How Pukkelpop powered seamless festival operations at scale
- Country
Belgium- Website
- www.pukkelpop.be
- Visitors
- 250,000+
Pukkelpop, one of Belgium’s biggest music festivals. For years, they worked on a custom-designed platform. In 2024, they made the decision to switch to In2event’s event management platform. Hosting over 66,000 visitors daily, the festival needed a trustworthy new platform, robust enough to handle staff and operations smoothly.
Client challenges
With over 15,000 people involved in the festival’s production alongside daily visitors, Pukkelpop faced several major challenges:
- Managing the registration and coordination of staff, volunteers, guests, and vendors.
- Finding a way to allow staff to clock in and out 24/7 while minimizing manual oversight.
- Streamlining documentation for contracts, permits, and agreements with external suppliers and partners, which typically required tracking hundreds of emails.
- Effectively managing a huge staff and volunteer base, ensuring they could input their preferences for work schedules, accommodation, childcare, and team placement.
- Ensuring check-ins were quick and easy without overwhelming the staff.
Provided solutions
Streamlined registration
Pukkelpop’s registration process for staff and volunteers was simplified through In2event’s centralized Registration & Planning tool.
- Customizable profiles: Staff and volunteers registered with specific details like work schedules, accommodation needs, and team preferences, allowing organizers to meet individual requirements easily.
- Reduced admin workload: Centralized information eliminated back-and-forth coordination, freeing up time for other festival operations.
In addition, In2event streamlined vendor management by centralizing all communication and documentation. Vendors received request forms through the platform to easily submit essential details, while contracts, agreements, and permits were managed in one location, ensuring smooth and efficient coordination with suppliers.
Self-service kiosk screens
Pukkelpop deployed ten self-service kiosk screens, allowing staff to check in and out seamlessly. Each kiosk comes with a built-in scanner, making it simple for staff to track their hours. If anyone forgot to check out, the system would prompt them during their next check-in to fill in the missing end time. Additionally, staff working consecutive days were asked at check-out whether they would require a meal the next day, helping the catering team plan accurately and reducing food waste.
External check-in screens
To simplify the check-in process without granting full platform access, In2event utilized its External Check-In screens. These screens enabled check-in staff to manage the process efficiently using a PIN code system, which minimized errors and sped up the overall process. This was particularly useful at high-traffic entry points, where smooth operations were essential.
On-site support
Understanding the size and complexity of Pukkelpop, In2event provided on-site support during the entire week of the festival. While there were few urgent issues, the presence of the support team provided peace of mind to the festival organizers. With stress levels peaking during show days, having immediate on-the-ground assistance ensured that operations continued smoothly without interruption.
Hardware deployment
Hardware deployment plays a crucial role in ensuring smooth operations at a festival as large and complex as Pukkelpop. Across 14 key locations, a combination of Pukkelpop’s and In2event’s hardware was used to manage the flow of tens of thousands of visitors. We brought 10 self-service kiosks at check-in points and food stands, 25 PDA scanners at parking areas, check-in zones, and catering locations, along with wristband printers as backup at multiple sites. Together, these systems processed over 221,000 scans, keeping entry and exit seamless and efficient, no matter the crowd size.
Aligning with the In2event platform went smoothly. The on-site support took away concerns, allowing us to focus on the event itself. We appreciate that In2event was always open to brainstorming and finding solutions for better collaboration and a stronger event.
Marjan Reynders, Pukkelpop organization, Crew Office
Results
- attendees managed
- 15,000+
- scans processed
- 221,000+
- wristbands printed
- 18,000+
- e-mails sent
- 16,500+
Impact
- Smoother operations
- Self-service kiosks streamlined staff workflows, while the platform made switching systems easy
- Less food waste
- Smarter meal selection helped Pukkelpop reduce waste and run a more sustainable event
Key takeaways
- On-site support reduces pressure
- Simple tools prevent mistakes
- Smart features reduce waste
Conclusion
Pukkelpop 2024 was a tremendous success, and In2event is proud to have been part of it. From managing registrations to providing on-site support, we delivered solutions that helped the festival run seamlessly. We’re excited to continue our partnership with Pukkelpop in the future, contributing to more smooth, successful events.