Events and festivals

Containers can be used during the build, live event, and break phases. During build, they can hold tools, cables, temporary fencing, signage, staging parts, radios, and contractor materials. During the event, they can secure stock, support production, set up back-of-house areas, or serve as ticketing and information points. During the break, they can keep the equipment safe while the stages, marquees, barriers, and trackway are removed.

Because event sites change quickly, container logistics should be included in the initial site plan. A unit placed in the wrong area can block access, crowd flow, emergency routes, trader movements, or collection after wet weather.

Hire or buy for event use

Hiring is often the best fit for festivals and one-off events. It suits temporary storage, touring events, seasonal shows, community fairs, roadshows, and production compounds where the container is only needed for a defined period.

Buying can suit organisers, venues, councils, sports clubs, showgrounds, contractors, and production companies that use containers repeatedly. Ownership gives more control over branding, colour, locks, internal layout, racking, serving hatches, vents, lining, and long-term modification.

Before choosing, consider event frequency, storage between events, modification needs, collection access, damage responsibility, insurance, transport between sites, and whether the unit must match a brand or venue appearance. Acorn Containers can advise on both container hire and container sales.

Choosing 10ft, 20ft and 40ft containers

A 10ft container can suit compact event sites, ticketing equipment, steward stores, radios, merchandise, first aid supplies, small tools, or secure stock for a small trader area. It is easier to position where space is tight, but capacity is limited.

A 20ft container is often the most flexible event size. It can support production storage, bar stock, staging parts, electrical equipment, merchandising, signage, grounds equipment, or back-of-house supplies. See 20ft shipping containers for a common event storage size.

A 40ft container gives more capacity for large festivals, production compounds, multi-trader stock, large barriers, staging components, furniture, event branding, and contractor equipment. It needs more turning space, a longer level base, and a clear collection route. See 40ft shipping containers for larger site planning.

High cube containers provide extra height. They can help with tall racking, bulky stock, lighting equipment, stage materials, or modified spaces, but overhead clearance must be checked against trees, cables, lighting, gantries, marquees, and temporary structures.

Common event and festival uses

Containers can support many event departments. The best specification depends on whether the unit is private back-of-house storage, contractor infrastructure, or public-facing space.

• Production storage: sound, lighting, cabling, rigging accessories, staging parts, radios, tools, and branded materials.
• Site compounds: secure back-of-house areas for contractors, plant accessories, safety equipment, signage, and operational stock.
• Catering and bar stock: dry goods, packaged drinks, equipment, consumables, and serving supplies where food and drink rules allow.
• Ticketing and information: ticket booths, accreditation points, wristband stores, information desks, lost property, and staff check-in.
• Merchandise and trader support: clothing, point-of-sale materials, display stock, packaging, and secure overnight storage.
• Event offices: production offices, security hubs, artist liaison points, site management offices, and contractor coordination space.
• Perimeter and screening support: physical separation for back-of-house areas where the site design and safety plan allow.

For office-style event units, see container offices. For wider use cases, see container uses.

Security for high-value event assets

Event equipment can be high-value and easy to move. Sound systems, lighting, radios, staging tools, generators, merchandise, bar stock, catering equipment, laptops, and contractor tools may need secure storage before, during, and after the event.

Useful security measures include lockboxes, high-security padlocks, internal locks, alarms, CCTV, lighting, fencing, compound placement, steward control, and clear key management. A lockbox helps protect the padlock from direct attack.

Insurance terms should be checked before storing high-value goods. Policies may require specific locks, CCTV, guard presence, controlled access, stock records, or overnight arrangements. Acorn can advise on container security features, but the organiser, contractor, or owner should confirm insurance cover and site security duties.

Catering, bars and refrigerated storage

Containers can help catering and bar teams store stock securely, but food and drink use needs more care than general storage. Dry goods, packaged stock, serving equipment, and bar supplies may suit a standard container where moisture, security, access, and hygiene are controlled.

Temperature-sensitive stock may need refrigerated storage. A refrigerated container needs power, airflow, monitoring, setpoint control, maintenance, and clear responsibility for temperature checks. It should be specified around the goods and event duration.

Food hygiene, alcohol licensing, fire safety, water, waste, drainage, power, pest control, and environmental health requirements should be checked with the relevant authority or competent adviser. For refrigerated options, see 20ft refrigerated containers.

Delivery timing through build, live and break phases

Delivery timing can decide whether containers help or hinder the event. Containers should usually arrive before the site becomes crowded with marquees, stages, fencing, toilets, trackway, barriers, traders, plant, and production vehicles.

Collection timing also matters. After the event, the site may be muddy, crowded, dark, or blocked by waste, fencing, staging, vehicles, or dismantling crews. If the temporary trackway is removed too early, collection may become difficult or unsafe.

1. Place essential production and security containers early in the build schedule.
2. Keep access routes open until all containers have been delivered.
3. Protect collection routes from fencing, trader pitches, barriers, and parked vehicles.
4. Plan collection before trackway, lighting, traffic control, and site management are removed.
5. Assign a site contact who can confirm final positions and collection readiness.

Greenfield ground and temporary trackway

Greenfield event sites can change quickly with rain, heavy vehicles, and footfall. A site that is firm at the start of the build may be soft by collection. Grass, mud, slopes, ruts, tree roots, drains, and hidden services can affect delivery and placement.

