Thinking of holding an outdoor event within the next few months? While there’s no denying the charm of a concert or exhibition held al fresco, you have to remember that the rainy season has officially begun.
That’s right, you need to rainproof your outdoor event to ensure that it pushes through despite the weather! Here are 7 tips to help you with just that.
Rain or Shine: 7 Tips for a Rainproof Outdoor Event
1. Assess the Risks
Attendees’ health and safety are easily among your top priorities when it comes to dealing with bad weather during an outdoor event. Be sure to have systems and first-aid stations set up to protect your crew and your guests.
Remember that you’ll probably be booking a lights and sounds rental for the event, too. The last thing you need to hear is that someone on the team has gotten injured because of soaked electronics.
2. Pitch a Tent (or a Marquee)
You’ll also want to provide a tent or marquee where your guests can take shelter should the rain begin to fall. If you have room in your budget, you may even add a little heating to keep attendees from shivering.
3. Lay Down Secure Flooring
The tents and marquees you’ve set up will work best if they’re paired with secure flooring. This simple consideration can save your guests and crew from slipping on wet concrete or losing their shoes to pools of mud!
4. Put Up Clear and Highly Visible Signs
You might have distributed a venue map, but your guests may need more than that if the weather goes south. Place signboards around the venue to point out important areas like restrooms, tents, and food stalls. This can help prevent crowds from stampeding in case of a sudden downpour.
5. Prepare Lots of Extra Rain Gear
Make some room in your budget for umbrellas, ponchos, and other gear to rainproof your crew and your attendees. Branded umbrellas can make interesting and eye-catching giveaways at outdoor events. Raincoats or ponchos can keep your crew dry without constricting their movement. Depending on your venue, it may also help to prepare insect repellant.
6. Keep Your Crew and Your Partners in the Loop
You’ve laid out a backup plan complete with flooring and flashy umbrellas, so now you’ll want to make sure that everyone involved knows about it!
Outline what your crew should do, where people will be staying, where all the umbrellas and raincoats are stashed away, and where the speakers or food carts will be moved if needed. Sure, you’ll have to brief everyone a bit longer, but this will save you a massive headache down the road.
7. Don’t Let the Rain Get to You
It might sound hard, but you need to keep up the spirit of the event despite the rain. Brief your staff to handle any complaints and concerns with a professional, positive air. Share snaps of guests having fun or splashing around while you’re at it. Show your attendees that you’ve poured your heart and soul into this event and you refuse to let the rain ruin this experience for them.
Keep these 7 tips in mind for your next outdoor event, and you’ll meet resounding success no matter how the weather turns out! It also helps if you’re working with vendors who can handle a bit of rain themselves. In particular, you’ll want to find a lights and sounds company that can lend you water-resistant equipment for your event.
Why not ask an industry professional like Red Damien? With all our first-hand experience with lights and sounds, we’ll know just what you’ll need to ensure a topnotch experience even under the rain. Just fill out our online inquiry form and specify that you need water-resistant equipment. Contact us today to learn more!
Visit our blog regularly for more advice on handling events in Quezon City, regardless of the weather.
