6 tips for successfully organizing your outdoor event

Outdoor events are the kind of events everyone loves to attend, whether it's a staff party, a business event or a drink for a colleague. But how to start organizing a professional outdoor event? Here are some tips!

The nice weather is coming. Have you thought about an outdoor activity for your business partners, or your staff? The best places are often the fastest booked and make the best events. More about this further in the article.

But how to start organizing an outdoor event? Here are some tips!

1 – Find the right venue

When planning an outdoor event, finding the right event venue or space is key.
There are lots of things you need to think about, including logistics, comfort, regulations and safety. The choice of your venue will depend on the type of event you wish to organize but also on the crowd size you are expecting. 

Your outdoor venue needs to be easily accessible for your guests but also when it comes to catering, entertainment or equipment hire. Having an outdoor venue that’s easy to reach and offers easy logistics handling, should be a high priority. 

Don’t forget sufficient parking facilities and public transportation,  along with accessibility to power plugs, internet and running water. For outdoor events, these aspects can often be more complicated, so it’s important to consider this when you’re booking your venue.

2 – Choose the right food and beverage formula

Your outdoor activity is not complete without a tasty menu and well-organized service.

Review menu details with a catering service and make sure they have the necessary experience with outdoor activities. Depending on the location and context of the event, it may be worthwhile to have some equipment delivered to the venue:

• Refrigeration systems
• Ovens
• Barbeque
• Tent
• Theme food truck
• Bar
• Heating elements
• etc.

 Make a plan to determine what the catere can provide and what you need to provide yourself. 

If you don't have access to a refrigerator, focus on simple food that can be kept at room temerature for the duration of the event.

3 – Ensure guest comfort

Outdoor events require a checklist to ensure participants have the best possible experience. For starters, provide heaters and ventilation to accommodate temperature fluctuations, both during the day and at night.

It's no secret that the country's weather is very unpredictable. So choose places that offer an indoor space nearby in case of rain or storms.

Make sure there are enough toilets for the number of guests, that they are easy to find and - not to mention - that they are in good condition. If you decide to use portable toilets in a natural setting, make sure you choose the right location. They should be easily accessible without being part of the landscape....

4 – Provide outdoor furniture (and more if you wish).

As we saw in the previous point, if your caterer does not have his own equipment, he will need special equipment to heat, store (cool) and serve the meals. But unfortunately, that's not all.

Your guests need to be able to sit comfortably and eat easily, usually at "standing tables".

Want to give your event a festive or themed touch? Then we recommend the help of an event planner to help you put all the pieces together:

• Audiovisual devices: speakers, projectors, etc.
• Atmosphere lightning in the evening
• Presence of a DJ...
• ... And perhaps a dance floor
• Bouncy castle for the smallest
• Or something else?

This list may be long. It's also important to make sure the venue allows for a functioning electrical connection (and, for that matter, that no fuses blow during the party).

5 – Facilitate access for people with limited mobility

When planning your event, as with your workplace, consider the elderly or disabled. Driveways for persons with limited mobility and signage for the visually impaired are just a few examples. It is best to access accessibility during your pre-visit. You can find very useful guides on the regional websites Handy Events Guide (Brussels), Aviq.be (Wallonia) and Inter-accessible Flanders (Flanders).

6 – Apply for any necessary permits

Some outdoor events require prior authorization from local authorities. The spectrum of these permissions can be quite broad: meeting permits with a maximum number of participants, permits for the sale of food and drink on site, health and environmental regulations, etc. So remember to inform yourself well in advance about the permits required by the local authorities where the event will take place. There is no worse scenario than an event being canceled at the last minute, right?

A bonus for the road: Keep your plan B under control!

Outdoor events can be very attractive, that's a fact. However, there are many things that can disrupt the program, especially the weather. Discuss this point with your event planner and make a list of measures to take in case of bad weather. For example, umbrellas, raincoats, tents or furniture covers. These types of precautions can save your event, so be sure not to forget this step!

Conclusion

If you follow these steps, you should be able to execute your outdoor event project brilliantly. It doesn't take much to create a warm and friendly atmosphere in the open air and have a drink in hand. However, always start with a roadmap that takes into account all practical and logistical aspects. Surround yourself with real professionals in catering and event planning. The good mood of your guests will do the rest!

Team up with BluePoint for your next outdoor event! 

Next to multiple indoor meeting and event rooms, BluePoint offers surprising outdoor spaces which can be used for your next outdoor event!

Enjoy the two large terraces next to the spacious event halls at BluePoint Antwerpen or how about taking your event to the next level on the spectacular rooftop terrace with an elegant stretch tent? Perfect for an outdoor reception or barbecue!

BluePoint Brussels will charm you with its beautiful outdoor event facilities, consisting of an event terrace and a large garden offering a huge private space of 700m² for your event!  ! It’s not always easy to find a perfect outdoor space in the city.

BluePoint Liège also offers beautiful areas for many types of outdoor events. On sunny days, the patio is the perfect spot for a BBQ or just a drink.  It is also possible to organize teambuilding. 

BluePoint is your one-stop shop for the organization of your events.  We’ve got the venue covered and you don’t have to worry about finding an external catering or av partner! BluePoint is happy to provide all of these services for you!

BluePoint respects the social distancing guidelines, our catering concepts have been adjusted and we have invested in reliable tools to ensure safe events.  Discover our safety protocols here. BluePoint Brussels has even been rewarded with the Brussels Health & Safety label which is issued by the Brussels-Capital Region and visit.Brussels.  This label has the simple aim of reassuring national and international visitors about the quality and safety of Brussels’ tourist infrastructure.

BluePoint is already ready for you for all the outdoor events, that are on your wish list for 2021: kick-offs, team building, staff parties, summer BBQs and much more.

Contact the BluePoint event experts at marketing@bluepoint.be or +32 2 706 88 00.