In our previous posts, we’ve talked a little bit about weddings, and in our most recent post we began dipping our toes into a new topic: what to consider when planning events during and after the pandemic. This time around, we wanted to hone in on that topic a little more to help people plan for how events will look going forward. To get a general feel for the topic, we thought we’d kick off this series by talking about the new normal for large events.
When planning an event today it is important to consider: how can you make it safe and comfortable for all of your desired customers or attendees to attend an event in this sort-of post pandemic world? First, think about holding an option for an online attendance. That way guests can either attend the event live online, or you can hold an online-only version of an event and tailor it to the needs of online people. We plan to talk about this more in future blog posts, so keep an eye out if you have questions about what each of these options might look like, and the pros and cons to pursuing them.
Another way you can help to make attendees feel comfortable is by planning for extra sanitation practices and providing easy access to sanitizing materials. Hiring people to wipe down high-contact surfaces, having a plan for cleanliness of restrooms, keeping track of guest attendees for contact tracing, and using extra precautions with employees can make events more sanitary and more comfortable for concerned attendees. Additionally, having nearby hand sanitizing stations, masks available, and other sanitary items will help people feel they have extra protection against diseases and prevent spread of germs between guests.
Finally, we’ve talked about this idea in a previous post, but wanted to reiterate it here. The reality is that covid has been a very politically-motivated topic and therefore guests are all bound to have a wide range of opinions and comfortability related to post-COVID practices. One strategy to try to make as many people feel comfortable is having wristbands at your event that indicate the level of comfort your guests have with social interaction. A red wristband would mean “I would like to social distance at this event,” a yellow would mean “I am comfortable being close to others and talking, but please don’t touch me,” and a green would mean, “I’m excited to touch and talk throughout this event.” These options make your event a safe and comfortable location for guests who are uncomfortable with some kinds of social interaction because of covid, or guests who have health issues that necessitate some form of distancing.
Holding large events currently can be challenging because there is no one “right way” to approach them as the pandemic is ending. What’s most important: the comfortability and safety of your guests. Depending on the type of event you’re holding, different choices may not be feasible or may not be right for your event. By providing different attendance options to guests, making thoughtful choices about sanitation, and offering ways for guests to communicate about comfortability with interaction you can make your event more covid-friendly and welcoming to people of different opinions and needs.