FAQs
WHAT THE FAQ?...
WHAT IS THE BIG FESTOON?
The BIG Festoon is a business and personal development event, designed to inspire, motivate, educate and entertain you, all the while helping you to grow your business and expand and amplify your success.
We do this through bringing you inspirational and educational TED-style talks, super-relaxed and safe networking and a host of exhibitors showcasing their products and services.
WHO CAN ATTEND?
The BIG Festoon is an inclusive event, everyone is welcome, though due to the language, content and messaging that will be shared by the speakers, this event is only appropriate for those aged 18 years and over.
Come and join a room full of like-minded people, all at different stages in their personal and business journey, looking for inspiration, motivation and celebration!
WHEN'S THE NEXT EVENT?
Wednesday 11th and Thursday 12th March 2026
The AO Arena takes safety and security seriously, and attendees may need to go through airport-style scanners and bag searches.
If you have any concerns about this, please speak to the Stewards on arrival.
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WHERE IS IT?
The Arena is located within the Victoria Station complex in the city centre, on the corner of Trinity Way, Hunts Bank and Great Ducie Street.
AO Arena
Victoria Station
Manchester
M3 1AR
WHERE CAN I PARK?
Official parking partners CitiPark operate the on-site car park which has a capacity of 958 spaces, including accessible bays.
Parking can be pre-booked by following the link to the CitiPark website: www.citipark.co.uk/car-parks/manchester/arena
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Please Note: Blue Badge Bays cannot be specifically booked and are on a first come first served basis. If there are spaces available, an attendant will direct you on presenting your blue badge. There are 40 Blue Badge parking bays.
On arrival, please follow signs to The AO Arena.
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The BIG Festoon is on the ground floor, there are stairs, lifts and escalators.
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WHERE'S THE NEAREST TRAIN STATION?
Many national and local trains serve Manchester Victoria Station.
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Manchester Piccadilly is the main train station for the city and is just a short walk, bus or tram journey away from the Arena.
More information on buses and trams can be found on the venue's website: www.ao-arena.com/plan-your-visit/how-to-find-us
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WHERE CAN I STAY?
We are working with Marketing Manchester, who have collated a great list of partner deals for our event:
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The BIG Festoon - Start your reservation
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Rooms on this link are held until Thursday 12th February 2026.
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There are many other accommodation options in the vicinity.
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I CAN'T FIND MY TICKET!
If you have purchased a Gold or VIP ticket (either from us directly or via a Table Host) your e-ticket will be sent to you in the 3 weeks preceding the event, to the email address registered with us.
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Instructions to activate this ticket will be sent with your e-ticket.
Everyone needs an eTicket to access the event, even if you are on a hosted table.
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If you need assistance, please email bookings@iatqb.com
CAN I BRING MY CHILD/TEEN?
This is a business-focused event designed for an adult (18+) audience and is held during school term time.
There are no childcare facilities available and no provision for teens and young people on this occasion.
While children and young people are not prohibited from attending, anyone choosing to bring a child must purchase a full-price ticket for them.
Children and young people must be supervised by their parent or guardian at all times, and the event organisers accept no responsibility for their care, safety, or supervision during the event.
Please note that some content and sessions may not be suitable for under 18s.
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WHY DO I HAVE AN EMAIL ABOUT ONLINE ACCESS?
The BIG Festoon is a live, in-person event, but we do have all the content from across the two days recorded by a professional film crew.
A few days after the event, you will be able to login to our bespoke online portal and access all of these recordings, to watch and re-watch time and time again.
There will also be profiles for all of the speakers and exhibitors, with details of their websites, social media channels, an overview of them and what they do, as well as some delicious freebies and exclusive offers.
DO I NEED TO BRING ANYTHING?
A smile and an open mind! There is a bar, so you may wish to buy additional alcoholic or soft drinks throughout the day or after the event during the After Party.
IS THERE WIFI ACCESS?
Yes, the event room has WiFi access.
The access code will be displayed on the day.
CAN I BRING MY OWN FOOD & DRINK?
No food or drink items can be taken into the AO Arena.
Only food and drink items purchased on the premises may be consumed in the AO Arena.
If you have any specific dietary or medical requirements, please speak to a steward at the door upon arrival and contact us in advance of your visit if you have any questions: bookings@iatqb.com
IS THERE A DRESS CODE?
Wear whatever makes you feel good!
The BIG Festoon is an inclusive event, everyone is welcome to express themselves.
It is not a formal business event!
However, due to the size of the venue, please be aware the temperature may vary during the course of the event so don't forget to bring a jumper or jacket just to make sure you're comfy throughout!
You can even show your support by PRE-ORDERING your very own IATQB Hoodie or Varsity Jacket for you to collect on arrival!
