Inside Events & Festivals - May 2020

Inside Events and Festivals The official publication of the Washington Festivals & Events Association

Safety protocols come to the fore to help events reopen : Page 9 •

What’s happening with Seafair and other big events : Page 5

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2020 return to live events survey: Page 13

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Consumers force brands to rewrite marketing playbooks: Page 17

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Bumper tables created for six foot social distancing : Page 20

Inside Event & Festivals, May 2020

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The Lineup What’s happening with Seafair and other big events due to coronavirus pandemic?

Organizers of Seafair said Wednesday that it is canceling its major events this summer.

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Safety protocols come to the fore to help events reopen Health & Safety Guidelines for Re-Opening Festivals, Events and Large Gatherings Page 9

2020 return to live events survey: What will attendees expect?

A Survey of 2000 Pre-Qualified Event Attendees Regarding Their Expectations When Returning to Live Events Page 13

Consumers force brands to rewrite marketing playbooks amidst COVID-19 As the coronavirus global pandemic roils the global economy, marketers are caught in the crosshairs on how to acquire and retain customers.

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Bumper tables created to create six-foot social distancing Diners in a Maryland beach town are bouncing back into dining out amid the coronavirus pandemic with a little help from inflatable inner tubes on wheels.

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What’s Happening with Seafair and Other Big Events Due to Coronavirus Pandemic?

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The annual Northwest Folklife Festival, along with other big summer events, is moving to a virtual platform this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. (Alan Berner / The Seattle Times)

Appeared in May 22, 2020 edition of Seattle Times To View Online Article Click Here Usually, around this time of year, many event and festival coordinators are getting ready for an exciting season of celebrations. However, due to the coronavirus pandemic, many festivities — including some of the region’s biggest — have been canceled, postponed or moved to virtual platforms. Here are the plans for some of the biggies: All major 2020 Seafair events have been canceled.

Organizers this week said that canceled events include the Fourth of July celebration at Gas Works Park and Lake Union Park, the Milk Carton Derby, the Seafair Triathlon, Torchlight Run, Torchlight Parade and Seafair Weekend Festival.

Organizers said in their website that the U.S. Navy Blue Angels are already confirmed for Aug. 6-8, 2021, and the Fourth of July fireworks show will be back next year as well.

Northwest Folklife is going virtual this year. The “Home to Home: Northwest Folklife Festival” will take place Saturday, May 23, to Monday, May 25. The online festival can be streamed on its website and will feature several channels of content including music, dance, storytelling and more. There will also be a marketplace highlighting local merchants with online purchasing options. There is a suggested daily donation of $20 per person and $30 per family.

The Mill Creek Memorial Day Ceremony will be held on the city’s Facebook page on Monday, May 25, at 9 a.m.

It will be prerecorded and a reverse parade, where the public can drive by and view a display of military memorabilia from their vehicles at Main Street and

Inside Event & Festivals, May 2020

153rd Street Southeast, will follow. According to the city’s statement, the public can view the items from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Seattle Pride will not hold the Seattle Pride Parade and Seattle Pride in the Park, and will instead celebrate with a series of virtual events from Friday, June 26, to Sunday, June 28. The events will be announced early next month, according to a statement from The Seattle Out & Proud board and staff. Those interested in having a say in what kind of events attendees would like to see can fill out a survey to help the staff choose what virtual experiences to include. The statement also noted that the staff is working with PrideFest and Trans Pride to put together in-person Pride events for late summer.

The Fremont Solstice Parade has been postponed to June 2021. The Fremont Arts Council board of directors said in a statement they are planning some virtual events and are inviting the public to participate and send in content.

The Bite of Seattle is working on alternative end-ofsummer dates, according to its website.

The Seattle International Film Festival, scheduled for Thursday, May 14, to Sunday, June 7, has been canceled.

The Bellevue Arts Museum Fair, originally scheduled for Friday, July 24, to Sunday, July 26, is canceled. The museum’s exhibitions and programs, along with curator talks and craft tutorials, can still be viewed on the BAM from Home page.

T-Town Family 4th (formerly called Freedom Fair) in Tacoma, originally scheduled for Saturday, July 4, will be rescheduled.

