Summer is here, and with summer comes a large increase in
outdoor events. There’s a huge variety of events that take place in summer, in
all sorts of venues. Whether you are hosting a small church festival or a
large, international music festival in the middle of the city, you need the
proper items to control crowds, and you need to manage the crowds in an
appropriate manner.
We’re here to offer solutions. Keeping track of crowds in
these conditions isn’t easy, but it is doable when you go in with the correct
strategy.
The first step is to find out exactly how much space you
have, and have a rough estimate of how many attendees you are expecting. That
will dictate how you move forward. The venue also makes a big difference. If
you are holding an event in a street, you need a lot of coverage so no vehicles
interfere. If it is in a park, there must be clear signage so attendees know
where exactly they are to go.
Another important aspect that must be quickly decided is how
to establish a perimeter. This is needed to keep track of who is coming in and
who is coming out. Some venues already have a clear perimeter set up, but many
do not. For those that do not, you have to determine what type of perimeter you
plan to use. A popular option is to use some sort of fencing or barrier, which
can easily be purchased. You may also choose to have personnel positioned
around the perimeter, whether it is volunteers or security. This perimeter is
important for security, so be sure you have a plan.
Speaking of planning, you need to have a plan for managing
your crowds in case of safety concerns. Consider what may go wrong, no matter
how big or small. What if there is inclement weather? There would be a plan in
place for alerting attendees and informing them of where to go. What about
other things, such as a child getting separated from their guardian? There
needs to be specific locations to deal with these sorts of situations, with
safe crowd control measures in place.
You must also have a security plan in place. Are you planning
to hire security? Work with local or state agencies? Have that established far
in advanced. Give them whatever information you can. This includes information
about the event, expected attendance, different events being held at the event, and more.
And don’t forget that you need to keep your guests happy.
Your crowd control efforts should serve their purpose, but they should not make
guests feel unwelcome. Guests should not be afraid of security or feel
threatened walking into your event. You want to make this event fun and
memorable for your guests.
A lot goes into planning an outdoor event, and this is only
some of it. We hope these tips will prove useful, and that your next outdoor
event will be a success!
