Festivals: Headliners

Festivals: Headliners puts you in charge of designing festival sites, booking artists and producing events as you build a career as a promoter. You construct venues, plan lineups, manage staff and finances, and keep each festival on schedule and safe for its guests.

Build your festival site

Create a venue with stages, food stalls, bars, decorations, billboards and lights. Place fences and paths to direct guests, and add signage to manage crowding. Generators and power lines form a temporary power grid, while keeping fans safe remains a central responsibility.

Book the lineup

Book bands, DJs and other talent, then design their shows with special effects and fireworks. As your career advances, you make more connections and gain the option to book popular artists and acts who can draw large crowds. You also need to take good care of the talent.

Run the event

Schedule load-in so the site is ready on time: starting too early increases rental costs, while starting too late risks missing the deadline. The event industry can bring unexpected complications, so you need to keep the production on schedule.

You hire staff in advance and can train and coach them to help them stay with you for years. During the event, provide good catering and plenty of breaks, and make sure staff wear earplugs.

Manage the finances

Festival income needs to cover the bills, so you have to avoid overspending. Most festivals do not make a profit during their first three events; if you are still in the red by year four, the game suggests reconsidering your career. You also need to watch out for people trying to lure you into illegal activity.

See the festival up close

Switch between first- and third-person views to experience the event from different perspectives. As the head of the event, your AAA card gives you access to every part of the venue. You can walk among the guests, take control of the FOH booth where the lights are operated, or join the talent on stage to wave at the crowd.