Swallow Events has launched a new trader-first event operations platform aimed at transforming how festivals and live events source and manage catering traders and retail operators. The system combines automated tender procurement, fixed-price live auctions and integrated booking workflows within a single operational infrastructure designed specifically for live event organisers.

Built by live event organisers, the UK-based platform introduces a fixed-price, auction and tender system designed to automate catering and retail trader procurement while reducing administrative workload for event teams – free for organisers to use.

Developed after decades of hands-on experience delivering professional events, the Swallow platform was originally built as an internal operating system to eliminate the manual administration traditionally associated with trader procurement, contracts and supplier communications. The platform is now available to third-party organisers, offering a fully automated environment for managing catering traders, retail trade stands and event logistics.

Unlike traditional event software, which often treats traders as a secondary feature, Swallow Events positions trader procurement at the core of its workflow.

Organisers can curate and manage applications, automate contracts, distribute compliance documentation and handle payment scheduling through one central system.

The platform currently connects organisers with more than 5,000 catering traders and 3,000 retail trade stand operators, while also including integrated ticketing functionality as a supporting layer rather than the primary focus.

Swallow Events operates on a zero-cost model for organisers, with no setup fees or paid subscriptions, and an extremely low flat four per cent buyer ticket fee designed to align platform revenue with event performance.

“We didn’t set out to build another ticketing tool,” said Oli Thomas, founder of Swallow Events. “We built a system to solve the operational chaos behind trader procurement, the emails, spreadsheets and manual processes that slow organisers down. Ticketing became a supporting layer within the system, not the reason it exists, and we chose to make it completely free for organisers.”

The platform as an operational infrastructure layer for live events, combining automation, trader-centric workflows and optional curation tools aimed at reducing administrative overhead and allowing organisers to scale without increasing staffing.

For more information or to book a demo, please visit www.swallowevents.com

Please note: This is a promotional feature