Outdoor event planning is a lot of work. More than most people even realize.
It’s not just about booking a great band for a music festival or exciting vendors for a market; logistical considerations need to be factored in and planned for accordingly.
Forget to book porta potties, for example, and your event will be in a world of trouble. Didn’t think about how your event will handle garbage and recycling? That could create an unsanitary environment that makes it hard for guests to enjoy your event.
But keep a few key things in mind while outdoor event planning and there’s no reason it won’t be a roaring success. At Fenceline Rentals Ltd., we’re here to help. Here’s our Outdoor Event Planning Checklist that will help you make sure you don’t miss anything as you prepare for the big day.
Outdoor Event Planning Done Right
1. Secure a Venue
The right venue can make all the difference, and it’s about a lot more than just providing adequate space for vendors and attendees.
- If your event is in the middle of summer, try finding a location that has shaded areas for people to cool down.
- If it’s in the winter, look for venues that might be near buildings where people can warm up or, at the very least, have areas that are shielded from cold winds and even snow.
- A wide-open space might seem too big for your event, but it can still feel like an intimate setting with the right temporary fencing.
- Ensuring the location is accessible matters for vendors trying to bring in their products and attendees who may have mobility issues.
2. Figure Out How Many Washrooms You’ll Need
Having enough portable toilets is an essential part of outdoor event planning, but it’s something that people often don’t think about nearly enough. While it’s important to have enough washrooms, it’s not always straightforward to know how many portable toilets you’ll need.
Fenceline Rentals Ltd. has a handy portable toilet calculator that can help you estimate the number of porta potties you’ll need based on the size of your event.
There are a few key things to think about:
- How long is the event? Longer events mean guests will use the portable toilets more often. The longer your event, the more portable toilets you’ll want.
- How many people are attending? The more people that attend your outdoor event, the more portable toilets you’ll need. The general rule of thumb is to have one porta potty for every 50 people attending a four-hour event, but other factors can affect that calculation.
- Will alcohol be served? When people drink alcohol, they use the restroom more often. Make sure that’s factored in when you’re doing your outdoor event planning. We suggest increasing the number of portable toilets you get for your event by about 20% if guests will be drinking.
- Are there other options available for restrooms? If your venue is attached to a building, there may be permanent indoor restrooms available. That would mean you need fewer portable toilets.
3. Rent Handwashing Stations
If you’re going to have portable toilets, you’ll need portable sinks close by for people to wash their hands after they use them. Don’t forget to include renting portable sinks during your outdoor event planning.
In general, it’s recommended that outdoor events have one handwashing station for every four portable toilets. Fenceline offers a range of portable sink options, all built with materials hardy enough for the depths of winter. Our portable sinks don’t need plumbing and feature quick mounts for soap, sanitizer, and hand towels.
4. Book Temporary Fencing
Renting or purchasing temporary fencing is an important step in outdoor event planning for several reasons. It creates a boundary for your event, but that’s not the only reason temporary fencing is so useful for outdoor event organizers.
- Security: Creating a perimeter for your outdoor event is important as it keeps people who haven’t paid for tickets out. For events with kids, temporary fencing also lets parents relax, knowing their children won’t be running off.
- Crowd control: Whether setting up entrances or exits or creating separate areas for people to eat or play with their kids, temporary fencing allows outdoor event organizers a measure of crowd control.
- Areas for kids – and adults: If you’re hosting an all-ages event that may also serve alcohol, temporary fencing can create an adults-only, licensed area where they can drink legally. A separate, fenced kids’ area is a great way to provide little ones with a space where they can play and have fun, too.
5. Secure Waste Management
Waste management should always be a major consideration in outdoor event planning. Having the right garbage, recycling, and composting bins that are clearly marked and easily accessible, especially around areas where people eat, will keep your event space clean and sanitary.
Fenceline Rentals Ltd. has the right bins for your event and can even take care of waste disposal, too, and their LEED-certified team can help you come up with an effective plan for reducing waste.
6. Create Pet-Friendly Spaces
If you’re planning an outdoor event, why not invite your guests’ dogs along? While that might not be completely feasible at events that will be extremely crowded, there’s no reason people can’t bring their pups along to outdoor events like markets or community festivals.
Renting a dog run is a great way to give pets a place to play to their hearts’ content without bothering non-dog-lovers or interrupting the flow of the crowd.
7. Market Your Event!
Now that the logistics are out of the way, you need to make sure people know about your event and when and where they can attend it.
For some events, that may involve sending personal invitations. For others, marketing through social media is a great, affordable way to inform potential attendees of everything they need to know.
- Send regular reminders
- Consider news releases to drive excitement
- Print advertisements that make it clear where tickets are available
- Write blog posts, create promotional videos, and engage with people on social media
Make Your Event a Success with Fenceline Rentals Ltd.!
A lot goes into outdoor event planning, but it’s possible to have an event that goes perfectly smoothly. Fenceline Rentals Ltd. can help you get ready for the big day.
From temporary fences to dog runs to all you require to meet your event’s waste management needs, our experienced team can make outdoor event planning easy.
Have questions? Call us at 782-825-5737 in Edmonton or 587-864-5607 in Calgary.