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Fremont Oktoberfest. September 18-20, 2020

Safety Protocols Come to the Fore To Help Events Reopen Prepared by WFEA & ASSET (A Seattle Special Event Team) Inside Event & Festivals, May 2020

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Kirkland Uncorked. Photo by Alabastro Photography

Health & Safety Guidelines for Re-Opening Festivals, Events and Large Gatherings To View Full Guidelines Click Here

WFEA and ASSET would like to thank Bold Hat Productions and Phil Megenhardt for taking the lead to develop these guidelines

Guidelines Summary This document lays out broad, blanket guidelines for consideration of the re-opening of live events and large social gatherings in Washington state. Many of the following standards outlined here have been kept deliberately broad due to the varied nature, size, and scope of the plethora of events and gatherings meant to be represented. However, this is intended to be a starting point for discussion and a catalyst towards the establishment of appropriate and responsible guidelines to be enacted in conjunction with city, county, and state officials.

We have had to make many assumptions about the progress and phases that will be made in the next several months which will allow large social gatherings to be considered again. We are hopeful that gatherings in small groups of trusted friends and family without social distancing will be the norm very soon, and many of our events will be reliant on attendance from those small groups who have a desire to enjoy themselves together at a larger gathering. In this document we reference a group size of 6-8 individuals being allowed to gather within an event without physical distancing.

Inside Event & Festivals, May 2020

This number will change based on the latest state and federal guidance.

Our primary concern is the health and safety of event volunteers, staff, vendors and attendees. Events are taking serious safety precautions, including: •

revising festival and event operations plans to include new, comprehensive health & safety standards;

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changing event layouts to reduce the number of vendors and high-density spaces;

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determining “healthy capacity” of venue spaces;

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directing volunteers, staff, vendors and attendees on how to abide by public health directives and new event rules;

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steering towards a cultural shift from being highly social to proactively limiting time at the event and maintaining physical distances

Top-down re-design of site plans Washington State event organizers have made major changes to events for the future, trying to maximize health & safety for all staff, volunteers and attendees.

Major changes include: •

Determine “health capacity” of event space: Very much like the Fire Departments occupancy capacity formula using square footage of venue a health capacity allows for the latest distancing number based on the latest state and federal guidance and;

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Design for psychological comfort: allow for intuitive ways to move through space without feeling uncomfortable

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Consider selling tickets for time sessions vs. full days to limit crowds and control capacity and allow for cleaning between sessions

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Enlarge beer gardens and gated areas. Rethinking line management, limited seating for ADA needs only,, point of sale to move toward cashless

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Ingress and egress control, eliminate porous event egress and ingress

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Use pedestrian round-a-bouts in high density areas to provide crowd flow management in public events

Health & Safety Current health & safety protocols are modified to adhere to best practices and increased awareness of personal responsibility.

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Train staff vendors, and volunteers re: new health and safety guidelines

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Provide staff and volunteers with “healthy work kits” with PPE and training as needed per role

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Increased signage at key venue locations with current CDC guidance on personal sanitation

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Hand sanitizing stations in key locations

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Best practices in product handling/selling and booth layout for vendors

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Food and beverage serving materials and process updates

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Reduce and create a cleaning plan for high-touch points

Communication New ways of promoting events and communicating with the public have been adapted, emphasizing community support and connection through gathering. ● Promote everyday risk prevention ● Promote reducing size and travel risk ● Help staff, vendors and volunteers create a safe place.

To View Full Guidelines Click Here Capitol Hill Block Party

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2020 Return to Live Events Survey: What Will Attendees Expect?

By Enigma Research

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T-Mobile Park in Seattle, WA

A Survey of 2000 Pre-Qualified Event Attendees Regarding Their Expectations When Returning to Live Events

Conducted April 2020

Many will return quickly while others prefer to wait • Nearly half would return within one or two weeks of live events resuming •

To View Full Survey Results Click Here

Highlights Event attendees have greatly missed live events • 94% claimed they “very much” or “somewhat” missed attending live events •

Results were consistent across all event types, geographic regions, and age groups

Event-goers described what they missed about events • Majority missed live entertainment or activities; most missed being with family and friends •

Sights and sounds, energy from crowds also missed by many

Strong majority likely to return • 76% are “extremely” or “very” likely to return once large gatherings resume •

Only 8% indicated they would be unlikely to return

Those unlikely to return provided reasons • Among the 8% who would not return, nearly all were concerned about the virus •

