11 minute read
SWIMMING POOLS:
Enchantment From Their Inclusion to Community Engagement and Marketing Opportunities
By Marcello Langoni, CFEE
Swimming pools are often seen as the embodiment of leisure and relaxation. A swimming pool can have a much more significant role in the fabric of communities than one might initially perceive. They are not only centers for recreation but also powerful incentive for community engagement and marketing opportunities. This comprehensive exploration will dive into many of the countless benefits of swimming pools for special events, their potential for marketing and sponsorship, and their impact on community projects, involvement, and pride. Swimming pools provide a versatile venue that can be transformed to fit the theme of any celebration. Adding a swimming pool to your festival or event can significantly enhance the experience for attendees, providing a unique and engaging environment that fosters community spirit and celebration. Here’s a look at the benefits of incorporating swimming pools into special events like the 4th of July, Easter, and more, focusing on underwater activities and the potential for much more.
Swimming Pools: A Hub for Special Events
Imagine the joy and excitement that fills the air during special events like Easter or the 4th of July. Now, add a swimming pool to this picture, and you have a recipe for an unforgettable community gathering. The City of McAllen offers an Underwater Easter Egg Hunt, where children dive and splash for their prizes. On the 4th of July, our Aquatica Extravaganza serves as the perfect patriotic festivity, with games, music and frozen popsicles for all who attend. These events have been made a traditional event among the community and are looked forward to.
Underwater Easter Egg Hunts: A Splash of Easter Fun
Pools can become an aquatic playground for things such as underwater egg hunts which are an innovative twist on the traditional Easter egg hunt. Offering a refreshing and exciting activity for families, events like these become rapidly popular and sought after not just from the families and groups that attend but from businesses for sponsorship opportunities. By placing weighted, waterproof eggs at the bottom of the pool, we have created an adventurous challenge that encourages children and adults alike to dive in and explore in hunting for over 3000 eggs across the bottom of the pool floor. For the group that are not able to swim and are not comfortable diving, we have a designated area where easter eggs float across the top of the water and are made easily accessible for even the non-swimmers to participate. Both activities not only add an element of excitement to your Easter event but also encourages physical activity and engagement in the water. Arts and crafts are made available on picnic benches, photo opportunities are staged to capture the memorable event, and prizes are exchanged for the eggs collected by those who participate.
4th of July Pool Celebrations: Making a Splash
A swimming pool can be the centerpiece of a 4th of July celebration, providing a cool escape from the summer heat and a venue for a variety of water-based games and activities. After a morning of a patriotic 4K run, parade, and live entertainment and games all in the downtown area of our city, we invite the community to join us at our pool for Aquatic Extravaganza. Imagine families and friends gathering around the pool, enjoying a swim, enjoying a 177 foot water slide, or participating in friendly competitions of corn hole or table top games such as Block Stacking, Hook and Ring, and Dominos all by the pool side on picnic benches. All while surrounded by music, patriotic decorations, and the spirit of independence. All this is offered during the City of McAllen’s Aquatic Extravaganza that leads to our “Concert in the Sky” Firework Show that is in sync with a custom 4th of July playlist played over a local radio station and over speakers around the facility so all can enjoy.
Marketing and Sponsorship Opportunities
Incorporating a swimming pool into your event opens numerous marketing and sponsorship opportunities. In the “Marketing and Mediums” Certified Festival and Event Executive Seminar at the International Festival and Events Association Convention – Ripple Effect held in McAllen, TX, speaker Penny C. McBride, CFEE explained eight steps in creating a Marketing Plan. Creating a marketing plan is crucial in having the event achieve and align the goals for both you and your sponsors. The eight-step explained in the core class program helped achieve these goals seamlessly.
“What is your Why? Begin with the end in mind.”
“Align your why, with your how. Don’t drive with your eyes closed.”
“If I knew…I could make better marketing decisions. Who are you up against?”
“Define your target audience. You cannot make everyone happy.”
“Position you event.”
“Craft your strategy.”
“Align resources with strategy.”
“You can not manage what you do not measure.”
When it comes to marketing and sponsorship, swimming pools offer a unique platform. Businesses can sponsor poolside events, gaining visibility among the local community in a setting that is associated with positive, family-friendly experiences. Using the events such as Aquatic Extravaganza and Underwater Easter Egg, and the information from the eight steps, we were able to set a clear mission, understand the target audiences, and create a smooth event layout, which allowed us to know what sponsor best fit our event. Sponsors can have their banners displayed around the pool, with a branded windscreen that can promote the sponsor and provide privacy to your facility, branded games and activities can feature sponsor products and giveaways for participants as well. This may enhance the event experience and also embeds the sponsor’s brand into the cherished memories of all attendees, but does it fit? Marketing research is important and having the information from your event can pair you with the right sponsor. In “Understanding Sponsorship” Bruce L. Erley explains, Sponsors are most interested in the connection between your attendee profile and their customer profile. Having basic information for the event, a well thought out sponsor package and proposal, and following through with sponsor services and fulfillment, will keep sponsors and attendees returning to your event.
