Event Planners Workshop’s Post

The first event I did as a business, after leaving the world of music and festivals, was a street festival for a business group that wanted to revitalise its economy. They had a general plan of what they wanted to offer visitors and we set about bringing back a street fair to remind the neighbourhood of the great businesses on their doorstep.  Since then I've done many community events and have learned 5 key components to a successful community event. Make sure you engage your WHOLE community. Be clear on your goal of your event and wear it like a shingle over the shop front. Community food before food trucks. Resist the temptation to book the high end (read expensive) entertainment. Make sure you contact your local Council and find out what rules and regulations you need to comply with. Community events are an amazing fabric of society and anyone can create one. If you are working on a community event, follow me for lots of event planning tips to help you along the way.

The first event I did as a business, after leaving the world of music and festivals, was a street festival for a business group that wanted to revitalise its economy. They had a general plan of what they wanted to offer visitors and we set about bringing back a street fair to remind the neighbourhood of the great businesses on their doorstep.  Since then I've done many community events and have learned 5 key components to a successful community event. Make sure you engage your WHOLE community. Be clear on your goal of your event and wear it like a shingle over the shop front. Community food before food trucks. Resist the temptation to book the high end (read expensive) entertainment. Make sure you contact your local Council and find out what rules and regulations you need to comply with. Community events are an amazing fabric of society and anyone can create one. If you are working on a community event, follow me for lots of event planning tips to help you along the way.

The first event I did as a business, after leaving the world of music and festivals, was a street festival for a business group that wanted to revitalise its economy. They had a general plan of what they wanted to offer visitors and we set about bringing back a street fair to remind the neighbourhood of the great businesses on their doorstep.  Since then I've done many community events and have learned 5 key components to a successful community event. Make sure you engage your WHOLE community. Be clear on your goal of your event and wear it like a shingle over the shop front. Community food before food trucks. Resist the temptation to book the high end (read expensive) entertainment. Make sure you contact your local Council and find out what rules and regulations you need to comply with. Community events are an amazing fabric of society and anyone can create one. If you are working on a community event, follow me for lots of event planning tips to help you along the way.

While major events like the 2025 Montana's Brier and Country Music Week 2025 provide a fantastic opportunity to tap into a new consumer base, we know there are events of all sizes happening all year round, helping to create vibrancy in our community. Traffic to our event webpages confirms that visitors and locals want to know what's happening in the region: year to date, traffic to the main events page is up almost 50% year over year (YOY). Local businesses are also keen to promote their events, with visits to the Submit an Event page up over 180% YOY. Even if your business doesn't directly host events, you still have a unique opportunity to engage with the community and gain exposure by helping promote local events or creating activations in your space that attendees can participate in simultaneously. Whether it's a festival, sporting event, cultural celebration, or other fun event, your business can benefit from getting involved—read our latest Industry News Centre post to find out how: https://lnkd.in/dvjKTt-e 📸: Knox Mountain Downhill 2023. Image credit: Jillian Hearn

A well-executed event will live on long after the last delegate has travelled home. Great events build great communities.   One of the best community-building opportunities is promoting your event. Good marketing and communications in the lead-up to an event give you reasons to stay in touch with community members, build excitement, and start sharing stories and valuable information. Promote your event with stories from the speakers they won't be included in the event themselves, tips from sponsors or members to get people excited, and pre-event activities such as competitions. Social media around events allows attendees to interact with each other and build FOMO in those not yet committed to attending. That's exactly what events like music festivals do, and the same can be done for even the least rock 'n roll business event.   By sharing great content before the event, you build excitement, have attendees already warmed into the themes and subjects, create connections between members, and give some value to those who can't attend this time. All of this builds community around your event to ensure that the event's impacts continue well after it's over. #events #eventmarketing #community

The last few weeks of the year are generally packed with events, dinners, and awards evenings, and I have attended my fair share of these over the years. The one thing that strikes me at all these events is the loud music/band while everyone eats. I find myself going through a few phases: - Phase 1: speaking loudly to the person next to me and trying to hear what they say - Phase 2: speaking even louder and trying to lip-read - Phase 3: not speaking or listening at all I understand and know that ambient noise at the right volume can eliminate other noises like crockery and foot traffic, but why do event organisers and bands always pump up the music so loud? I found an interesting article (see comments) that considers this an insult to those who attend and plan to network.

