Festival season brings large crowds — and big demand for portable restrooms. For contractors, it’s the busiest time of year. It can also be the most profitable if you plan right. Here’s how portable restroom companies can stay ahead and turn the chaos of festival season into a winning stretch.
Lock in Events Early
The best gigs go fast. Popular festivals book their restroom vendors months ahead. If you’re not reaching out early, someone else is. Build relationships with event organizers before they start planning. Offer simple, reliable service and clear pricing. Make it easy for them to choose you again next year.
Stay in touch with local promoters, venues and cities. Even smaller community festivals can be worth it if you already have units nearby. Don’t wait for calls; go get the contracts.
Plan for the Load
Festivals stress your inventory and your crew. You’ll need to know how many units you can realistically rent out while still keeping up with service and transport. Don’t stretch too thin. Map out your equipment and drivers. Build a schedule that leaves room for traffic delays, cleaning and unexpected issues. If your trucks are running nonstop and you’ve got no backup plan, you’re gambling with your reputation.
Consider renting extra units or subcontracting during peak weeks. It’s better to take on more help than to fall behind.
Get Smart About Placement
Not all units are the same. Festivals have different needs: VIP areas, ADA access, handwashing stations, high-traffic zones. The better your setup, the better the experience for users.
Work with organizers to figure out the best layout. Ask about crowd flow, security and where people tend to gather. You don’t want your units hidden behind food tents or stuck in a muddy field.
Well-placed restrooms stay cleaner, get used evenly and cut down on complaints. That helps everyone.
Stay on Top of Service
Festival users don’t want to deal with dirty restrooms. And organizers won’t call you back if their event smells like a problem you didn’t solve.
Plan for regular pumping and cleaning. For multi-day events, that might mean servicing restrooms overnight. Bring enough supplies — paper, sanitizer, water — to avoid running out halfway through a day.
Train your crew to check every detail. The difference between a decent festival and a disaster often comes down to whether people can find a clean place to go.
Communicate Clearly and Quickly
You’re juggling a lot during festival season, but so are your clients. Respond to questions fast. Confirm arrival times and let organizers know when service is done.
If something goes wrong, such as a traffic delay or a broken unit, tell them right away and offer a solution. That kind of honest communication goes further than trying to spin it.
Simple tools help: shared calendars, text updates and real-time service tracking can keep everyone in the loop.
Use the Offseason To Get Ready
The slow season is your chance to get better. Here’s how you can do that:
- Fix broken units
- Deep clean
- Upgrade older models
- Train new drivers
- Review what went wrong last year and fix it now
You can also use downtime to update your website, work on local SEO and gather reviews. These help new clients find you when next year’s festivals start booking.
Think Long-Term
Festival work isn’t just about the weekend. A good experience can lead to repeat business, referrals and longer-term contracts with cities or venues.
Keep track of what worked and what didn’t. Follow up with organizers after events. Ask how you did, and listen to the feedback. It shows you care and helps you stand out in a crowded market.
Make the Season Work for You
Festival season isn’t easy, but it can be worth it. If you stay prepared, communicate effectively and maintain a sharp service, you’ll come out ahead — not just for one event, but for the entire year.
Want more insights like this? Subscribe to American Liquid Waste Magazine for updates, trends, and real-world advice from across the industry.