Organise your open-air event in 6 steps
Organize your open-air event in 6 steps
Outdoor events are a great way to enjoy nature while socializing, whether it's a staff party, a business event, or a drink in honor of a colleague. However, while they are generally a little more relaxed than their indoor counterparts, planning them is not a walk in the park. Want to find out how to organize a successful professional outdoor event? Follow the instructions.
The beautiful days are slowly coming. Have you already thought about any outdoor events for your business partners, or your employees? The best spots are booked first and they often make the best events. More about that later in this article.
There is no shortage of ideas for organizing outdoor activities:
- Sales events for customers and distributors
- Teambuilding
- Staff party
- Retirement drink for a colleague
- Etc.
Discover the most beautiful outdoor spots of BluePoint Brussels, Antwerp, and Liege
How to make your outdoor event a success and avoid unpleasant surprises?
We have listed for you the 6 most important steps when preparing an outdoor event.
1. Find the right place to hold the outdoor event
The venue choice of an outdoor event is by far the most important element. It will greatly influence the organization and atmosphere of the event, and also to some extent the comfort of the participants.
Do you rent a place where they are used to holding outdoor activities regularly? Then in principle, everything should go relatively smoothly. However, things can quickly become difficult if you try a more secluded location where the basic infrastructure is poor or absent.
In any case, take a look at the location first and see if it ticks all the right boxes. Pay attention to the unique features you could highlight: a nice view, a lounge area, trees to hang lights on... The smallest details can count.
Also, observe the environment carefully:
- Is there a lot of wind?
- Is there enough light?
- Is the location located in a humid area?
Take note of all the details during your visit to develop a relevant roadmap. This step may take some time, but the following steps will be much easier.
2. Ask for an experienced caterer
Your outdoor event is not complete without a tasty and original menu and efficient service.
Review the details of the menu 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 equipment
- Ovens
- Barbecue
- Tent
- A theme food truck
- Bar
- Heating equipment
- etc.
Make a plan to determine what the caterer can provide and what you need to provide yourself.
If you do not have access to a refrigerator, focus on simple foods that can be kept at room temperature for the duration of the event.
Let BluePoint's in-house catering service take care of everything and enjoy your event
3. Ensure guest comfort
Outdoor events require a checklist to ensure that participants get the best possible experience. To start with foresee heaters and fans to deal with temperature variations, both day and night.
And it is not a secret that the weather in the country is very unpredictable. So, choose places that offer an indoor space nearby in case of rain or a storm.
The question of toilets is also unavoidable. Make sure that there are enough toilets for the number of guests, that they are signposted, and – not to forget - that they are in good condition. If you decide to use mobile toilets in a natural setting, make sure you choose the right location. They should be easy to reach without becoming part of the scenery…
4. Provide outdoor furniture (and more if you like)
As we saw in the previous point, and 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 must be able to sit comfortably and eat easily, usually on "stand-up" tables.
Do you want to add a festive or theme touch to your event? Then we recommend the assistance of an event planner to help you put all the pieces together:
- Audio-visual equipment: speakers, projectors, etc.
- Atmosphere lighting in the evening
- The presence of a DJ...
- ... and maybe even a dance floor
- A bouncy castle for the children
- or anything else?
The list may be long. Last but not least, it is important to make sure that the venue allows for a good working electrical connection (and incidentally, that no fuses blow during the party).
Event organizers gave BluePoint Antwerp a score of 9.4/10, BluePoint Liege a score of 10/10, and BluePoint Brussels a score of 9.6/10 (Eventplanner.be): find out why
5. Facilitate access for people with reduced mobility
Just as for your workplace, consider the elderly or disabled when planning your event. Access ramps for people with reduced mobility and signage for the visually impaired are just a few examples. However, the best thing to do is to assess accessibility during your preliminary visit. You can find very useful guides on the regional websites Handy Events Guide (Brussels), Aviq.be (Wallonia) and Inter-toegankelijk Vlaanderen (Flanders).
6. Apply for any necessary permits
Some outdoor events may require prior authorization from local authorities. The spectrum of these authorizations can be quite broad: assembly permits with a maximum number of participants, permits for the sale of food and drink on the premises, health, and environmental regulations, etc. So remember to find out well in advance about the permits required by the local authorities where the event will take place. There's no worse scenario than an event being canceled at the last minute, is there?
A bonus for the road: Keep your plan B under control!
Outdoor events can be very attractive, that's a fact. However, many things can disrupt the program, not least the weather. Discuss this point with your event planner and prepare a list of measures to be taken in case of bad weather. For example umbrellas, mackintoshes, tents, or furniture covers. These kinds of precautions can save your life, so please don't neglect this step!
Conclusion
When following these best practices, you should be able to carry out your outdoor event project brilliantly. It doesn't take much to create a warm and friendly atmosphere in the open air and to hold a drink in your hand. However, always start with a solid roadmap that takes into account all the practical and logistical aspects. Surround yourself with real professionals in catering and event planning. The good mood of your guests will do the rest!
Why not try BluePoint's all-in-one support for a hassle-free outdoor event?
