October may seem a long way away, but event suppliers are already looking beyond a busy summer and preparing for the Showman’s Show, the UK’s best established outdoor industry gathering, in the autumn.

The Showman's Show features suppliers in all disciplines of outdoor event and festival production, from signage, temporary roadway, sanitation, recycling and toilets, to marquees, staging, corporate hospitality facilities, screens and radio systems — The Showman’s Show - image by Mike Gartside

The Showman’s Show, the UK’s annual outdoor showcase of event technology at Newbury Showground in October, has revealed its latest exhibitors, including IPS Staging and Structures, DroneSwarm and LifeSaver Power. The event, which expects over 150 exhibitors, features suppliers in all disciplines of outdoor event and festival production, from signage, temporary roadway, sanitation, recycling and toilets, to marquees, staging, corporate hospitality facilities, screens and radio systems.

One of the new exhibitors DroneSwarm has announced it now has permission from the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to conduct swarm light shows featuring pyrotechnics attached to unmanned aircraft. It says it is the first in the UK to receive this permission, allowing it to use technology which synchronises drone movement, light and fireworks. The company has worked at Goodwood Festival of Speed (cap. 150,000) and Godiva Festival (40,000) and numbers Eastnor Castle, Belvoir Castle, car manufacturer BMW and insurer Hiscox among its clients.

In March it was awarded Best Aerial Spectacular at the Event Production Awards, which DroneSwarm director Mat Lawrence described as, “A fantastic recognition of our team's dedication and expertise. We take pride producing high-impact aerial spectacles that captivate audiences across the UK and beyond."

Fellow exhibitor LifeSaver Power, which supplies portable device charging machines to The O2 Arena (20,000), London, and events including Taylor Swift’s shows at Wembley (90,000) and Murrayfield (72,000), says it is hoping to expand its network this year into new venues and events. The company’s units dispense fully charged, high-capacity power banks, allowing users to recharge their phones on the go and return at their convenience. It will be providing a free recharging service at the show.

Also at the Showman’s, IPS Staging and Structures is showcasing its signature six metre, two storey front of house (FOH) structure, alongside its updated Layher Protect structures, IPS generators, and range of power distribution, audio, and lighting equipment. The company, which supplies events including Green Man (25,000), Soho House Festival (8,200) and Silverstone Classic (100,000), will highlight its new Eurotruss PA40 towers and a newly standardised selection of AUP Viewing Platforms, designed to pair “seamlessly” with roof stages.

Finally, no coverage of outdoor event services is complete without mention of the toileting arrangements. Sure enough, a highlight of the Showmans is likely to be the Premium Composting Toilets displayed by Wild Willy Cabins (WWC), a company still only two years old, which supplied a number of events including Realisation Festival (150) in 2024. Its composting toilets are designed to maximise user comfort while minimising the environmental impact of event sanitation.

LINKS

showmans-directory.co.uk

droneswarm.co.uk

ips.co.uk

lifesaverpower.com

wildwc.com

Let’s go outside… again!

October may seem a long way away, but event suppliers are already looking beyond a busy summer and preparing for the Showman’s Show, the UK’s best established outdoor industry gathering, in the autumn.

Ukraine keeps on rockin’ for a free world

Bristol Arena to open in 2008? 2017? 2022? 2028!