EVENT PLANNERS: THE FEW, THE PROUD!

By Sean Fitzgerald, CPRP, CPO

Creative Programming During Unusual Circumstances.

As we all know the recent COVID-19 virus has created havoc across the world. It’s been life-threatening to many and life-altering to most everyone else. The impact to our festivals and events industry has been devastating. As event planners we tend to be pretty dang good at rolling with unexpected issues and try to make the best of difficult circumstances. This is unprecedented but, in many ways, it is no different. We would make great U.S. Marines with the ability to improvise, adapt, and overcome. Ooh-rah!

Event planners want to program. We want to plan. There is an almost primal instinct to produce something. We need to bring people together for memory-making synergy. Unfortunately, we are unable to bring people together like we are used to. Many facilities are completely shut down. Most places are unable to congregate with even just 10 people. Do we just curl up in a fetal position and suck our thumbs? No!

We can still do versions of what we used to do; we just have to do them very differently. There are plenty of activities that people can do on their own but can still be shared. They can be done together at the same time via FaceTime or Zoom or whatever new social media app is the new fad at the time (i.e. TikTok).

We have probably all heard of the #AloneTogether trend by now. There are several variations that can be used. The idea is that it’s important to meet or exceed the various “social distancing” guidelines but it doesn’t mean we have to be socially disconnected. It is more important than ever to stay in touch with important people in our lives or to reconnect with other important people that we may have grown away from (physically, emotionally, or otherwise).

Initially we were so worried about what we could no longer do but then we started thinking about what we could do instead. In a way it was easier to process because suddenly that list was much shorter so it was simple to find the potential diamonds in the rough. For example, we learned that much needed lifesaving blood donations had plummeted due to so many blood drives being cancelled on college and high school campuses. We started adding the famous Big Red Bus to our monthly food truck events a few months ago. Initially those drives were cancelled when the event itself was cancelled. We did some checking and the blood drives were approved to continue on their own especially since they added new safety and security protocols. We have continued to schedule them on the same day (last Thursday of each month) and the turnout has been amazing. They only do it by appointment now and they still have been completely filling up. In the past with the event going on simultaneously, we were lucky to get half that many donations. Sponsors have been happy to still get some exposure that they weren’t expecting as well. (Shameless plug: Did you know that each donation helps up to three people - red cells, plasma, platelets – and could save a life? Please consider making an appointment at your local center or blood mobile as soon as possible!)

We are not allowed to host an arts and crafts class for special needs children. However, we can encourage their family and/or caregivers to do their own arts and crafts with common household items by creating a “how to” video or posting an article with directions and colorful pictures. Encourage the use of an existing hashtag, make up something or see what is trending and modify for your own use.

#[YourHometown]Rec or [YourHometown]Parks or #RecAtHome or #ParksAtHome are some examples. Festivals and events can do something similar by making the craft fit the theme of the event.

We can no longer allow members to visit the Fitness Room in the Gym & Aquatic Facility. However, we can post a series of exercise movements that just use body weight so everyone can do it from the safety and comfort of home or at a local park. #MondayMuscles, #WellnessWednesday, and #FitnessFriday are some examples. We have encouraged our community to run or walk a 5k, do push-ups, sit-ups, air squats, lunges, burpees and then challenge their friends, family, coworkers to do the same. They are able to share the experiences together but actually do them separately. Festivals and events could stage pictures (or PhotoShop them) at their facility or incorporate to their event theme.

Even though this was probably not already being done in your community it is something simple that could become a new “thing” in town. We were finding that people were getting frustrated, bored, stir crazy, and full-blown cabin fever and were looking for a positive outlet. Enter the #ChalkYourWalk concept which is kids (or adults) coloring their sidewalk or driveway with inspirational messages, flowers, or just silly random shapes. It washes away in the rain so no concerns about it being permanent graffiti, then once the canvas is cleared (naturally or with a hose) new images can be created over and over. Festivals and events can chalk their own “walk” so to speak and color their facility if they have access to their own facility. Incorporate the rescheduled date later this year or the date for next year and maybe figure out how to still highlight key sponsors as well. Once businesses, partners, sponsors, etc. start re- opening you can incorporate their images and messages in the art work as well. It’s a win-win.

