Planning a Large Outdoor Event? Six Elements That Should Not Be Overlooked

Producing a flawless outdoor event can be tricky, but with proper planning and considerations in place you can prevent even the most destructive event mishaps. Here is a list of 6 event elements that are critical to the success of outdoor events:

1. Restroom Facilities
   Under normal conditions, most people will use sanitation facilities once every three to four hours. Don’t forget to consider that the consumption of food, liquids, beer and other alcoholic beverages will increase portable restroom usage by 30-40%. Long lines will cut into the comfort of your guests as well as your profit margins if they leave early or stop eating and drinking.  Typically, you can expect 150 users per each restroom. Proper sanitation helps to avoid bad public relations and poor future attendance. Utilize our handy porta potty rental calculator to help determine how many restrooms you will need for your event. Some restroom planning considerations for your special events include:

• Placing your units in large banks to offer the best utilization and make it easy for patrons to locate.
• Flushable or non-flushable? A minimal additional investment in flushable units will leave a very positive impression on your guests.
• Upscale trailers offer a more luxury experience and work great in VIP areas.

2. Hand Washing
   According to the Centers for Disease Control, over 80% of all infectious diseases are transmitted by touch, and good hand washing is the first line of defense. Providing convenient and cost effective hand washing facilities or portable hand sanitizer stations at your event ensures that your guests feel safe, comfortable, and enjoy themselves throughout the day. When ordering hand washing stations, a general rule of thumb is to have one hand wash unit for every three restrooms. To ensure you don’t run out of water, ordering the right quantity based on the manufacturer’s specifications is important. Remember, proper sanitation does not cost, it pays!
3. Fencing
   At large special events, including concerts, festivals, road races and sporting events, crowd control is essential for the safety of everyone. Renting temporary fencing for crowd control will help alleviate possible security threats and enhance the comfort of your guests. Fencing is also a great way to section off different areas such as backstage, VIP, management, and general admission. Consider renting privacy fencing if you are planning an event that requires a fee for admission.
4. Power/Lighting
   If you are holding an event in the evening hours, be sure to plan for lighting. All walkways, bathrooms, tents and parking areas should be properly lit to provide a safe, comfortable environment for your guests. Take advantage of the added ambience that lighting provides by getting creative with color and placement. Lights require power, but they are not the only event elements that require energy. Think about all the areas you might need power (food/drink stations, digital signage, audio/visual, heaters/AC/fans.) Grab your event layout and determine where the power sources will be placed and how much power will be needed. Have on hand plenty of power cords and surge protectors. And remember, it never hurts to have a backup generator in case the power goes down.
5. First Aid
   A top priority of event planners should be the health and safety of all guests in attendance. For larger events be sure to have onsite emergency medical services set up at a designated first-aid station. The level of service may vary depending on the size of event, type of event, alcohol availability, temperature/time of year, and demographics of the crowd. Think about the medical needs of your event to determine if you need a basic first aid station, or a station that includes a nurse, doctor, or ambulance.
6. Clean Up
   Hire a janitorial crew to clean up after the event is over. The crew should collect trash and debris, wipe fixtures, and prepare rental equipment for pick-up. Work with a company that has experience cleaning outside or work with a vendor the venue suggests. The advantage of using the venue’s recommendation is that they know the standard of work and are confident suggesting them. You in turn will feel more confident that all parties will be satisfied with the condition the site will be left in.

Take a deep breath and relax. Enjoy the fresh air that your outdoor event offers because you have planned for all the elements that can make it or break it.

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Image Credit: Robyn Gallant