ill have recovered or are receiving care; no long-term complications reported”), and most importantly, what measures you are taking to prevent this from happening again. That might be new hygiene rules, requiring allergen labels for all vendors, hiring more food safety officers for future events, etc. By closing the loop like this, you demonstrate accountability.
• Media Relations Aftermath: If the incident was newsworthy, consider giving a follow-up interview or statement to key media outlets that covered it, focusing on the solutions. For instance, festival producer [Your Name] might speak to a journalist: “We were devastated by what happened, but we’ve done X, Y, Z to ensure our next festival is safer than ever.” This frames you as proactive and earnest. It can also be a chance to thank the responders (medical team, volunteers, etc.) publicly.
• Rebuilding Marketing and Trust: A crisis can dent ticket sales for the next edition of your festival if people fear getting sick. Your marketing team should integrate the safety improvements into the messaging. Not in a defensive way, but confidently: for example, “New for next year: Enhanced Safety Measures – we’re partnering with [Local Hospital] for on-site care, doubling our food inspections, and more, to make sure you feast safely.” Show that you took the incident seriously and acted. Additionally, leverage any positive community engagement: if attendees praise how you handled the crisis, highlight those testimonials (with permission) – e.g. a social post: “After what happened, I was so impressed that the festival staff checked on us and gave us answers – definitely coming back next year!” Such word-of-mouth can be powerful to counter lingering concerns.
• Mental Health Check for Staff: Crisis response is stressful. Check in on your team members who were on the front lines of dealing with the ill attendees, upset vendors, or media frenzy. In the adrenaline of the moment, they might cope, but afterward some could feel burnout or guilt (“Could we have prevented this?”). Acknowledge their hard work, ensure nobody is beating themselves up unfairly, and if needed, bring in a counsellor for a debrief session especially if the incident involved fatalities or severe trauma. A caring leader looks after their team’s well-being, which in turn fosters loyalty and readiness to handle future challenges together.

Remember, mistakes and crises can be incredible teachers. Many veteran festival producers attribute their most robust safety practices to lessons learned the hard way in an incident. By treating a crisis as a learning opportunity, you ensure that your next event will be safer and smoother. In fact, a well-handled crisis – where people see that you did the right things – can sometimes enhance your reputation as a responsible organiser.

Key Takeaways for Festival Producers

• Have a Plan: Don’t wait for disaster to strike. Develop a detailed crisis communication plan for foodborne illness and allergen emergencies, and train your team on it. Preparation saves precious time in a real incident.
• Prewrite Your Messages: Craft template statements for various scenarios (outbreak, allergic reaction, etc.) before the festival. In a crisis, you can plug in specifics and communicate swiftly rather than starting from zero.
• Establish a Contact Tree: Know exactly who contacts whom when trouble hits. A clear contact tree and assigned roles (with backups) ensures no time is lost figuring out who should do what.
• Act Fast and Be Transparent: In an emergency, speed of communication is vital. Acknowledge the issue quickly (within the first hour or less) on public channels with honest, factual information. Don’t let silence or rumors fill the void.
• Prioritize Attendee Safety: Show empathy and put attendee well-being first in all messaging. Provide guidance (e.g. where to get help) and demonstrate that actions are being taken (medical response, investigation, etc.).
• Stick to Facts, No Speculation: Only share confirmed information. Avoid guessing the cause or blaming parties until you have evidence. Misinformation can worsen the crisis and damage credibility.
• Use Multiple Channels Consistently: Reach attendees through every relevant channel – on-site announcements, social media, emails, texts – to ensure important messages get through. Keep the message consistent across all platforms.
• Coordinate with Authorities: Work hand-in-hand with health inspectors and emergency services. Follow their guidance and include their input in communications for added credibility and effectiveness.
• Learn and Improve: After the crisis, debrief thoroughly. Update your safety and communication protocols based on lessons learned. Follow up with those affected and the community to rebuild trust and show you care.
• Stay Human: Throughout all communications, speak as a caring, responsible festival organiser (which you are!). A compassionate, transparent approach not only manages the immediate crisis but can also turn attendees into lifelong fans for how you handled a tough situation.

By internalising these lessons and strategies, the next generation of festival producers can confidently face even the toughest food-related crises. Food festivals are about celebrating community and culture through cuisine – with robust crisis communication practices, you can ensure that even if something goes wrong, that sense of community trust remains strong. Here’s to safe, successful, and well-prepared festivals ahead!