Doing Our Bit: Music Barn’s Environmental Efforts

Alright, barners – let’s talk about something important. We’re not here to greenwash or slap a ‘sustainable festival’ badge on ourselves (yet!), but we are working harder every year to tread a little lighter on the land we call home. Music Barn takes place on private farmland, and we want to keep it as beautiful as we found it… because what’s a festival without a stunning setting, right?

We might not be the biggest festival out there, but that doesn’t mean we can’t make a difference. So, here’s how we’re stepping up in 2025…

Tickets for Trees

In 2025, we’re continuing our Tickets for Trees initiative – meaning for every FIVE tickets sold, we’ll be planting a tree on land near the festival site. Trees are nature’s ultimate air fresheners, sucking up carbon and keeping our planet that little bit greener. Based on estimates from the U.S. Forest Service, we’re aiming to plant around 400 trees this year to balance out our festival’s emissions.

Smarter Travel Choices

We all know transport is one of the biggest contributors to emissions in the events industry. So, we’re encouraging festival-goers to think about how they get here:

· Take public transport – there’s a bus route into nearby Cranford · Carpool with mates – why not book a taxi or minibus with TakeMe taxis (MB25’s official taxi partner!) and make a road trip of it?

Fewer cars = less pollution = an even fresher festival experience. Plus, travelling together just makes everything more fun!

LED Lighting for Lower Energy Use We’re working with MJN Entertainment to switch as much of our festival lighting as possible to LED bulbs, which use 90% less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs. Less energy, less heat, and longer-lasting lights – it’s a win-win.

Single-Use Plastics? No Thanks!

Back in 2018, we introduced a reusable cup scheme to cut down on plastic waste. While this helped, we found that some cups still ended up discarded, breaking down into microplastics. So for 2025, we’re switching to compostable, recyclable, UK-manufactured paper cups at all house bars. They’re:

✔ PE and PLA free ✔ Compostable ✔ Fully recyclable

Our food vendors are also doing their part, using biodegradable disposables like bamboo, banana leaves, and wooden utensils – or even better, reusable options.

Site Clean-Up & Waste Recycling

Once the music stops, we want to leave the site just as we found it. That’s why our clean-up crew scours every inch of the festival site, including the car park and entrance roads. You can help too by using our recycling bins or taking your rubbish home. All our waste is managed by Flame Waste Management, who provide a carbon-neutral waste service – meaning more recycling, zero to landfill, and offset emissions.

Drinking Water

Plastic bottles? No thanks. We’ve installed free drinking water stations next to the bar, so bring a reusable bottle and fill up whenever you need. Keep hydrated, keep dancing!

Every Small Step Counts…

…and every year we keep improving. We’re always looking for ways to reduce our impact while keeping Music Barn as brilliant as ever. Got ideas? We’d love to hear them – drop us a message or chat with us at the festival!

Have you got your tickets ready for MB25? Get your tickets now! HERE