An event is an opportunity for people to get together and bond over shared interests and hobbies. Therefore, it’s good to go over the details thoroughly and prepare for backup plans, regardless of the number of attendees. Even if you have no experience hosting an outdoor event, you’ll do just fine; by simply following the tips below and making the necessary adjustments.
- Check The Weather Forecast
In any outdoor event, this should be your top priority. You need to prepare and have backup plans for unexpected weather changes. It pays to check the weather forecast before making final decisions on the date and the venue. You wouldn’t want to deal with event cancellation at the last minute because you didn’t anticipate bad weather.
Perhaps, you can consider getting longterm tent structures rain or shine. Tents are ideal in open space areas that are far from any building. Therefore, it wouldn’t be so bad to secure a tent or two depending on the number of guests.
- Look For A Good Venue
You’ve probably been to a couple of parties or corporate functions yourself; would you remember what you liked most about them? More often than not, you’d think about the venue and your experience. Therefore, in looking for a place to host an outdoor event, keep your guests in mind. Most importantly, think about their comfort.
Thus, you need to do thorough research before booking the place, and see if they have good reviews and everything you need for the event. You can also consider the place’s proximity to your guests and try to see if it’s accessible to everyone. Moreover, make sure that your guests will have parking space. Also, don’t forget to look for backup venues.
- Work With A Reliable Team
It’d be best to look for reliable and trustworthy people you can work with and entrust this responsibility. Perhaps, you can start with the people you’ve worked with in the past or someone you know. They should understand the goal and objective of why the event was created in the first place. And, so, there should be unity in the team, and everyone should focus more on the goal.
You should have regular meetings to see the progress and anticipate problems along the way. Learn to delegate tasks and assign them to employees with the right skills. This will be where everyone’s patience will be tested. Therefore, it’d be best to select the right kind of people.
- Secure The Permits
Nothing’s worse than cancelling an event because you missed the chance of getting permits. You’d need to secure different types of permits, depending on the kind of event you’re going to do. It’d be best if you established it as soon as possible to get the necessary permits before the event to avoid it getting cancelled.
Here are some of the most common permits, but it’ll vary depending on the city or state:
- Fireworks Permit – There could be places that don’t allow pyrotechnics; therefore, it’s best to consult with the local government to be sure.
- Health Permit – This is required, most especially if you plan on selling food and/or drinks.
- Noise Permit – This is common for outdoor events. There’s only an allotted timeframe for when you’re allowed to make noise.
- Alcohol Permit – If you wish to serve alcohol to your guests, it’s best to secure this permit.
- Event Permit – There are places that require this permit alone, most especially if the venue is in public properties.
- Arrange The Layout
Sketch the layout of the venue. Make a seating plan for the guests, and a designated area for the vendors or caterers. It’ll determine if you’ve chosen the right place and if everyone can be accommodated. Afterward, you can assess if you need extra space, just in case. Therefore, you need to meet with all your suppliers to finalize the details.
You can do the logistics or get someone else to oversee it, and it should include the following:
- Security – You can hire a team of bouncers to avoid unwanted guests from showing up unannounced in the event.
- Budget – Stick to the budget and don’t go overboard even if you have sponsors.
- Food And Drinks – Make sure you have more than enough for everyone.
- Transporation – This is intended for the large equipment and the crew, but it can also be for the vendors.
- Equipment – This may include microphones, speakers, lights, and megaphones.
Conclusion
The success of any event is highly dependent on the planning process. Hence, think of your goals and objectives, consider your budget, work with a team, choose your venue, and plan for it. You must ensure the plan will go smoothly; otherwise, use your backup plans.