Many also felt distancing rules and other measures would make returning to events unpleasant

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Remainder would wait longer, with 20% waiting more than 3 months

Safety precautions would make event attendees more likely to return • Three-quarters would be more likely to return if sanitation precautions were taken •

Masks for workers and contactless systems would also encourage many to return

Some extreme safety implementations would be well-received • Two-fifths are more likely to attend if events perform body temperature checks upon entry •

Smaller events and extended hours to increase social distancing also popular solutions

Various safety precautions would deter some event -goers • 27% would be less likely to return if required to wear masks •

23% less likely to return if social distancing among attendees was enforced

Promotions and incentives would also encourage return to live events • Most claimed that discounted admission would increase likelihood to return •

In addition, packages including food, beverage, and merchandise would be popular

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Those who previously traveled to events will travel again • 89% who traveled to events within the past 24 months would travel to another event •

Discounts and travel packages would further increase the return to event travel

Many have strong views regarding the return to live events • 70% are very motivated to return and 25% would pay more even if attendance was limited •

By contrast, 18% will not attend any live event until there is a vaccine for the virus

Nearly three-quarters believe streaming and virtual experiences are no substitute • Some feel free streaming events and virtual tours are appealing alternatives •

Most event-goers have no interest in pay-per-view offerings

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By comparison, 58% feel the same way regarding sponsors that support cancelled or postponed events

Fans are likely to conduct business with sponsors supporting cancelled or postponed events • 90% were “very” or “somewhat” likely to conduct business with brands that continue to support events •

Results were consistent across all event types, geographic regions, and age groups

Comments and suggestions from event-goers uncovered wide variety of opinions • Hundreds of respondents left comments regarding the return to live events •

Many remarks suggest that event-goers are very divided on the subject To View Full Survey Results Click Here

Event-goers highly appreciate brands that support cancelled or postponed events • Typically, 38% of event-goers feel “very favourable” towards sponsors and brands supporting live events

WFEA ANNUAL CONFERENCE RESCHEDULED OCTOBER 13-15, 2020: RED LION, BELLEVUE WA

REGISTER AT WFEA.ORG

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Consumers force brands to rewrite marketing playbooks amidst COVID-19

By Raj Nijjer, Smart Brief

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Consumers force brands to rewrite marketing playbooks amidst coronavirus To View Article Online Click Here As the coronavirus global pandemic roils the global economy, marketers are caught in the crosshairs on how to acquire and retain customers. In the midst of the health crisis, it was reported that Amazon Prime delays reached the one-month mark, leaving consumers scrambling to find other online options to get the essentials they need. Amazon’s relationship with its customers is just one of speed and lacks human connection. Today, only Prime members are being prioritized, but for a fee.

Today’s direct-to-consumer brands are the world’s local shops of e-commerce, and they truly care about their customers and their communities. Consumers are uniting to support their local small businesses and rallying their support around DTC brands as well, especially as they could be the most heavily impacted during this pandemic. In Yotpo’s recent study, we issued results of a consumer trends consumer survey that sheds light on the latest behaviors and priorities of consumers when shopping online.

Top takeaways from the consumer trends survey: •

At the same time, 35.65% of consumers are starting to pay more attention to brand marketing (via email, SMS, social ads, etc.). Shrewd spending practices and survival are at the heart of it, but they are watching brands and their messages closely

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79.55% of consumers are looking to maintain spend (22.80%) or spend less (56.75%) because of COVID-19

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“Survival” essentials are top of mind for consumers as food (78.80%), health and wellness products

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(42.50%), and household cleaning supplies (34.95%) round out consumers priority purchases •

Brand loyalty goes out the window if the need is great enough. It’s not all about the brand. If there’s an item that consumers want that’s out of stock, 40.55% will turn to a less familiar brand to help meet their need

As the vast majority of shoppers adapt to the new normal of coronavirus, consumers are increasingly working from home and adhering to the concept of social distancing. Brand marketers need to shift their priorities with authentic messaging and community building strategy.

Amplify your brand community Think of your brand from the perspective of your customers during this time - as people, we’re all going through this unprecedented global experience together.

In times like these, it’s the connections we have with the people around us, from near and far, that keep us grounded.

Highlight how your customers are using your product and service by sharing positive reviews from verified shoppers to promote brand authenticity. For your brand, your community is the tie that binds, and it’s important that you keep customer experience top of mind, not just during this difficult time, but all the time.

