With the coronavirus pandemic continuing to have a massive impact on our lives, many businesses are weighing up their options for outdoor events. Once the current lockdown eases and the weather gets warmer, hosting outdoor events can be an excellent way for businesses to get back on their feet while staying COVID safe.
If you’re planning to throw an outdoor even when government restrictions allow, there are a few things you will need to know before you start.
Limit The Number Of Guests
In order to comply with social distancing rules that will almost certainly still be in place in the spring and summer, you should aim to have far fewer guests than you usually would even at an outdoor event.
You can do this by ticketing the event or by having a one-in-one-out policy once you reach capacity. The capacity of any space should be significantly smaller than in pre-COVID times. While you may have to wait for government guidelines on outdoor events to be updated, you can work out a rough estimate by having a look at this guide for social distancing at outdoor sports events.
Security
It is vital for your staff and customers’ safety that you have appropriate security at your event. This will prevent anyone without a ticket from getting into the event and compromising your social distancing policy. Having a visible professional security presence is key to ensuring that your customers comply with your social distancing rules.
You should also ensure that your event is enclosed with fencing, to prevent overcrowding.
Find The Largest Space Possible
Having a large space means that you will be able to ensure the best level of social distancing at your event. The type of space you use will depend mainly on the kind of event you are hosting. For instance, if you plan a small music festival, you should ensure adequate space for a stage, a safe gap between the stage and crowd, and provide socially distanced seating areas to ensure compliance among customers.
Equipment
You should take stock of what you will need for an outdoor event and start researching the best professional companies and services to use. Most outdoor events will require electricity, especially if they are night time events. So high on your list of priorities should be a professional, expert cable hire company like Energy Distribution Hire.
It would be best if you also considered hiring a professional cleaning company to do a deep clean of the space and equipment, both before and after the event to minimise the risk of spreading coronavirus.
Social Distancing Policy
It would be best to have a clear social distancing policy that you make available to your customers before they arrive. Have handwashing stations set up throughout your event and place posters in visible spots reminding your guests of the event’s social distancing policy.
While the government guidance currently states that masks generally only need to be worn indoors, you may wish to take further precautions even outdoors to ensure safety.
Go Contactless
If you haven’t already, you should ensure that you are fully set up with contactless payment methods. If you are hiring food and drinks vendors, you should ensure that they use contactless payments also. You could also set up contactless ticketing services.
Don’t Forget To Enjoy Yourself!
Any event over the next few months is unlikely to return to the pre-COVID celebrations many of us are longing for. However, that doesn’t mean that there won’t be events in 2021 for us to enjoy. Socially distanced events have the potential to be just as enjoyable provided the proper precautions are taken.
