Community events serve many purposes. Some gatherings draw attention to causes like human suffering. Festivals and parades tend to be celebratory and fun. However, regardless of the reason for your community event, having thousands of attendees does not guarantee success. Ensuring that your event will be successful begins with learning who regulates the activities that will take place during the event.
Determine Who Will Regulate Event Activities
City or county governments regulate community events. Public health and safety should be at the forefront of any plan. Selling food to the public, garbage disposal, and setting up toilet facilities will require approval by the public health or sanitation department. A protest might be for a good cause, such as bringing attention to injustice. However, protests bring challenges because of conflicting views. Law enforcement agencies will have roles in crowd control, street closures, re-routing traffic, and parking. The local agency that controls alcoholic beverage sales is responsible for permits for alcohol offered at events. Organizations planning large scale events must also have liability insurance to cover incidents that may lead to personal injury, loss, or property damage. Event planners must factor regulatory fees into the event budget. These fees include the cost of permits, security, and premiums for event insurance.
Assemble the Planning Team
It is difficult for an event planner to handle all the logistics associated with planning a community event. Delegating responsibilities is the best way to ensure that all bases get covered. Event planners can begin by making a checklist of all the arrangements necessary for a successful event and then recruit volunteers to serve on a committee or team with enough members to handle specific areas.
Event planning team members should have some experience in their areas of responsibility. Holding a brainstorming session with team members is one way of getting input and ensuring that each individual has a task. For example, one member might be responsible for creating a list of regulatory agencies to contact. Another team member may select food vendors that have been inspected by the local health department and whose employees have food safety certification.
Using a checklist and a team approach helps event planners cover all the bases. It is essential to schedule regular meetings, whether virtual or face-to-face, to keep the planning process on track.