PARTY ON

Three local pros on the uncertain future of events

BY NANCY FLOYD

s with nearly every other facet of life

A in the pandemic, the future of events remains unclear. When COVID-19 hit Nashville this spring and safer-at-home orders followed, weddings were postponed, fundraising galas went virtual and corporate gatherings, festivals and personal parties were canceled altogether. As the city stumbles its way through a phased reopening where restaurants and venues must limit capacity, perform arduous health and safety checks on employees and engage in regular sanitation, it’s hard to imagine when it will again be safe — much less feel normal — for large groups to gather.

With many organizations and businesses relying on event revenues for a signicant portion of their budgets, leaders are asking the same questions: When can we safely host events? How will they look dierent? How do we enforce social distancing guidelines at gatherings solely intended for socializing? And most importantly, will anyone feel comfortable attending?

Facing a public health crisis the likes of which this country hasn’t seen in more than a century, there are no case studies to reference to indicate how things will play out. And with uncertainties about a prospective second wave this fall or winter, event organizers are justi- ably concerned about whether they should move forward with their plans.

Amos Gott

e Post asked three local experts — event planner Amos Gott of AmosEvents, caterer Kristen Winston, and Dena Tidwell, director of special events and catering for Ole Red, a division of Ryman Hospitality Properties — to share their predictions on when events will resume, how they may look dierent and what organizers can do to ensure the safety of everyone involved.

Private vs. corporate Gott, Winston and Tidwell are in agreement that private parties are far more likely to rebound more quickly than corporate events. Smaller crowd sizes and familiarity with other guests will be major contributing factors, according to Gott.

“At social events, guests are more likely to know one another and therefore trust that they won’t be put in harm’s way, as opposed to corporate events where guests may not know one another [and] may not feel as safe,” he says. e emotional signicance of private events, such as weddings, birthday celebrations or retirement parties, makes hosts more reluctant to cancel or postpone. “I think personal events have a lot more emotion tied to them, so it is very dicult to make changes and postponements to these celebratory life events,” says Winston. Tidwell agrees, adding, “No one wants to postpone a wedding and have a longer engagement.” Distancing vs. networking Incorporating social or physical distancing protocols provides the biggest challenge for organizers, impacting everything from venue selection to guest lists and food service. All aspects of traditional events will need to be re-evaluated to comply with public health guidelines.

“Physical distancing will be the biggest change since we are complying with our safety standards,” says Tidwell. “is will require an adjustment to the footprint of an event but also allow for the smaller groups to have an adequate area to socialize.”

Even with the proper distancing measures in place, it is a nearly impossible edict to enforce.

“No matter how much space you allow or how clean surfaces are, guests are inevitably going to want to socialize,” says Gott. “It’s in our DNA. So guests have the responsibility to maintain a little more distance between one another, perhaps not hug upon seeing each other as they might have done in the past. But the venues and event organizers have a responsibility as well to provide a safe space and event. It’s going to be a partnership and compromise in the coming months.”

Buets vs. plated Food and drinks are central to any good event, but catering and bar service are likely to see the greatest overhaul in the near future. Expect plated meals over buet lines and for servers to wear masks and gloves. For those in the hospitality industry, these protocols, while needed, could hinder their ability to provide the quality of service they strive for.

“It is required that our sta wear masks when interacting with guests or when distancing is not possible in the back of house,” Winston says. “Unfortunately, this does detract from the warmth and personal touch we like to provide at the events — not to mention uncomfortable for sta!”

Gott recommends personalizing masks and even sneeze guards with the company’s logo or event name in an attempt to make them feel less sterile.