If innovation should be fun, this should be innovative

As Glastonbury lays fallow, I'm preparing for a very different kind of festival, a festival of innovation.
A quick jump around Google will show you (ironically) there is not a lot that is either new or novel about a festival of innovation.
However, what this particular one does is focus on a series of questions that are important to the sponsors and those taking part. And in applying Design Thinking they aim to have built things (at least Minimum Viable Products) within five days.
The Northumbrian Water Group Festival of Innovation runs on a dedicated site (at Newcastle Race Course) for the week of July 10-14, 2017.
It's taking on some pretty hefty challenges - with a wide range of thinking being brought to bear (from universities, consultancies, industry and beyond) in an agile framework;

• Sprint 1 – ‘Rain, Hail or Shine’: How can we reduce flooding? 
• Sprint 2 – ‘Keep it flowing’: What do we know about leakage from water pipes and how can we fix it? 
• Sprint 3 – ‘Preparing for the Future’: How do we upgrade our infrastructure for the 21st Century effectively and affordably? 
• Sprint 4 – ‘Tomorrow’s World’: What will living and working look like in 2030?
• Sprint 5 – ‘How Green is Your City?’: What can businesses do to improve the environment in the North East? 
• Sprint 6 – ’21st Century Reach’: How can we optimise a mobile workforce for a complex network business?

I'm planning on being there for Wednesday evening to witness the conclusions of the process on Thursday and Friday.
The festival vibe will be enhanced with a tented village, live comedy and music and inspirational talks.
The best innovation comes from fun - the most creative sparks from clashing ideas and approaches. The Play Ethic at play.
I've been invited to blog from the event - so watch out for more here and from my twitter account (@davidcushman).