Ticketed music or beer festival

Attendees buy tickets. Vendors, breweries and exhibitors pay for space. Sponsors pay for branding, and some events add paid upgrades like VIP access.

Ticket sales plus vendor fees and sponsorships, minus venue hire, talent, security, insurance, staff, equipment rental and marketing. Big upfront costs and a single event date mean cash flow needs careful planning.

• Budgeting and cash flow planning
• Booking and managing performers or exhibitors
• Marketing and ticketing
• Managing staff and volunteers

• Alcohol permits, which vary a lot by state and city, and who holds the liquor license for the event
• Event liability insurance, plus possible liquor liability and cancellation or weather coverage
• Permits for crowds, noise, security, medical staff and fire safety, which depend on location and size
• Music licensing for live or recorded performances, so check with the performing rights organizations
• Financial risk if ticket sales fall short, so avoid committing large deposits until sales or sponsors are secured
• Workers' compensation if you hire staff, and employment rules if you pay contractors

Startup costs are typically around $20,000 to $80,000, depending on the venue, acts, insurance, staffing and marketing. These are estimates, and deposits can be large, so avoid committing big sums until ticket sales or sponsors are secured.

Things to check include alcohol permits and who holds the liquor license, event liability insurance, possible liquor liability and cancellation coverage, permits for crowds, noise, security and fire safety, and music licensing. Requirements vary by state, city and event size.

Monthly revenue is typically around $3,000 to $15,000, depending on ticket sales, vendor fees, sponsors and paid upgrades. That is an estimate only, and there is financial risk if ticket sales fall short, so plan your budget carefully.