Event management case study: planning outdoor gatherings in green spaces

¶ … Management Case Study

Scenario- We are an event management company. Our team has been asked to plan an event for 200 people in an outdoor "green" space. The event includes workshops, breakout meetings, breakfast and lunch.

Overall Task- Since the event has been requested in a "green" or outdoor space, the first consideration will be the venue and time of year. If the event is in a reasonable season (Mid-late Spring through Early -- Fall), it is likely we can find a venue that can accomplish this. The major consideration will be weather, specifically wind and rain, and proximity to back-up shelters if the need arises. The venue should include tents to cover areas for eating, and potentially meeting. Open air venues can also be problematical due to temperature fluctuations -- it is either too hot or too cold, and it is sometimes difficult to find a medium ground. In addition, power has to be brought to an outdoor event if there will be any presentations (films, videos, electronic smart boards, audio, etc.). Cost will be a factor, of course, specifically in the event of distance, extra back up precautions, the number of attendees, types of meals, etc.

Considerations

Issue

Challenge

Potential Fix or Consideration

Distance

Will the venue be in the city, or will it need to be a drive away? If far, how will attendees get to event -- own transportation or company bus? What is the optimal distance for this organization?

Try to find a venue that may be available for wedding parties; there is usually an outdoor area; depending on the number and size of the group, there is also usually a back-up kitchen. These venues tend to be easy to find and not far from the urban center.

Number of Attendees

The event is stated for 200 people, that is rather large for an outdoor catering/meeting place. This complicates the issue and might result in needing to find a golf or country club atmosphere.

The number of attendees focuses attention on the venue -- it cannot be too small or there will not be room for meetings, etc. It also cannot be too spread out, or it will be inefficient.

Type of Food, Drink

Not sure how long the event is; how many meals; if just one breakfast and lunch, then the breakfast could be cafeteria style, with buffet stations (omelets, eggs, pancakes/waffles, pastries, etc.). Lunch could be sit-down; depending on the type of company and the budget, the food could range in quality and complexity.

If the event is outside, there are some limitations to types of food. It would be advisable to have lunch include mostly cool items that do not need to be heated; exotic salads, fruits, breads, etc.; Using buffet stations could alleviate this for breakfast, although it depends on the time allowed for the meal.

Electricity

Regardless of the venue, it will be necessary to have power for lighting, projectors, etc. Food can be done on hot plates or burners, but there will need to be safe access to electricity.

The venue should have power, but if not, we would require renting a generator and having trained personnel manage the power issues for the group so as not to interrupt the meetings with power outages.

Weather

Working with the company and past weather reports; it might be best to try to plan the event during a relatively mild time for that area (not too hot, not too cold).

Since the weather is unpredictable, it is not likely that meetings would be productive in the event of a rain, thunder, or windstorm. A backup venue would be needed.

Tent space / Comfort

Will the breakouts be in one tent or individual, smaller tents and locations. What is the budget?

How formal is the event; likely not too formal if the client wants it outdoors; however, space will be at a premium.

Back up Planning

In this case, it would be better to be over prepared and have another venue in the wings, ready to go with minimal travel and effort.

A back up location might increase the cost, so every effort should be to try to make the backup in the same location or close.

Planning and Set up

Depending on the number of days, the event staff will need to set up as much as possible the night before; then arrive early with the catering people to ensure breakfast is seamless. In addition, even staff should be assigned so that they are "guides" for attendees to each portion of the event. Rest rooms are an important component, and it is likely that "Porta-Potties" will not be sufficient for this level of client.