With just a couple of weeks to go, Kirsty Lewis shares the emotional highs, financial lows and last-minute wins as SOFest edges closer. From surprise sponsors to sparkly outfit dilemmas, here’s a raw and real behind-the-scenes glimpse at the planning, panicking and reality of building a learning festival from scratch

When I started writing these blogs for TJ they were a retro of the month before, the activities, the highlights and lows of SOFest. As we are drawing closer to the festival (13 days and counting) it feels right to share where I am at this point in time.

I think the first thing to know is that I am knackered. I had no idea that creating and building a festival on top of the day job, which is running a business, was going to be so tiring. It’s not due to the lack of sleep but more that I am running so many things through my head all the time: holding information, ideas, conversations, emails to reply to and promoting that it is just a bit much. I am already thinking about what to do differently in 2026.

Actually, if you are interested in being kept in the loop for SOFest 2026 sign up here. Early bird tickets will go on sale in July!

Making things happen

Let’s look back at April as it was fascinating, from latecomers to cancellations and all the emotions. It was the last month that tickets were on sale and the team and I were hopeful that some latecomers would join the party. An additional five tickets were bought, which was great news.  

Two more impact partners bought tickets – Blue Gnu and the SOF community. Being able to write to seven people and invite them to SOFest was amazing. A big thank you to everyone who made this idea a reality.

From the start I knew that I couldn’t create a festival alone and one of the things I did was create a board of trusted advisors. The board is made up of four awesome women: Nicole Duckworth, Tess Cope, Cat Hase and Fiona Pawley. They are the doulas of SOFest, giving counsel, sharing wise words, asking the awkward questions and listening to me – lots! 

During the monthly meeting where I gave a financial update they asked why we weren’t selling tickets for just one day, rather than the whole event. I explained that it felt weird having people join midway through the festival. For some reason I had it in my head that people should come on the Wednesday, day two, when there was a full day of speakers and workshops and activities. They rightly challenged me, said I was talking nonsense and that a day pass on the first day of the festival would be a great idea. I sat with their words for all of two minutes and had to agree.

So, we then sold day passes and, to my surprise, six people bought them without hesitation.

Catch the pre-event update

So where are we at, 13 days out? Well there have been some cancellations. Two of the workshops hosts realised they couldn’t come, someone deferred their ticket to 2026 and someone bought half a ticket and hasn’t paid the rest – I have to admit to not knowing what to do about that. It’s a weird one, we have written several times but to only receive silence?!

We have another partner for the event. Just 10 days ago I posted on Linkedin that I was looking to borrow a Catchbox. This is a big square piece of foam with a microphone in it. Within two hours a direct message landed in Linkedin from the Catchbox Marketing Manager asking for a meeting. The next morning we spoke and a few days later, an SOF branded Catchbox arrived at my house!! See the unboxing video on LinkedIn.

The excitement is building within those that are coming to SOFest. There is a buzzing WhatsApp channel which I mainly use to ask whether a sequin catsuit is too much! The weather is now on my watchlist. I know I am daft to look at the weather weeks ahead of the event, but I am British and can’t help it. It has been rainy, sunny, windy and rainbows… I know I need to step away as it will be what it will be.

The Numbers

Speakers confirmed	11
Workshop Hosts confirmed	15
Media Partner	1
Early bird tickets sold	32
General sale tickets sold	8
Birthday tickets	2
Day passes	6
Impact partners	5
Sponsors	5
Total running costs including contingency	£95,000
Current income	£77,773
Net Profit	-£17,227

I am waiting on the final costings from the venue so I can get the final financial picture.

As many people keep telling me:

1. No festival breaks even in year one
   
   
2. Write the costs off as a marketing expense

In 13 days-time watch this space, watch Linkedin or Instagram as we will be sharing highlights of SOFest with the hashtag #SOFest2025.

And please can I ask that you pray for dry warm weather…

Hugs

Kirsty and The SOFest team

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