We’ve talked on this blog before about managing crowds at
locations such as theme parks and festivals, but what about events that take
place indoors? Hundreds of conventions are held across the USA every year, and
the majority of these conventions take place indoors. When you have thousands
of individuals crowding into one building, it can be a bit hectic. Luckily many
conventions have found ways around these issues.
In this post we’re going to go over a few of the main problems
with large indoor event crowds, and solutions you may use to overcome them.
Number 1: Registration lines are long and slow.
Solution: There are multiple ways around this problem,
though it cannot be eliminated entirely. Anime Central, the third largest anime
convention in America, now offers mailed badges. Attendees pay an extra fee for
their badges to be sent in the mail. This eliminates a large chunk of people
from the line entirely. Those not wishing to pay extra or who don’t register in
advanced can still do so the traditional way. You may also choose to have
multiple registration lines, such as one for pre-registered attendees and one
for those registering onsite, as onsite registration takes longer. Another
excellent option is to offer registration the day before the event, so those
arriving early can get signed in early to cut down on lines the day of.
Number 2: Multiple lines cause confusion.
Solution: Have signage to help guide your guests. It is
traditional for signage to be at the front of the line, but if it’s a large
line your guests can benefit from multiple signs along the way. A whiteboard
can work very well for this to write out the name of the panel and the capacity
of the room. This may lead to guests not waiting needlessly if the line is
already very long for an event. It also allows you to easily update schedules
that can change quickly during a convention.
Number 3: There are too many people in too small a space.
Solution: Make use of every bit of space of your venue that
you can. This is really about planning ahead. Predict how popular a particular
screening or panel is to be. The more popular, the larger the room should be
with plenty of space for lines. Dealers and registration need a large, open
area for setup and lines, so take that into account as well. If possible,
expand to multiple buildings. A lot of conventions make use of part of a
convention center as well as one or even multiple nearby hotels. You may even
choose to host several outdoor events. Utilizing your space correctly will make
it less crowded and overwhelming.
Number 4: Panels and screenings are overcrowded.
Solution: Panels are the largest reason attendees will pay
for admission to a convention, so of course they are going to be crowded. Clear
signage and crowd control barriers are a great way to keep the lines themselves
organized. If you are hoping to cut down on lines, a great way to do this is to
have plenty of ongoing programming. This will depend on what type of event you
are hosting. You may have lounge and networking areas, video game rooms,
lending libraries…whatever fits the theme. It should be something available
throughout the entire convention so guests can come and go, and hopefully cut
down on traffic to panels a bit.
Problem 5: Lines are too long
Solution: If you are running a popular event, lines are
going to be long. There’s not much you can do about that. What you can do is
keep lines organized and keep guests happy. Using tape, rope, or other barriers
can keep crowds organized. When there are multiple lines in one area it’s easy
to become confused. You should also strive to keep attendees informed. Staff
should go up and down long lines, giving instructions and guiding attendees to
the correct areas. You may even choose to use apps to track how many people
plan to attend specific panels and screenings.
Running a large event is a lot of work, and you’ll have to
deal with a lot of crowd control issues. This is inevitable. We’ve got several
small, extra tips for you to keep in mind. Make sure you keep attendees
informed. When issues arise, fix them immediately, as this can cause the
snowballing effect. And of course, remember this event is about making your
attendees happy. Ultimately, the crowd control isn’t for you, it is to make
your guest’s experience as good as possible.