Community Projects and Involvement
Swimming pools can serve as the focal point for community projects and involvement. Swimming pools are venues where people of all ages come to learn to swim, participate in water safety programs, and engage in healthy physical activities. They provide a space for water safety education such as lifeguard, CPR and first aid training, swimming lessons with ages starting as young as 6 months in parent/baby swimming lessons, and community-building activities. By hosting special events at the pool, you encourage local participation and foster a sense of unity and pride within the community.
Community Pride Through Pool Events
A well-maintained community pool is a source of local pride. Events at community pools can significantly boost that pride. They demonstrate the community’s investment in providing enjoyable and safe recreational spaces for all residents. Special pool events become a source of local tradition, where memories are made, and community bonds are strengthened. Special events like Father/Son Canon Ball Competition give father/son teams an opportunity to bond and enjoy the time at the pool while showing off their canon ball skills in a variety of categories. Hosting End of Year parties or Kick Off parties with local schools, school groups, and organization also reflects the community’s commitment to providing safe, enjoyable spaces for families and individuals to gather and make lasting memories. Special events such as these at our pools often highlight local culture, achievements, and milestones, further strengthening the community’s identity and sense of belonging.
Setting Up for Pool Events
The setup for pool events requires careful planning. Defining your event and selecting the best time and date for the event needs to be decided first. When selecting a date for your event you should consider special dates like holidays and national calendar dates. Schedules such as local school schedules and university schedules can help in attendance to your event if scheduled during students off dates and away from testing dates. Once your date is selected for your event, creating and having a clear event outline with safety top of mind is important. Having staff know their responsibilities and more importantly what needs to be done in case of any emergency is top priority. All staff in any pool facility should be well educated in their facility Emergency Action Plan (EAP), which outlines how to manage emergency situations and includes policies, procedures, and instructions. This will minimize any confusion in the case of an emergency and any injuries overall, or worst-case scenario the potential loss of a life. Ensuring safety adds peace of mind to all participants in your event and allows for maximizing the event experience. Setting up decorations, entertainment, and preparing the pool for activities for events like egg hunts, private rentals, or swim classes is what will make the whole experience a memorable one and continue to have your participants return year after year. Proper planning ensures that the event will run smoothly and that all attendees will have a safe and enjoyable time.
Maintenance and Care of Pool Facilities
Maintaining the pool for public events is crucial. Regular cleaning, water quality checks, and equipment inspections are necessary to ensure the pool remains a safe and inviting place for everyone. Pool maintenance ensures compliance with local health and safety regulations, which may include specific requirements for water quality and pool equipment. Proper maintenance also extends the life of the pool and reduces the likelihood of unexpected issues during events. It is always good practice to run and inspect all equipment prior to an event. Simple tasks involving all facility staff such as cleaning drinking fountains, brushing pool wall and pool floor, keeping seating area clean, etc., builds a sense of pride to staff who oversee the facility. Regularly cleaning the pool area helps keep the surrounding environment looking well-maintained and pleasant.
Sponsor Design and Development for Pool Events
Creating a sponsor’s design for pool events involves careful consideration of the pool environment and the sponsor’s branding needs. Defining the events purpose and goals to align with the sponsor needs is important in the overall event planning. Know your ideal attendees and understand their interests, and what activities appeal to them through demographics and cultural background information of the community. Choose themes that can incorporate all these elements in the process in addition to selecting materials that will withstand water exposure and ensure that the design is visible and attractive to event attendees. Keep in mind your cost and any potential revenue streams apart from any sponsor engagements and participation count of your event to analyze and provide data for future events will help secure more sponsors and better design and develop while building sponsor relations.
Choosing the Right Pool for Your Event
Selecting the right pool for your event is essential. Consider the size of the pool, the facilities available, access and space availability, and the expected number of attendees. Many pools also offer different amenities like waterslides, diving boards and poolside rock walls. The pool should be able to accommodate your event’s activities and provide a comfortable and enjoyable experience for all participants. Accessibility to participants is important as well. Being able to provide access to all members of the community regardless of any disabilities helps build community engagement. Pools with ramps or poolside lifts allow your event to be accessible to everyone in your community. Some pools may not have a shallow area and may not have an area that is safe to children under 3ft in height. Age and height restrictions may have to be considered depending on the event that is to be hosted.
In conclusion, adding a swimming pool to your festival or event offers a multitude of benefits, from enhancing the attendee experience with unique activities and elements to providing marketing and sponsorship opportunities. Pool events encourage community involvement and pride, making them an invaluable addition to any celebration or event. With careful planning and maintenance, a pool can become a cherished venue that becomes a memorable part of many families and community groups in your area.
Marcello Langoni is the Superintendent of Aquatics for the McAllen Parks & Recreation in McAllen, TX. Marcello graduated with a Certified Festival & Event Executive Certification from the IFEA in 2024.
