23 Outdoor Events
Lizzy Eaton , founder of Oddity Events , shares her top tips on creating a memorable outdoor summer event
t goes without saying that the events industry is excited to meet face-to-face at the earliest possible opportunity , but myself and the team at Oddity Events & Marketing have been wondering if the same enthusiasm would be felt across other sectors .
Our team polled 115 people with a view to better understanding attendee confidence with regards to the return to in-person events , and aligned the results to the roadmap out of lockdown , with some possible activities at each milestone . The polling revealed a significant appetite to attend events this summer , with 53 % of participants saying they would be interested in attending events from 21 June or earlier , if the appropriate measures were in place .
While these individuals may be just as keen as we are to attend in-person events , we have to ensure we don ’ t exacerbate Covid-19 anxiety with busy inside spaces with poor ventilation . With this in mind , what better excuse is there to make the most of the fair-weather days of summer than with an awesome outdoor event ?
Here are some of our tips for braving the great outdoors for events in 2021 .
Location , location , location With many still working from home , accessibility and convenience will be key incentives for attendance .
Consider access to transport links , cycling routes and parking facilities ; can people get to the venue and return home safely themselves ? If not , look into hiring private transport to collect and return guests at more convenient stop-off points .
Similar to an indoor event , your location needs to have enough space to accommodate everyone safely for the attendee journey around the event to make sense , and to account for different areas of usage . For example , the main event area needs to be away from the toilets , which in turn need to be away from the catering area , and all of which need to have access to electricity .
Take all of your delivery partners on a site visit where they will help you map out the area into appropriately sized zones based on what they need , their location in relation to each other and the available power points .
Permits , notices and safety When holding an event in an unlicensed public space it ’ s important to carry out due diligence and obtain permission from your local authority . The Government ’ s guidance on temporary event permits reads :
“ If you do not have a Temporary Events Notice and carry out an activity that you should have a licence for ( or allow your premises to be used for one ), you can be fined , sent to prison for up to six months , or both .” So , don ’ t get caught out .
If the landowner has an existing premises licence , check the terms and licence period , and ensure the activity you wish to carry out is included within those terms .
If your event is for fewer than 500 guests and a premises licence is not in place , you may need to apply for a Temporary Event Notice , which will allow you to serve alcohol and hot food and provide entertainment .
An organiser should also check for noise restrictions and curfews ; these will apply at established venues with outdoor space too .
Work in collaboration with your suppliers to ensure safety is a priority at your event , for everyone involved , and don ’ t forget to organise insurance . You may wish to appoint a health and safety specialist to help you cover all the bases .
Have a plan , whatever the weather It would be wishful thinking to believe the not-so-famous Great British sunshine will hold out every single day over the summer period .
If the event is fully outdoors , include structures such as a sailcloth marquee or stretch tent , which provide shelter from the elements but can look great , too .
If your event is being held outdoors but at a venue , check that a wet weather option is included in your contract and always run through the process for what will happen if it starts raining during your event . If your budget allows , offer branded umbrellas as a take-away gift . This shows good humour , and your guests get useful swag that won ’ t go straight in the bin .
If you are unfortunate enough to have a wash-out on your event day , you should have a contingency plan in place . Keep an eye on the weather forecast and ensure you are in close contact with your suppliers and venue in the run-up to ensure all partners are aligned and in agreement with the wet-weather plan . www . conference-news . co . uk