What to buy for a theatre festival

A theatre festival needs more than costumes and a stage. You will need seating, serving equipment, drinks service, signage materials and reliable technical supplies for several performances and audience areas. This shopping list covers the practical items that are easy to overlook, from spare extension cords to enough glasses and waste bins. Check quantities against your expected audience, number of halls and programme length before you place orders or collect borrowed equipment.

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What to bring

Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.

Furniture

Stage sectionsqty 6
Theater seatsqty 300
Foldable tablesqty 12
Bar stoolsqty 8
Changing room chairsqty 20
Clothes racksqty 6
Waste binsqty 12

Tableware

Coffee cupsqty 180
Water glassesqty 300
Wine glassesqty 180
Platesqty 300
Forksqty 300
Knivesqty 300
Spoonsqty 250

Catering

Serving traysqty 12
Pitchersqty 8
Food warmersqty 6
Coolersqty 8
Coffee machinesqty 3
Kettlesqty 3
Groceries
- Coffee - 5 packs
- Tea bags - 300 pieces
- Black tea - 2 boxes
- Herbal tea - 2 boxes
- Sugar - 3 kilos
- Sweeteners - 2 boxes
- Milk - 12 liters
- Oat milk - 6 liters
- Cola - 12 bottles
- Cola Zero - 12 bottles
- Orange soda - 8 bottles
- Iced tea - 8 bottles
- Spa Blauw - 24 bottles
- Spa Rood - 12 bottles
- Apple juice - 6 packs
- Orange juice - 6 cartons
- Beer - 8 crates
- Alcohol-free pilsner - 3 crates
- White wine - 18 bottles
- Red wine - 10 bottles
- Prosecco - 6 bottles
- Lemons - 3 kilos
- Limes - 2 kilos
- Ice cubes - 20 kilo
- Mini currant buns - 150 pieces
- Mini croissants - 150 pieces
- Unsalted butter - 2 kilos
- Strawberry jam - 4 jars
- Cheese slices - 3 kilos
- Hummus - 2 kilos
- Cucumber - 4 kilos
- Cherry tomatoes - 4 kilos
- Grapes - 5 kilos
- Apples - 8 kilos
- Bananas - 6 kilos
- Paprika chips - 12 bags
- Plain chips - 12 bags
- Tortilla chips - 10 bags
- Salted pretzels - 8 bags
- Olives - 3 jars
- Nut mix - 3 kilo
- Rice crackers - 8 packs
- Mini cookies - 12 packs
- Brownies - 120 pieces
- Mini muffins - 120 pieces
- Wraps - 150 pieces
- Falafel - 6 kilo
- Chicken breast strips - 6 kilo
- Arugula - 2 kilos
- Iceberg lettuce - 4 heads
- Peppers - 4 kilos
- Red onion - 2 kilos
- Corn - 12 cans
- Grated cheese - 3 kilos
- Garlic sauce - 4 bottles
- Chili sauce - 3 bottles
- Yogurt dressing - 4 bottles
- Mayonnaise - 3 jars
- Ketchup - 3 bottles
- Mustard - 2 jars
- Salt - 1 kilo
- Black pepper - 250 grams
- Paprika powder - 250 gram
- Italian herbs - 2 jars
- Olive oil - 3 liters
- Balsamic vinegar - 2 bottles
- Aluminum foil - 4 rolls
- Plastic wrap - 4 rolls
- Baking paper - 3 rolls
- Paper napkins - 1000 pieces
- Paper towels - 12 rolls
- Toilet paper - 48 rolls
- Trash bags - 100 pieces
- Cleaning product - 6 bottles
- All-purpose cleaner - 6 bottles
- Glass cleaner - 3 bottles
- Dish soap - 4 bottles
- Dishwasher tablets - 100 pieces
- Hand soap - 12 bottles
- Hand sanitizer - 8 bottles
- Paper towels - 12 packs
- Bandages - 4 boxes

Equipment

Speakersqty 4
Mixer
Wireless microphonesqty 4
Microphone standsqty 4
Audio cablesqty 12
Extension cordsqty 12
Power stripsqty 10
Laptopqty 2
Toolboxesqty 3
Cable matsqty 20
Rolling boardsqty 4
Fire extinguishersqty 4
First aid kitsqty 2

Lighting

Theatre spotlightsqty 8
Light standsqty 4
LED string lightsqty 6

Decorations

Theater curtainsqty 4
Backdropsqty 4
Decorative panelsqty 10
Prop boxesqty 8
Red carpetsqty 2
Directional signsqty 20
Program boardsqty 6
Name badgesqty 40

Kitchen

Cutting boardsqty 6
Chef's knivesqty 6
Serving tongsqty 12
Thermos flasksqty 8
Coolersqty 4

Cleaning

Cleaning bucketsqty 6
Mopsqty 6
Broom setsqty 4
Vacuum cleanersqty 3
Cleaning glovesqty 12

Tips

Plan seating and tables by audience capacity, not room size alone. Allow one theatre seat per registered guest, plus a small reserve if your venue permits, and provide separate tables for check-in, catering and programme booklets.
Calculate drinks separately for the audience, performers and volunteers. For the first hour, allow around two to three drinks per person, then add water glasses and pitchers so the bar is not the only option.
Treat technical equipment as a complete system: speakers, mixer, wireless microphones, stands, audio cables, extension cords and power strips must match the number of stages and halls. Add at least two spare audio cables and one spare power strip.
Do not leave serving equipment until the catering delivery arrives. Food warmers, serving trays, pitchers, coffee machines, kettles, cups, plates and cutlery should be counted for the busiest serving period, not the average one.
Prepare front-of-house and backstage items at the same time. Clothes racks and changing-room chairs are easy to miss when ordering stage sections, curtains and spotlights, while waste bins and clear signage prevent problems once the audience arrives.

Frequently asked questions

How many seats do I need for a theatre festival?: Start with one seat per confirmed guest and add 5–10% if the venue has enough space. For 200 expected guests, that means 200 seats plus roughly 10 to 20 spare seats.
How much drinking equipment should I buy for a theatre festival?: For a 200-person festival, prepare at least 400 glasses for the first hour if drinks are served continuously, with extra water glasses and pitchers. Add a 10–15% buffer for breakage, delayed washing and backstage use.
How many microphones are needed for a theatre festival?: Count one microphone for each person who must speak at the same time, then add at least one spare for a festival with multiple performances. A programme with four simultaneous speaking roles therefore needs five microphones, subject to the venue’s sound setup.
When should I order theatre festival supplies?: Order hired furniture, lighting and sound equipment at least 4–6 weeks before the festival, especially if several halls are in use. Buy consumables such as cups, paper materials and cleaning supplies 7–10 days before the event, then check the delivery two days ahead.

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