Hastings Traditional Jack in the Green - Event Planning & Live Operations

Each year I volunteer to help deliver Hastings Traditional Jack in the Green, one of the UK’s largest traditional folk events, attracting around 20,000 visitors to Hastings across the May Day Bank Holiday weekend.

While the public experience centres around the procession, performances and celebrations across the town, the reality behind the scenes is a complex live operation that depends on months of planning, coordination and real-time decision making.

As part of the volunteer committee, I support the planning and delivery of a packed multi-day programme involving:

• live performances and processions
• public-facing events across multiple locations
• vendor and stakeholder coordination
• volunteer management
• scheduling and logistics
• fundraising and financial sustainability initiatives
• contingency planning and operational problem solving during live event delivery

2026 was our largest event to date and included several new initiatives, including a family ceilidh, expanded community activities, quieter SEND sessions, a processional giants showcase, and a new pop-up merchandise shop in Hastings High Street.

One of the most rewarding parts of the role was helping manage the transition from months of planning into live execution across the bank holiday weekend itself. Once the event begins, priorities can shift quickly, and maintaining momentum relies on constant communication, adaptability and attention to detail.

The operational side of the weekend involves balancing schedules, monitoring event flow, resolving issues in real time and helping ensure activities remained coordinated across busy public spaces with large crowds moving throughout the town.

Alongside event delivery, I also worked with fellow committee volunteers on major funding applications that secured:

• £30,000 through Arts Council National Lottery Project Grants
• £78,511 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund

This funding supported both the delivery of the 2026 event and a wider programme of community and heritage projects involving schools, libraries and local organisations.

One aspect I particularly value from experiences like this is the opportunity to work within fast-moving live environments where planning, teamwork and adaptability directly affect the success of the event. Helping deliver a volunteer-led event on this scale reinforced the importance of preparation, communication, operational awareness and remaining calm under pressure when managing complex moving parts in real time.