Containers should sit on firm, level, drained ground. Poor support can twist the frame, make doors hard to open, cause water pooling, and create trip hazards. The delivery vehicle also needs ground that can support its weight and stabiliser legs.

Temporary trackway, steel plates, timber mats, sleepers, concrete pads, hardstanding, or prepared stone may be required, depending on the site and weather conditions. The right ground protection should be planned by the event team or a competent contractor before delivery.

HIAB placement and site access

A HIAB is a lorry-mounted crane used to lift and place a container from the delivery vehicle. It needs space for the lorry, stabiliser legs, crane movement, and a safe working area. Some sites may need a different crane, telehandler, forklift, traffic control, or lifting plan.

Access should be checked from the public road to the final position. Event sites often include temporary roads, field gates, narrow lanes, trees, ditches, overhead cables, floodlights, scaffolds, gantries, marquee frames, barriers, and public routes.

• Measure gate widths, turning areas, route surfaces, slopes, and overhead clearance.
• Identify overhead power lines, phone lines, branches, lighting, signs, and temporary structures.
• Keep plant, traders, fencing, toilets, skips, and parked vehicles away from the delivery area.
• Confirm door direction for staff access, stock handling, and crowd separation.
• Tell Acorn about soft ground, ditches, drains, underground services, tree roots, or weak surfaces.
• Preserve access for collection after the event, not only for delivery before it.

Vehicle route and weight issues should be checked using official guidance, such as lorry types and weights guidance. For Acorn-specific guidance, see container delivery.

Public safety, crowd routes and emergency access

Containers should be positioned so they support the event plan rather than create hazards. They should not block fire lanes, emergency access, crowd routes, accessible routes, medical routes, evacuation routes, service roads, or sightlines needed by event staff.

Public-facing units need clear queuing space, lighting, signage, step or ramp planning, trip control, stewarding, and safe separation from vehicle movements. Back-of-house units should be secured so the public cannot climb on them, hide behind them, enter restricted areas, or interfere with locks and services.

Event licensing, crowd management, traffic management, fire safety, temporary structures, food hygiene, public liability, and emergency planning should be checked with the relevant authority, site owner, event safety adviser, insurer, and competent contractors. General UK event and business guidance can be checked through gov.uk.

Weather, condensation and stored goods

Containers are useful in bad weather, but stored goods still need planning. Damp stock, wet cables, grass-covered tools, packaging, textiles, merchandise, and cardboard can introduce moisture into the unit. Container rain is condensation that forms on cold steel and can drip onto contents.

Options may include clear vents, extra ventilation, anti-condensation coating, racking, pallets, moisture control, insulation, or lining. Sensitive equipment should be stored off the floor where possible and not pushed directly against steel walls.

After a wet event, check containers before collection. Wet stock, mud, spilled liquids, damaged packaging, and unsecured loads can make removal, cleaning, and return more difficult, especially for hired units.

Relocation, removal and aftercare

Event containers may need to move between sites, compounds, or phases. Relocation should be planned with the same care as the first delivery. Contents may need to be removed, secured, or redistributed before lifting.

For hired containers, agree on collection access and return expectations at the start. Cleaning, damage, missing keys, blocked access, abandoned goods, and late readiness for collection can create problems after an event, when contractors are leaving quickly.

Inspect locks, seals, doors, vents, floors, and any internal fittings before and after use. Report damage early. If the container has been used for catering, waste, liquids, dusty materials, or muddy equipment, agree on cleaning responsibility before the hire ends.

Information to prepare before requesting a quote

A clear brief helps Acorn Containers recommend the right event container and delivery plan.

1. Confirm whether you want to buy or hire.
2. State the event type, dates, build schedule, live dates, break schedule, and collection window.
3. Choose the required size and quantity, such as 10ft, 20ft, 40ft, high cube, or refrigerated units.
4. Explain the use, such as production storage, bar stock, catering, ticketing, office, site compound, merchandise, or security.
5. List security needs, including lockbox, padlock, alarm, CCTV, fencing, lighting, or controlled key access.
6. Provide the delivery postcode, site map, access route, gate widths, ground type, placement areas, and photos.
7. Tell Acorn about overhead cables, trees, soft ground, temporary structures, trackway, crowd routes, and future collection restrictions.
8. Check event licensing, traffic management, lifting plans, food hygiene, fire safety, public safety, insurance, and legal duties with the relevant professionals.

How Acorn Containers can help

Acorn Containers can support event organisers, production teams, showgrounds, councils, venues, contractors, and festival suppliers with container hire and sales, size advice, condition selection, security options, refrigerated units, delivery planning, and placement guidance.

The team can help compare 10ft, 20ft, 40ft, high cube, one-trip, used, wind and watertight, refrigerated, and modified containers based on event use, schedule, site access, and security risk. Acorn can also flag common event delivery issues such as soft ground, overhead cables, low branches, temporary structures, site congestion, door direction, and blocked collection routes.

Acorn Containers does not approve event licences, traffic management, lifting plans, fire safety, food hygiene, public safety, insurance, legal duties, or emergency plans. Those should be checked with the relevant authority, site owner, event safety team, insurer, competent contractor, or professional adviser.