Mapping the impact of extreme weather on global events and mass gatherings: Trends and adaptive strategies

Sport tourism, business events, festivals, and mass gatherings draw crowds that contribute to tourism and community development. However, extreme weather is disrupting events globally, exposing organisers and host destinations to risk as climate changes. This research analyses events affected by extreme weather in terms of location, purpose, and format using a global sample of 2,091 events reported as disrupted from 2004-2024. Qualitative insights are shared about the size, financial effects, and complexity of encounters, along with connections to extreme weather attribution research. While limited data prevents firm conclusions about global incidents, patterns related to crowds and trends over time in mature, English-speaking event economies (the US, UK, Canada, and Australia) are discussed, including the apparent increase in incidents across these countries. Overall, storms and their effects are found to be the most disruptive type of weather, however, there is regional variation. Arts, culture and entertainment events, particularly festivals and concerts, bear the brunt of impacts, followed by social and sporting events, although the picture varies among the four countries analysed. Findings help event organisers, destinations, and emergency managers better understand the specific weather risks that impact the timing, location, format, and viability of events, providing insights that can improve adaptation and resilience.