Chalfest Festival: Full Technical Production & Staging
This summer, YES Events delivered full technical production for Chalfest, providing the staging, audio and lighting for a busy festival programme.
The project brought together a complete festival production package, including a 10m x 8m Prolyte Arc Roof stage, 8m x 4m monitor wing, V-Mast PA system and a lighting rig featuring more than 120 fixtures. With the stage positioned on a sloping site, the build also presented some unique challenges for the team, requiring careful planning and practical solutions to create a level and reliable stage environment.
Building the Stage
The centrepiece of the production was a 10m x 8m Prolyte Arc Roof System, providing the main stage for the festival, alongside an 8m x 4m monitor wing and V-Mast PA system.
One of the biggest challenges came from the location itself. The stage was being built on a hill, meaning the team had to work with uneven ground levels to create a completely level stage and roof structure. Using a combination of scaffold legs and careful positioning, the team were able to overcome the changing ground levels and create a solid platform ready for the festival.
live stage festival in summer and build stage
Creating the Festival Sound
For the audio, the team provided a powerful and flexible system designed to accommodate a variety of artists and performances throughout the event.
A TT Audio system formed the main PA, providing coverage across the festival audience, while the Yamaha DM7-EX provided the central control for the audio system. Yamaha equipment and wireless systems also supported the performers and crew on stage. One of the highlights was the use of YES Events’ new Veam system, which made it easier for the team to manage multiple connections across the stage. This added flexibility throughout the event and helped the production team adapt quickly to the requirements of different performances.
The overall system was designed to provide clear, consistent sound across the audience while giving performers the reliable setup they needed on stage.
Making an Impact with Lighting
Lighting played a major role in creating the atmosphere throughout the festival, with more than 120 fixtures forming part of the production.
The rig combined a wide range of moving lights, beams and effects, including Ayrton RAWBeam 350s, Martin MAC Ones, Elumen8 Evora CMYs, LEDJ Spectra Q40 MKIIs, Chauvet Rogue Outcast 2Xs and GLP JDC Burst 1s. The aim was to create as much visual impact as possible within the available stage space, while still providing the flexibility to create different looks for each performance.
The new Ayrton RAWBeam 350s were a particular highlight for the team, bringing a powerful beam effect to the stage and giving YES the opportunity to use the fixtures in a live festival environment.
chalfest festival images on stage
Flexible Staging for a Busy Festival
Alongside the main stage, the production also incorporated a rolling riser system, giving the team greater flexibility when adapting the stage for different performances.
For a busy festival, being able to make changes quickly and efficiently is important. The rolling riser allowed the crew to adapt the stage setup while keeping the programme moving and minimising disruption between performances.
Delivering the Finished Production
From the initial stage build through to the final performance, the YES Events team worked closely to the festival schedule to ensure the production remained on track.
The combination of staging, audio and lighting created a complete production environment that could adapt to the demands of the festival, while still delivering the visual impact expected from a live event.
For the team, the finished production was the standout achievement. Overcoming the challenges of the site and bringing together the different elements of the production resulted in a stage that was ready to support the festival from start to finish.
Chalfest was a great example of how careful planning, the right equipment and an experienced production team can come together to deliver a successful festival production.