Celebrate Summer with Safe Outdoor Events

As the world opens up, we are heading outside to enjoy gatherings with coworkers, family, and friends. As exciting as it is to enjoy a few more freedoms outside the walls of our homes, it’s vitally important to continue observing safety precautions even in the open air of the great outdoors.   If you plan to host an event, many of the precautions you can take are common sense. But, we give you a few ideas below. If you are attending an event, the CDC as well as state and local health departments have provided lists of safety precautions we can all take to protect ourselves and each other. Let’s take a look at ways you can host a fun-filled outdoor event while observing common-sense safety precautions.

Health & Safety

At risk of stating the obvious, safety and hygiene at special events will be top of mind for most, if not all, of your guests. Here are a few ways to visibly remind and reassure event attendees that you take their health and safety seriously. Hand Washing Stations Locate hand washing stations throughout the event grounds, not just close to portable toilets and food stations. The CDC recommends washing hands for 20 seconds with soap and water. Making it easy for your guests to access handwashing stations will help make them feel safer at the event. Empty Trash Receptacles Frequently Nothing screams unsanitary like an overflowing trash can. Make sure event staff are emptying trash cans frequently throughout the event and cleaning the grounds around them. Make Hand Sanitizer & Masks Available Once the least exciting swag at events, mini hand sanitizers will be the belle of the ball for the foreseeable future. Guests will also be delighted to see a supply of face masks available. Add a little extra sizzle by ordering masks marked with your brand. Have Staff & Vendors Wear Masks Show your guests in a very visible way that you are doing what you can to ensure their safety by having your staff, servers, and vendors wear face masks during the event.

Food & Beverage

If there’s one area where people pay the most attention to health and safety, it has to be food service. Outdoor events carry no expectation of white glove sit-down service making it much easier to meet or exceed expectations. If food is being offered at your event, serve in a way that has the lowest contact and offers the least exposure. Package Food Individually Boxed or bagged lunches go over well at a festival or picnic-style event. Provide blankets or encourage your guests to bring them from home for a picnic spread. Or place tables a safe distance apart and put fewer chairs around them. Open air options are better at this time than closed tents or pavilions.  Food trucks Food trucks are hugely popular right now and are an easy way to offer your guests a good variety of food options. Communicate safety measures with your vendors well in advance to avoid complications the day of your event, especially if your requirements go further than those mandated by state and local laws.

Entertainment

At this point, just being able to get outside, listen to music, and eat catered food feels like entertainment enough… but there are other activities you can introduce to liven up your event. For Children Bouncy houses are out until the virus is under control, so add kid-sized fun with puppet shows, hula hoops, bubble machines, bean bag toss, and opt for temporary tattoos rather than face painting. For Adults Think along the lines of activities with equipment that can be cleaned in between each use and where participants don’t have to be in close proximity. Go for horseshoes, cornhole, or croquet. These activities serve double duty because they are fun for older kids and can be modified for younger children. Another option is to set up an outdoor screen and show a movie. Families and groups can spread out on the lawn on blankets or folding chairs at a safe distance and enjoy watching the movie under the stars.

Take Precautions & Follow Guidelines

Obviously, the safety of your guests, staff, and event vendors is of paramount importance. If you take precautions and follow guidelines, you can host a fun event and minimize the risk of exposure. If you have plans to host an outdoor event over the next few months and need help pulling it all together, please get in touch. I have some availability and am happy to help.