Promotional Merchandise for Festivals & Outdoor Events

The weather is starting to warm up, and Mindvision is turning up the heat on the UK’s summer festival season branding. 

Whether you’re setting up your own summer event, sponsoring a concert, or activating a brand space at a buzzing festival, now’s the time to think about how you’re showing up.

Let’s be real: festivals aren’t just about the music anymore. They’re about experiences, vibes, and let’s not forget… photos. This is where event branding and merchandise for festivals come in.

So, if you’re a brand that wants to do more than just show face, you want to be remembered, shared, and worn home, then read on.

Festival Branding Summarised

Festival branding isn’t just logos on signs. It’s the art of being everywhere your attendees are. Think of it as your chance to create a multi-sensory brand experience, one that people associate with good times, summer sun, and unforgettable moments.

From the second they enter the gate to their last blurry selfie, every moment is a branding opportunity. 

• That custom wristband they never take off? Branding.
• The tote bag they’ll reuse all summer? Branding.
• The sunglasses they wear in half their Insta posts? You guessed it: branding.

Branding in events is about building hype, triggering memories, and making your logo part of the story.

Let’s Talk Merchandise for Festivals That Hits Different

Here’s the golden rule: if you’re giving something away or selling it at a festival, it better be cool, useful or both.

Here are the top trending event merchandise items that combine style, practicality, and pure crowd-pleaser energy:

Branded Tote Bags – Always on Hand, Always on Brand

Tote bags are a festival must-have. They carry the snacks, the water, the glitter, and occasionally a questionable bucket hat. Add your brand’s logo to a high-quality canvas or recycled tote and boom, you’re walking around on 100 shoulders all weekend long.

Customise Sunglasses – Shady Never Looked So Good

The British sun may be elusive, but festival-goers are hopeful. Branded sunglasses are a go-to promo giveaway item that’s fun, functional, and great for visibility.

They’re perfect for brands that want to add a little flair and get featured in festival photos all weekend long.

Custom Festival Wristbands – Small But Mighty

Wristbands are more than access control, they’re wearable branding. Everyone keeps them on for days (sometimes weeks), making them ideal for low-key, long-term exposure.

Plus, if you go for woven or fabric wristbands, you get a premium look that feels more like a fashion accessory than a pass.

Festival Gazebos – Your HQ Never Looked Better

Whether you're running a pop-up bar, a chillout zone, or a merch stall, your gazebo should shout your brand from across the field. Fully branded festival gazebos are essential for creating a home base that people can spot and snap photos in front of.

Brand Lanyards, Event Lanyards, Festival Lanyards – Keep It Close

Got VIPs, staff, media, or backstage passes? Don’t just hand out lanyards, brand them. These are one of those little touches that make your event feel polished and pro. And if they look good, people will keep wearing them long after they’ve left the security tent.

Every Touchpoint Counts

When it comes to event branding, it’s not just about one banner or one giveaway. It’s about thinking through every single place your audience interacts with the event:

• At the entrance: Branded flags, wristbands, lanyards.
• At the dance floor: Freebies, tote bags, cool fans.
• In the queue for the toilet: Posters, fun signs, QR codes.
• In the chill zone: Comfy branded cushions, gazebo branding, mini product activations.
• Outside area: Sun shades, signposts, sunglasses, branded gazebos, all with your logo front and centre.
  
  

Festivals are the perfect place to sell stylish, well-designed event merchandise. Think retro sunglasses, funky tees, water bottles, bucket hats, all with your branding tastefully included.

Outdoor Events Deserve Some Love Too

Festivals may be the headline act, but let’s not forget about outdoor events like markets, sports days, food fairs, and concerts. The same rules apply and so does the merch.

Branded tote bags still work wonders for all settings. Festival gazebos make your stand the centre of attention. And promo giveaway items like reusable cups, picnic blankets, and lanyards can make a big difference in how your brand is remembered.

Whether it’s a 3-day music festival or a sunny Sunday in the park, branding the experience is key.

Make It Memorable

If you take one thing from this blog, let it be this: your brand should be everywhere your audience is and if you can make them smile in the process, even better.

Branded merchandise done right, is a lasting impression, a souvenir, a conversation starter. And at festivals, it's part of the culture.

So this summer, don't just turn up. Show up with style.

At Mindvision, we've got everything you need to create festival branding that's unforgettable and event merchandise that people actually want to use.

Contact us at info@mindvision.co.uk | 01666 826226 or explore our full range of custom promotional products.