All profits from our merch go to The FLYANYWAY Foundation which helps survivors of domestic abuse build businesses of their very own!
ARE THERE FACILITIES DESIGNED TO ACCOMODATE EVERYONE?
Absolutely! If you have any particular inclusivity or access needs, light or sound sensitivity, or social anxiety, please get in touch via bookings@iatqb.com so we can plan your day to support you.
For more information on our Inclusivity & Accessibility Policy please click the button below.
HOW CAN I SPEAK ON STAGE?
The BIG Festoon stage is carefully curated. That’s not us being difficult. It’s how we protect the standard, the audience experience, and the culture of the room.
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There are two routes you can explore, should you want to:
1) Partner and sponsor speaking opportunities:
We have a select number of partner and sponsor stage opportunities available. These are by application, and they’re assessed on alignment, value to the room, and whether it genuinely serves the audience, not just the brand.
If you’d like to be considered, please contact us.
2) The train-to-stage pathway (application only):
The BIG Festoon began as a platform to showcase speakers Dani was training, and that legacy still matters. There are speaking programmes that can lead to stage opportunities, but they’re application-only and typically involve working with Dani 1:1. This isn’t pay to play. It’s earned through craft, message clarity, audience relevance, and performance.
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How we keep it fair:
We don’t do open-mic submissions, popularity contests, or “who you know” placements. Every speaker opportunity is evaluated against the same standards: impact, integrity, relevance, and readiness.
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Want to explore either route?:
Drop us an email to bookings@iatqb.com with “Speaking” in the subject line, and tell us which route you’re enquiring about, Partner/Sponsor or Train-to-Stage.
WHAT IS THE AGENDA?
Doors open to attendees from 8:00am each day for registration and access to the expo area.
Do come and participate in this expo area, it’s going to be fabulous!
We invite attendees to take their seats at around 9:20am, to introduce themselves to their fellow table guests and get settled in for a prompt 9:30am start.
There will be morning and afternoon comfort breaks and an hour for lunch at around 1pm.
Day One will finish on stage at around 5:30pm, with the expo area staying open until 6:00pm for drinks and networking.
Day Two will finish on stage at 5:30pm.
If you are a VIP ticket holder, we will have a pre-event drinks reception and networking on Tuesday 10th March from 7:30pm (no dinner included).
Our Party Night will be at the end of Day One, Wednesday 11th March, from 7:30pm.
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WHAT IF I NEED A REFUND?
Once you agree to the terms of one of our products or services you will not be entitled to a refund unless you are still within the 14 day cooling off period and your purchase was made online.
The only exception to this is where we choose to cancel the Services (other than under clause 12 of our T&Cs where we terminate due to your breach of this Agreement or following an act of insolvency), you are entitled to a partial refund for sessions which you have paid for in advance and which you have not received.
Should you choose not to participate in the Services for any reason you will remain legally responsible for the full amount of the Fees and full payment will still be required.
You warrant that you are entering into this Agreement solely for business purposes.
This clause does not affect your statutory rights.
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For more information please see our full Terms & Conditions page HERE.
COMPLAINTS & CONCERNS?
1. PURPOSE
At The Big Festoon, we’re all about good vibes, big energy, and creating an event that feels like a warm hug (but with better music and fewer awkward arm squeezes). That said, if something isn’t quite right, we want to hear about it so we can fix it—fast.
2. FIRST STOP: THE FLIGHT SQUAD
If you’ve got a concern, your first port of call is our fabulous Flight Squad (AKA our event team). They’re trained, friendly, and here to help.
Spot them in their official team t-shirts—no invisibility cloaks here!
They’ll do their absolute best to sort things out on the spot.
If they can’t, they’ll pass it up the chain to someone who can.
3. IF IT NEEDS MORE ATTENTION
If your concern needs a bit more oomph, our senior team members, Danielle Hansen or Beth Thompson, will step in to help. They’re the event-whisperers who make things happen.
4. EMERGENCIES (THE SERIOUS STUFF)
If it’s a medical emergency, security issue, or serious safety concern, here’s what to do:
- Find the nearest Flight Squad member immediately.
- For medical or security emergencies, they’ll get the right emergency responders on the case ASAP.
- If needed, the situation will go straight to Danielle or Beth for further action.
5. AFTER THE EVENT: KEEP TALKING
Got feedback? A concern that popped up later? We’re all ears. Drop us an email at support@iatqb.com with the details.
We appreciate you helping us keep The Big Festoon an unforgettable experience for all the right reasons!
I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION...
The AO Arena website contains additional information that you might find useful: www.ao-arena.com/plan-your-visit
If you have any other questions or queries ahead of the event, please get in touch at bookings@iatqb.com
We're happy to help and can't wait to see you there!