Create content that’s helpful, comforts and entertains Right now people care about food, and they plan to cook more often. Invest in collecting user-generated content (photos and videos) from your community to use in your brand marketing. To promote authenticity, have your team share favorite recipes or cooking videos from the community. Or, because people care about working productively from home, your brand can offer productivity hacks, healthy snack ideas, or tips to look your best in video calls. People are investing in

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their health and wellbeing, so share a list of stayhealthy tips or offer a free mid-day meditation lesson.

More than anything, allow your brand to be human we’re all in this together Over-communicate!

Your customers are your community. Let them know how you’re responding to coronavirus, if anything has changed about how you’re conducting business and what health precautions you’re taking. Ask them how you can support them during this time, and let them know how they can support your brand as well. Meet them where they are with updates to your homepage, getting active on your social media, or engage your most loyal customers with SMS marketing solutions like SMSBump or Facebook Messenger.

Go live on social media Reach your audience where they work and play. Go live on Instagram or LinkedIn to answer any questions and help customers who may be concerned about the impact of COVID-19. Both platforms provide an opportunity to cultivate an audience.

Shopping patterns are changing, and that means shifting your brands’ priorities to match. Leverage the data above to segment your audience accordingly, engage your community, optimize your on-site experience, and, most importantly, always treat your customers with humanity. In these unprecedented times, it’s together that we prevail.

Raj Nijjer is vice president of marketing at Yotpo, a leading commerce marketing cloud in New York. Prior to joining Yotpo, Raj spent more than three years at Yext in multiple leadership roles through its IPO in 2017. Raj also spent nine years at Godaddy in leadership roles launching innovative product lines with over nine patents issued and leading to a buyout, inclusive of an eventual IPO. If you enjoyed this article, sign up for SmartBrief’s free email: ANA Data & Analytics SmartBrief.

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Go virtual Have an upcoming event that had to be postponed or canceled? Try a virtual webinar or panel. Recreate the networking component by creating a Slack channel or Facebook group for participants or encouraging questions live via social.

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Bumper tables created to create six-foot social distancing

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In this image made from Saturday, May 16, 2020, video provided by Revolution Event Design & Production, “bumper tables,” created by the company and designed to allow people to practice social distancing while eating and talking, are debuted at Fish Tales, a restaurant in Ocean City, Md. (Katie Kirby/Revolution Event Design & Production via AP)

To View Article Online Click Here

remain distanced while dining in the restaurant’s parking lot.

OCEAN CITY, Md. (AP) — Diners in a Maryland beach town are bouncing back into dining out amid the coronavirus pandemic with a little help from inflatable inner tubes on wheels.

“If you come in to get a pound of shrimp and a beer, you can stand in one of these and walk around and look at things and talk to people,” Harman said. He said the reception to the bumper tables was positive when his family and friends took them out for a trial run outside his restaurant Saturday.

About a dozen of the so-called “bumper tables” were rolled out at Fish Tales, a restaurant in Ocean City, Maryland, on Saturday, news outlets reported. The inflated tube tables were created by Baltimore-based company Revolution Event Design & Production to allow people to practice social distancing while eating and talking in outdoor settings.

The devices feature a hole in the middle to accommodate people around 4 to 6 feet (1 to 2 meters) tall. Participants get a little spring in their step with wheels attached to the bottom for moving around — all while maintaining a 6-foot (2-meter) distance from each other.

“There are other restaurants in other parts of the country that have contacted us to get information to order them,” Harman said.

Cermak, who is the cousin of Harman’s wife, told the Baltimore Sun that many restaurants, cafes, and even a sports franchise have contacted her after news outlets reported on the tables. She said her company can customize them for businesses and also rent them out per day.

“We wanted to come up with a creative and fun way to keep everyone safe and compliant, but still bring back the social and festive and party aspect of the event,” Erin Cermak, the CEO of Revolution Event Design & Production, told the Baltimore Sun. Shawn Harman, the owner of Fish Tales, said he and his wife have purchased 10 bumper tables from Cermak’s company. Harman said he plans to order 40 more tables so customers can enjoy their food and

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Click Here to View First Ever WFEA Membership Directory

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Washington Festivals & Events Association 1015 Georgiana St. Port Angeles, WA 98362 www.wfea.org

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