Charlotte-area arts and cultural organizations are grappling with increased costs associated with their events and festivals — so much so that some are having to cut back, even as the events remain popular. In The Charlotte Ledger this week, Lindsey Banks examined this phenomenon and talked with several nonprofit leaders about the problem. She found: ◼️ Event expenses, from equipment rentals to security, have surged post-pandemic, leading many organizations to cut back on events or limit their growth. For example, Tosco Music cut its annual Tosco Music Party and rescheduled FabFest due to financial strains. ◼️ Festivals like BOOM Charlotte face budget constraints despite growing public interest. Increased expenses mean fewer artists can participate, and expansion is slowed. ◼️ There’s a growing call for increased public and private funding to support arts and culture. Leaders advocate for more community investment and sponsorships to bridge the financial gap. (One thing nonprofits might try: check out Charlotte ToolBank, a nonprofit that makes tools and event supplies available to other nonprofits at steeply discounted rates.) ➡️ Ledger members can read Lindsey's full report on the topic here: https://lnkd.in/euB3UqfP

Key insights from the Access All Areas Magazine Conference... 🏌♀️ The opportunities for music offerings within 'sportainment' to continue growing are huge - a really exciting aspect of the industry to follow, as highlighted by Paul Dunstan, Nicki Seifert and Hannah Simpkins. 💚 Sustainability isn't just about the environment (though that is of course still a huge priority), it can be the way event organisers engage with surrounding communities, as stated by 👩🏻💻Hannah Cox. 🚀 Collaboration is key: event organisers, artists, management and agents must come together to find financial solutions that will secure the future of festivals, as pointed out by The Fair's CEO Nick Morgan. Thanks to Access All Areas Magazine for organising - a day of important conversations, healthy debate and shared insight. #eventprofs #events #eventindustry #eventconference #festivals

In today’s polarized world, building bridging social capital—connections between diverse groups—is crucial for creating inclusive and resilient communities. Festivals achieve this in ways no policy or program ever could. In my latest Substack post, I delve into the powerful role festivals play as the invisible glue that binds us together. From the vibrant energy of the Montreal Jazz Festival to the poetic charm of Jashn-e-Rekhta in Delhi, festivals are far more than just celebrations—they’re catalysts for bridging divides, fostering trust, and strengthening our neighbourhoods. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gtzu9P4x

New Orleans hosts several major events throughout the year, each drawing significant crowds that can temporarily boost the city’s population. Here are some notable examples: ● Mardi Gras: This world-famous festival attracts around 1.4 million visitors annually1. The city’s population swells significantly during the two-week celebration, especially on Fat Tuesday. ○ ● Jazz & Heritage Festival: Known as Jazz Fest, this event draws about 400,000 attendees over its two weekends1. The influx of visitors adds a substantial number to the city’s usual population. ○ ● Essence Festival: This music and cultural event brings in approximately 500,000 people each year1. Held over the Fourth of July weekend, it significantly increases the city’s population. ○ ● New Orleans Saints Home Games: The NFL games at the Caesars Superdome can attract up to 73,000 fans per game1, adding to the city’s population on game days. These are only SOME events, that highlight how New Orleans’ population can fluctuate dramatically depending on the time of year and the events taking place. ** Truly, New Orleans has many other events year round, where people typically book many months in advance. (Superbowl 2024, one air bnb operator stated that their units are booked for the Superbowl already, and they looking at a projected $8000 for the week, not to mention Mardi Gras, with will occur approximately the same time)