Friday, December 20, 2019
As we head for the holidays, we'd like to send out our very best wishes for the season to everyone who was part of the Hotbox team in 2019 😊
Before we look back at what has been another amazing year, if you've not already spotted them, throughout November and December we've posted hundreds of amazing new photos from 2019's festivals to our website festival photo galleries and Facebook! Again, a huge thank you to our amazing volunteer photographers who did a fantastic job capturing you all! We hope you love this year's photos as much as we do and they help to remind you of some fantastic festival filled moments!
And what a year it's been...
2019 kicked off with us returning to the awesome Download Festival in June...which this year, came with an awesome amount of mud! We could never have imagined the downpour that would greet us on our arrival although you didn't let it dampen your spirits one bit! We cannot thank all enough for powering through the soggy conditions to help everyone have the best possible time at Download 2019. We were so impressed by your ability to adapt to the ever-changing weather and still have an amazing time, which is what it's all about! We of course won't be forgetting the Slipknot mosh mud in a hurry, and have our fingers (and toes) crossed that 2020 will be a sunny one! Whatever the weather, we very much hope you’ll be returning to rock Donington Park with us again in 2020 🤘
A month on and the rain finally relented, making way for the glorious sunshine that welcomed us to our 12th year at Latitude Festival! Once again you all did a fantastic job of looking after Latitude's festival goers; we've received no end of praise and gratitude from the festival organisers for your professionalism and dedication to the festival and everyone who attends. Everything you do really does make such a huge difference to every festival goer's experience and we are so grateful for you joining us each year at Latitude! If you didn't catch Vicki Pattison volunteering with us at Latitude 2019 head to YouTube to watch Vicki Pattison on This Morning helping out as a Latitude Festival Pixie! We had so much fun filming with Vicki and her mum who made wonderful Pixies! A big thank you to everyone who helped with the filming, and again to everyone who joined us at Latitude 2019! We cannot wait be back in beautiful Henham Park next July and hope you'll be joining us 🐑
Next stop was our first year at Camp Bestival! Just a day after wrapping things up at Latitude our team headed down to Lulworth Castle! At Camp Bestival we worked on the gates looking after wristbanding and in the arena providing a customer service focused stewarding role...and, just wow...you guys smashed it! The Thursday of the festival was one of the busiest event opening days we can remember for a long time and you all worked tirelessly throughout the day to welcome the Camp Bestival festival goers with a smile! No question went unanswered, help and assistance was always given no matter how busy you were, and the queues were kept moving! Camp Bestival's 2019 theme was Superheroes, and you proved that not all heroes wear capes...some wear tabards! An absolutely massive thank you to you all! We all had an amazing first year at Camp Bestival and hope you'll all be returning for Camp Bestival 2020 ✨
Into August and it was time for Hotbox to head home...for our 17th Reading Festival and Leeds Festival August Bank Holiday weekend! August Bank Holiday just wouldn't be...August Bank Holiday...without Reading and Leeds! Although there was something different in 2019...it took us a while to figure it out, the bright thing in the sky, the blueness...the...err...heat? Wow, and what heat it was! We can't remember a Reading and Leeds where both festivals were simultaneously burning hot 🔥 The festival organisers had nothing but compliments for how hard you all worked given the conditions to ensure the festival goers stayed hydrated and safe in the sun. We had film crews with us at Reading and Leeds in 2019 who captured some amazing footage of you all at both festivals! We can't wait to share it with you over the coming months and a massive thank you to everyone who agreed to be filmed at Reading and Leeds this summer! A huge thank you to everyone who joined us at Reading and Leeds this year and we very much hope you'll all be heading back with us to Richfield Avenue and Bramham Park for Reading and Leeds 2020 🎸
Our 2019 event season ended in spectacular fashion with BBC Live in Hyde Park in September! We worked with the team at Hyde Park to support the event's access customers with transportation around the site, and this year we were asked to also help out across the arena and around the event's perimeter. We don't have words for how grateful we are for all you did at BBC Live in Hyde Park this year! The feedback about you all from both the event organisers and public attending the event was second to none! You did an amazing job and should be so proud of the impact you had on BBC Live in Hyde Park this year 🎷
Last but not least...in 2019 we welcomed the first ever Hotbox baby to the world! Many of you who have joined us over the years will no doubt have met Dan and Jo, Dan one of our long-standing supervisors and Jo one of most experienced office managers. Dan and Jo first met volunteering with us at Latitude Festival...many moons ago...and this June (actually over the Download weekend!) Dan and Jo welcomed their son Toby into the world! Another huge congratulations for Dan and Jo, and a big Hotbox hello to Toby 👋
Your feedback from working with us this year has been wonderful to receive! It's lovely to hear how much you enjoy being part of the team, helping the festival goers, the fun you have, and the friendships you forge!
In 2019 we implemented a wealth of changes, all of which seem to have been well received and we have some exciting plans in the pipeline for 2020 which we can't wait to share with you... So please do keep the feedback coming as every suggestion is considered with changes are made wherever possible to continue to improve your festival experience!
If you enjoyed being part of the Hotbox team and have a few minutes to send over a paragraph or two for our staff and volunteer feedback page please email this to info@hotboxevents.com Please also attach a photo if you can so this can be added to the Hotbox website!
Your feedback is a big help to those thinking of joining us in in future years; giving an idea of what working at a festival with Hotbox Events is like, so please do get in touch if you can!
The continued success of Hotbox Events is due to the amazing work of our festival teams, none of what we do would be possible without your help and tireless enthusiasm, so as always, we are truly grateful to each and every one of you for joining us at Download, Latitude, Camp Bestival, Reading, Leeds and BBC Live in Hyde Park 2019!
To round off another awesome year, we'd like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
We can't wait to welcome you back to the Hotbox team next summer 😊
