With the Olympics set to take place from the 27th July to the 12th August, a number of measures are being taken by festival promoters, either to work with the games or to avoid a loss in ticket sales for the festivals.

Some of London's smaller festivals that usually take place consecutively at the beginning of August have moved completely. The Underage, Apple Cart and Field Day festivals have decided not to compete with the quadrennial games and have moved to what will be the Diamond Jubilee bank holiday weekend in June, with Field Day occurring on the 2nd, Apple Cart on the 3rd and Underage to be confirmed.

Cynthia Franklin of online festival community WikiFestivals commented, "It's understandable why these events would reschedule, it'll probably be hectic enough in London and quite a stretch on local security."

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe fears a dip in sales as happened in 2004 with the Athens games, and so has decided to begin their promotions for the festival in March/April rather than the June. But rather than try and compete with the Olympics the organisers of the Fringe are trying to work with the festival in order to attract more international visitors to the city during the July and August. Promotional ticket sales, advertising and train ticket deals run in conjunction with the Olympic Games are hoped to cause a flow of people between London and Edinburgh for the two events.

Reading Festival organisers are working with the Olympics to bring a ‘tent city' to Reading, allowing those who cannot make it to London for the games to watch the events on big screens in the town. Despite Reading Festival not clashing with the games this is a great example of festivals bringing something to the event, with Reading being familiar with such large scale occasions.

As well as festivals that are already in place working around the games, two new festivals are being organised specifically to straddle the Olympic fortnight. The world's largest ever Shakespeare festival and a poetry festival will occur, focusing heavily on the international importance that the games will bring to London.

The poetry event that will take place at the Southbank centre aims to include poets from all the 205 nations competing in the games, while the Shakespeare festival will see all of his 37 plays performed in a variety of languages, including Arabic and Yoruba, and with varying cultural, contemporary interpretations.

Franklin adds, "It is so exciting to hear about how other festivals are looking to get involved in the great benefits that the Olympics will provide, and I reckon there are more exciting announcements to come."