Activism, technical failure, fire, weather, crowd incidents: when the show cannot go on !

Stopping a live show is one of the toughest decisions in event management: essential for safety, but disruptive to the shared experience that defines festivals and concerts. Whether triggered by activism, technical breakdown, severe weather, or crowd incidents, these moments test governance, ethics, and rapid decision-making under pressure. In this panel, members of the YES Group – Europe’s network of festival safety professionals – share their firsthand experiences and collective expertise. From case studies like Roskilde 2000 and Astroworld 2021 to current best practices, the discussion explores how to anticipate risks, decide responsibly, and communicate effectively when the show must stop.