5 Ways to Capitalise on Summer Events with Outdoor Signage

Autumn, winter and early spring are dominated by exhibitions and conferences, but summer in the UK is all about outdoor events. From county fairs, horse trials and flower shows to music festivals, air shows, motor races, food festivals and running events, from May to September the events calendar moves into the great outdoors in the hope of taking advantage of the Great (we hope!) British summer.

It’s not all about big events either. Summer is also the season for corporate golf tournaments (something we are rather partial to), as well as everything from sponsored overnight cycle races, walking or hiking challenges and corporate litter-picks to school sports days.

According to the UK Events Report 2024, leisure and outdoor events contribute more than £28 billion to the UK economy, more than a third of the events sector’s overall contribution. These events have made a significant contribution to the sector’s post-pandemic recovery, and are poised for further growth as the UK seeks to increase its annual number of international visitors through to 2030. 

Of course, no event is complete without a branding scheme, wayfinding signage and graphics for stall holders. If anything, as the sector grows, so does the importance of short-term signage and display graphics, which are growing in popularity and widely regarded as a vital part of outdoor events. 

Whether its purpose is decoration, crowd management, wayfinding, safety messaging, sponsor promotion or even a feature to boost attendee engagement on social media or to mark the finish point of a hiking, walking, or running challenge - think at the top of a mountain - signage such as flags, printed banners and pop-up graphics has become an essential part of outdoor events. 

The flexibility, cost-effectiveness and easy transportability of temporary signage also make it particularly attractive for event organisers who may need to update messages on the fly, while its durability, reusability and ease-of-use have a strong appeal for brands and companies sponsoring or participating in multiple events. In addition, with sustainability increasingly front of mind for both event organisers and sponsors, the lightweight, reusable and recyclable nature of textile graphics are quickly growing in appeal.

With this in mind, let’s take a look at what are currently five of our most popular outdoor products among customers who supply the events sector:

1. Pop-out Banners

Our new circular and horizontal-shaped pop-up banners feature graphics on two faces and can be deployed in seconds. Ideal for events such as corporate golf tournaments, markets and forecourt promotions where brands need to quickly ‘own’ their space and just as quickly pack, stow and transport their graphics, each banner includes a carry bag and ground pegs, and is printed on flag polyester using dye-sublimation technology, making for vibrant colours and images that make an instant impact. 

2. Arch Flags

Arch Flags make perfect entry points to large outdoor events or eye-catching entrance markers for different festival stages, as well as making for ideal race start and finish points. Standing at 3 metres high and 4 metres wide, this arched polyester flag is hard to miss and makes a strong visual impact wherever it is used. Suitable for use in winds up to 18mph, it can be secured with either two large (fillable) bases or two metal ground spikes.

3. Flags

Already an icon of the music festival scene, flags are fast becoming an essential staple for any outdoor event, which is why they’re one of our best-selling textile products. Available in four sizes across five different shapes (feather, crest, fin, blade and teardrop), and able to be printed either single-sided or double-sided, flags are one of the most versatile outdoor display graphics.

4. Crowd Barrier Graphics

Helping us keep our love of the Great British queue alive, crowd barriers are standard pieces of hardware at many larger events, but they also represent a fantastic opportunity to brand what may otherwise be a fairly pedestrian piece of event hardware. Whether branded by event sponsors or used by organisers to tell a story, crowd barrier graphics are growing in popularity as the events sector recognises their potential for branding in crowd-controlled areas. Available as single-sided or double-sided fabric ‘jackets’, fold-over graphics, a simple single-sided graphic to cover a barrier’s infill bars or even a continuous ‘runner’ graphic that covers up to 12 metres of barriers, crowd barrier graphics can be supplied on AirMesh Polyester, Mesh PVC, Standard PVC, or heavier-duty Display/Stretch Polyester.

5. AirMesh Fencing Banners

Just like crowd barrier graphics, fencing banners that are perfect for Heras® Fence panels enable brands and event organisers to brand site perimeters, VIP areas and backstage gates, display safety information or warnings, or even create outdoor information displays. Printed on either AirMesh Polyester or Mesh PVC to allow airflow while maintaining great image visibility, these banner graphics are designed to fit just inside the outer panel frame of a standard 3.5m × 2m Heras® Fence panel, where they can be secured with bungee ball ties. It is also possible to create longer Heras® Fencing wraps to cover up to 20 meters of panels.

Outdoor events signage represents a prime opportunity to boost your revenue and strengthen customer relationships by offering something new to existing customers. Incorporating the versatility of temporary outdoor signage solutions into your offering can also broaden your potential market and enable you to capitalise on this growing market sector. When it comes to events, don’t think outside the box, just think outside.