With so many youth sports (adults too) leagues cancelled or suspended we wanted to encourage everyone to still be active but not everyone has the equipment for that particular activity. Training drills and exercises could be posted but that might feel like punishment in some ways since there are no games to make the work feel more worthwhile. Instead, we decided on an idea to look back to the glory days with a #ThrowbackThursday concept to post action shots or team photos from the last league they were in or even images from 5 or 25 years ago. It doesn’t matter what or when just that people are fondly remembering those activities. Festivals and events can post old photos from different facilities or different eras (bellbottoms, or neon ankle warmers, or big hair, anyone?).

Promote the idea of doing old traditions in nontraditional ways. Many places host Easter egg hunts. Those can still be done but not all together at the local park. We can encourage families to dye regular eggs. We can encourage parents to hide colorful plastic eggs in their backyard or even inside the house. You might be surprised how many exciting hiding spots there can be! If you don’t have eggs (and if you don’t trust everyone to remember where they were all hidden and don’t want that smell to creep up in a week) then hide whatever you want. Crumple up paper into egg shape balls, tape some crayons together, use a toilet paper cardboard tube, or even toy action figures. Mother’s Day tea party can still be a fun experience in different locations. Agree on a menu together, cook together, and eat together but just do it remotely. Create a video and email it or live stream or video chat. It is not a #DeviceFreeDinner but the point is to engage with loved ones and not be distracted by silly games or mindless texts.

#FrontPorchProject is another potential concept to bring families and the community together without physically being at the same place at the same time. Spring is the time of year that many people in the past would pay for beautiful professional photographs with the Easter bunny or spring family photos. In most places that would not be permitted due to being “non-essential”. Just make the best of these difficult circumstances by getting the kids (and/or dogs) all dressed up and taking the best picture you can and share with friends, family, neighbors, or coworkers. If your festival or event has a facility with a main entrance or a unique landmark then safely get the staff together for a group picture. Or take individual ones and do some good ol’ fashioned collage work and post that.

Who does not like a good ol’ fashioned treasure hunt, right? Set up a #ScavengerSaturday or #ScavengerSunday and have people go out to find certain items based on a series of clues. Ask them to take a picture with it or at that location and email or text it in to be eligible for a prize. This is great for festivals and events to do with leftover products or at unique landmarks or locations. Offer discounts on admission or merchandise if they share those images to your social media with a certain hashtag of your choice. It can be themed based on the season or completely random based on whatever happens to be trending. Subscribe to the National Day Calendar to find out all the celebrations (often wacky) to various people, places, things, activities, and much more. You might be surprised at what seemingly bizarre connections can be made.

This is not a program or activity, but one thing we have experienced tremendous success with is pictures of nature. In particular any cute little baby animal photos. It is spring so there are lots of growing families stretching their brand-new legs or wings. In one of our parks there are two new twin baby sandhill cranes. We have been posting period updates with the hashtag #cranekids. Recently, there has been a mama duck with about 10 baby ducklings waddling around another park. A few months back there was even a bald eagle sighting. We weren’t able to get the best pictures but it was still really exciting. The joke among some staff has been to post an adorable puppy or rascally kitten picture with all our various marketing to save on “boosting” or “promoting” costs.

Just like those incredible Marines, event planners can work effectively and efficiently in all combat (event) conditions. We are highly trained machines capable of overcoming the enemy (a wide variety of issues such as volunteers not showing up or leaving early, ATMs not working, inclement weather, etc.) to achieve the mission objectives. They have “Semper Fidelis” which means “Always Faithful” and we have “Semper Festivalis” which loosely translates to “Always Events” or “one way or the other the show must go on”. We are better together but safer apart. Get creative and continue to try and connect with your community and your customers. We need to do it and they expect us to. The few, the proud, the Event Planners. Improvise, adapt, overcome. Ooh-rah!

About the Author:

Sean Fitzgerald, CPRP, CPO is the Recreation Event Manager for the City of Oviedo in Oviedo, FL.

www.kaliff.com