12th February 2026
Taking A Closer Look at Late Bookers at Festival Forum
Taking A Closer Look at Late Bookers at Festival Forum
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About this report
Late booking behaviour is a growing pressure point for festivals, making it harder to forecast sales, plan staffing, and manage financial risk.
This insight report originates from a presentation delivered by Thrive Research Analyst Laura Cusick at Festivals Forum — a Belfast City Council–organised collective that brings festival organisers together several times a year to coordinate activity, share challenges, and exchange ideas.
The session took place at the Harrison Hotel in Belfast, with Thrive invited to contribute data and perspective on an issue that had surfaced repeatedly in previous forums: the rise of last-minute bookers.
The data behind the discussion
To prepare for the session, Laura analysed over 8,500 responses from Thrive’s flagship, sector-wide IMPACT audience survey, comparing:
Early bookers: purchasing two or more months in advance
vs
Late bookers: buying in the final days or week before an event
An interactive guessing exercise with forum members helped bring the findings to life, inviting organisers to sense-check their assumptions against the data.
A snapshot of the findings
Some patterns confirmed what organisers suspected. Others challenged long-held beliefs about who late bookers are and what drives their behaviour.
The report explores:
- Key differences between early and late bookers
- Motivations behind last-minute decisions
- How proximity, income, and life stage influence booking timing
- What sits within festivals’ control — and what doesn’t
(We’ll let you get the full story inside.)
From insight to action
While understanding late booking behaviour is critical, the conversation didn’t stop at insight. Attention quickly turned to what festivals can do in response, using existing tools, data, and audiences more intentionally.
Inside the report, guidance is structured across four practical action areas:
Using ticketing data more strategically
Understanding your own booking curves
Strengthening early booking behaviour
Gathering audience insight through simple, low-lift methods
Why it matters
Several organisers left the session planning to apply the learning to upcoming programmes: shifting focus from reacting to late bookers, to planning more proactively around them.
This report captures the key data, discussion points, and sector reflections shared during Laura’s presentation, offering festivals a clearer, research-grounded starting point for navigating late booking behaviour with confidence.
Interested in discussing late bookers and how to work with them for your organisation? Book in for a free advice session with a member of our team, and let’s talk about how this relates to you.
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