The 17th edition of the 2025 International AGF Awards supported by Skydiamond and hosted by Madame Gandhi and AGF CEO Claire O’Neill, celebrated the most innovative and outstanding festivals, events, venues, organisations, and individuals from worldwide events over the last 12 months at the Royal Lancaster London on 25th February.
Finalists of the awards included 34 events, venues and innovators from 14 countries with awards being presented across nine important sustainability categories, including power, water, food, and travel and the top accolade of the International Greener Festival Award and International Greener Arena Award 2025. Winning festivals and venues were from France, India, Norway, UK, Germany, Switzerland and Hungary.
During this special edition, in an alchemical union of earth and sky, each winner was issued with not only a trophy handcrafted of reclaimed wood by the organiser’s father Steve O’Neill, but an actual 0.7 carat “mined from the sky” diamond certified by the International Gemological Institute and generously gifted by our “bling without the sting” award sponsors Skydiamond.
One of the top accolades – the International Greener Festival Award 2025 – went to Norway’s Øyafestivalen who also scooped the Greener Transport Award. Oyafestivalen show love and care for their host inner-city park and their local community, which shines through in all their decisions and actions. In 2024 the festival went meat free and got the highest level of organic food certification available in Norway. Social and environmental sustainability are at Øyafestivalen’s core.
Upon receiving the award, the festivals head of sustainability Marie Furseth said “It’s a massive pleasure, sustainability has been part of the holistic mindset for at least 20 years, probably more. It’s very important and we love what we do. We hope other festivals will follow. Thank you very much.”
New for this year was the introduction of the International Greener Arena Award, which was won by Forest Green Rovers FC – the New Lawn, showing that sustainability and football can go hand in hand, from their local community work including Community Cookalongs, Soccer Camps and venue Eco Tours to their organic pitch with no use of pesticides or chemical fertilisers, and of course, their 100% plant based menu for all!
Forest Green Rovers Chairman Dale Vince said “Thank you. Thanks to all the team at Forest Green Rovers you do an amazing job.”
Echoes of Earth received the Circular Event Award, a first time win for India. Another first time winner was Waking Life in Portugal who took home the Water & Sanitation Award.
The UK took home two awards, with Greenbelt Festival winning the Pied Piper award for their inspiring and thought-provoking programming and Green Gathering, winning the Greener Power Award with 100% renewable-energy-powering their festival.
We Love Green in France won the Greener Catering Award with their plant based-menu, and the Community Action Award was won by the Paléo Festival Nyon in Switzerland for their extensive work with the community. The Greener Innovations Award went to Sziget Festival for their innovative Green Sziget Passport Games activation.
Full list of 2025 International AGF Award winners:
International Greener Festival Award – Øyafestivalen (NO)
International Greener Arena Award – Forest Green Rovers FC – the New Lawn (UK)
Greener Transport Award (Supported by KB Event) – Øyafestivalen (NO)
Circular Event Award (Supported by Ryans Cleaning) – Echoes of Earth (IN)
Community Action Award – Paléo Festival Nyon (CH)
Greener Catering Award (Supported by Peppermint Events) – We Love Green (FR)
Pied Piper Award – Greenbelt Festival (UK)
Greener Power Award – Green Gathering (UK)
Water & Sanitation Award – Waking Life (PT)
Greener Innovations Award – Green Sziget Passport Games @ Sziget Festival (HU)
Finalists are selected from all AGF certified Greener Events, Festivals and Arenas over the past year, with top scores across key sustainability criteria. Applicants undergo a detailed assessment, site visits, and analysis by AGF auditors. To be eligible to enter the awards it is necessary to apply for certification and provide evidence such as energy source and usage, water consumption, waste transfer notes, transport measurements, material traceability, and survey data. Additionally, green innovations from festivals and events have been selected and are judged by an independent jury.
Sponsored by Skydiamond, The International AGF Award ceremony took place during GEI, organised by AGF in partnership with the ILMC (International Live Music Conference).
Author: Adam Parry
Adam is the co-founder and editor of www.eventindustrynews.com Adam, a technology evangelist also organises Event Tech Live, Europe’s only show dedicated to event technology and the Event Technology Awards. Both events take place in November, London.
