Accreditation is how a festival knows who is on site and what each person may reach. It happens in advance, on a list, and it ends with a pass at a gate.
How it runs
The tour manager sends names and roles to the production office, often two weeks before the show. Larger festivals use an online form with a deadline, after which additions cost time and goodwill. On the day each person collects a wristband or a laminate at the accreditation gate, usually against ID.
The categories
- Artist: the performers.
- Crew: engineers, techs, drivers.
- Guest: the artist's own guests, limited in number.
- Press, production and supplier: everyone else on site.
Each category opens different doors. A guest pass rarely reaches backstage, and a crew pass rarely reaches the artist bar.
What goes wrong
A name spelled differently from the ID, a driver added on the day, a crew member arriving before the office opens. Send the list early, keep a copy on a phone, and give one person the job of answering the gate.