Working in events and festivals comes with a raft of possibilities and experiences you’ll never find anywhere else, and we have supported tens of thousands of businesses who will tell you the same.

NCASS membership is a stamp of quality and professionalism across the sector. You’ll find NCASS members trading at the biggest and most loved events and festivals across the country.

We have created this page to give you a range of really useful resources to guide you through catering at events, trading at festivals, pitching up at outdoor shows and everything in between.

From advice on how to work out whether a show is financially worth doing, to support with your documentation, applying for events and much more, this treasure trove of resources will, we hope, help you to navigate the events sector.

NCASS have been supporting members, events, festivals, suppliers and event professionals who work in this sector for over 30 years. We also work with other associations that support the events sector, including Vision for Sustainable Events, NOEA, AIF and UKEVENTS.

NCASS Outdoor & Festival Catering guide

Whether you’re preparing for a busy festival season or reviewing your current set-up, our Outdoor Event & Festival Catering Guide brings together essential guidance for caterers operating at outdoor events.

Download the guide

Working Safely at Events & Festivals

Events and festivals work within a highly regulated environment, put this together with regulations in the food & drink industry and you’ve got a whole load of paperwork.

Your NCASS membership gives you everything you need to run your business safely, our safety management system, member dashboard, risk assessments, safety app, Primary Authority, training and more makes sure you’ve covered.

If you’re not yet a member, give us a call and we’ll run through everything we can help you with. If you are a member, there are tonnes of extra resources to make sure you’re at the top of your game when it comes to food safety & health & safety.

Stay Alert, Keep Events Safe

With the UK threat level currently set at SEVERE, meaning an attack is highly likely, it’s important that everyone involved in events and festivals remains vigilant.

The Action Counters Terrorism (ACT) campaign encourages a simple but powerful message: If you see something that doesn’t feel right, report it. Research shows that public awareness campaigns like ACT help people feel safer, recognise suspicious activity and take action when needed.

Keeping people safe is a shared responsibility. Whether you’re an organiser, trader, supplier or attendee, staying alert and reporting concerns can help create a safer environment for everyone.

Our Event Partners

To give our members true value, we’re partnered with top suppliers in the catering and hospitality industry. From discounts to cashback and expert support, explore our event partners below or check out our full range of partner suppliers.

The UK’s leading events platform built for caterers.

Real leads matched to your availability – and total control over who you quote and when. Get 75 free credits to quote on your first 10+ events.

Find events

The workforce management app built by a caterer, for caterers. Schedule shifts, track hours, and export payroll from one app.

As an NCASS member, you get 2 months free to try TimeCatch.

Get 2 months free

The market leaders in supplying gas cylinder delivery solutions for all major outdoor events, festivals and businesses.

New NCASS members receive 10% off their first 3 orders.

Find out more

With over 20 years experience, their pop-up gazebos are used by caterers up & down the country. 

Receive a 10% discount as an NCASS member

Explore gazebos

Less queues and happier customers with Dojo’s portable payment solutions.

80% faster than the industry average and minimum contracts starting from 1 month.

More about Dojo

When travelling to events, markets, or daily pitches, having reliable roadside support can make all the difference.

NCASS members receive a 60% discount on AA breakdown cover.

Explore AA cover

Hear from our members about trading at events

Truly Torta

“There’s an unwritten rule that pitch fees shouldn’t exceed about 10% of expected takings, but many large festivals ignore that. For a small business, that’s a big risk. Local events, pubs, and markets often make far more sense.”

Read the full member spotlight on Truly Torta >

Little Miss Delhi

“If one market, festival or event says no, just keep going, apply for a hundred and one will say yes. That’s honestly been my biggest mindset shift: keep showing up, keep learning, and trust that the right opportunities always come your way.”

“Debuting at Trafalgar Square for Diwali on the Square was an experience! From the prep and the sheer volume of people to serving at record speed, it was one of the toughest challenges I’ve faced to date. But it left me feeling like I can logistically plan any event now.”

Read the full member spotlight for Little Miss Delhi >

Crocus Paella

“You have to be proactive, don’t sit back and hope work finds you. Get out there, knock on doors, network, follow up, and look for opportunities others haven’t spotted yet. Define the kind of work that suits your business, then chase it. Introduce yourself to venues and planners, share a simple deck with great photos and clear pricing, ask for testimonials, and keep showing up.”

Read the full member spotlight for Crocus Paella >

Let’s Go Street Food

“Start small with local pubs where costs are low. Use the opportunity to find out what you want to do before making big decisions. It’s a low-risk scenario to work out your menus, see what people like, and streamline what you want to do before going into bigger events.”

Read the full member spotlight for Let’s Go Street Food >