Nothing beats dining under the starry night sky or savoring a burger cooked right on the grill or enjoying umbrella drinks poolside. Outdoor events evoke a certain oasis-like mystic.
But like any oasis, the mirage is often flawed by its outer surroundings of chaos.
Since our spring season was jammed packed with outdoor events (from corporate dinners for 200 to charity walks for 6,000), we thought we would share some checklist tips that are sure to help you tame those external elements and create the perfect outdoor event.
Outdoor Site Checklist - whether a park, golf course or on the grounds of a hotel resort, there are many factors to consider when dealing with al fresco essentials.
Of course some of these may sound familiar to you:
- First Aid - A registered EMT/Paramedic is essential at large outdoor events
- Main Power/water/gas control
- Licensed liquor consumption areas
- Trash bins – Who puts them out? Who cleans them up? How often?
- Toilets – Are there adequate facilities or will you need to bring in portable toilets?
But here are a few that may not always be top of mind:
- Sprinklers – does the site have sprinklers on a timer that may go off when you least want them to?
- Will your signage withstand those blustery days?
- Review the site for hazards – pot holes, pipes, steep hills or slippery slopes.
- Stage location – Power source or will you need a generator (Where will that generator be placed? Will the noise interfere?)
- Have you provided covers over electrical cables or cords that cross aisles or pathways? Cable covers should be no more than 1/2" thick so that they do not become a tripping hazard
- Is there lighting? Not just at the site itself but also on the pathways leading to the site?
- How will you keep your food hot or cold? Do you need refrigeration trucks or satellite kitchen set up?
- How will you keep your attendees warm? Or how will you cool them down?
- Parking - When there is no adequate parking near your event, you may want to consider arranging for valet parking
- Access & egress routes for emergency vehicles
- Fire fighting equipment (Fire Extinguishers & Hydrants)
- To Tent or not to tent? (that may have to be a whole other blog post)
Don’t forget that you may also need a few additional items in your trusty onsite kit that are especially useful for battling open air challenges.
Here are some of our “must haves”
- Twist ties (cable ties) are a life saver and can be used to hang signs, tie back tent walls or even hold doors open. We always pack a variety of sizes.
- Sunscreen and bug spray
- Pliers/wire snips (sometimes scissors just don’t cut it)
- Sandbags help keep things in place
Hope my “Free Idea” makes your Friday!
To learn more, please visit www.andlogistix.com
