The Event Planner’s Survival Guide

By Mairin Petrone, CFEE

Event producers are tough. We’re adaptable. We’re anxious. We’re stressed. We share “I have shown up to my event naked” nightmares. Most importantly, we’re planners, and we like to be prepared.

We’ve all heard of the “event bag”, right? Usually, a pre-packed tote or toolbox full of the basics like tape, scissors, zip ties, and sharpies. I don’t know about you, but I am one of those people who shows up to an event not just with an “event bag” but with several event suitcases. I can’t imagine the thought of getting a blister and not having a special blister Band-Aid on hand. Or not having scissors strong enough to cut a zip tie. Or forgetting my allergy medicine. Or having my phone die without a charger ready to go. Or needing rope and not having rope and then having to waste an hour of precious event build time going to get rope. Time is money and preparedness is sanity! I have been known to show up to my temporary event offices with so much stuff that my teammates poke fun at me. Those same teammates are very grateful when I happen to have the exact size Allen wrench that they needed or, rope, obviously.

This topic came up a lot in my recent work with the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s Philadelphia Flower Show. As we all know, the COVID-19 pandemic changed a lot about events - masks, distancing, enhanced cleaning, handwashing stations, etc. For the Philadelphia Flower Show, this change took on the form of moving the world’s largest and longest running flower show outdoors for the first time in almost two hundred years.

Events outside are completely different animals. Your exposure changes drastically and a significant number of things shift when you take away that ceiling and four walls. You’re probably thinking of things like generators and cabling for power, tents for shade and rain protection, enhanced security, new layouts, etc. I wonder if you have considered your people and yourself yet. If not, prioritizing preparing yourself, your staff, and your volunteers to be outdoors is key to the success of your event. Happy and healthy team members will likely result in more productivity and more efficiency, which will lead to a better experience for your event attendees, vendors, sponsors, and so on and so on. It is so important to be prepared mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually, and practically. Take care of your body, your mind, and your event!

The Philadelphia Flower Show began in 1829 and has since been held indoors, most recently in the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Now that the pandemic has subsided, the event has moved back indoors but in 2021, COVID forced the incredible team behind the Show to rethink how and where the event would occur and a move outside felt like the smartest and safest decision. The team spent two wild and wonderful years in Philadelphia’s FDR Park and having spent many years working on outdoor events, I thought it would be helpful to share some tips with the team who had never done an event outside before. I pulled from my own experience and polled my event producing community on social media to create the ultimate event survival guide.

Now that COVID-19 appears to be behind us, this list has since taken on a new form to be inclusive of all events, both those indoors and outdoors, casual and fancy, personal and professional, small and large, and everything in between.

Disclaimers: Not every item or tip and trick in the below list is for everyone. Some items may feel like total “no brainers”. Some planners may not have the resources to acquire all the below items. Whether you are a seasoned event producer or brand new on the scene, I hope you are at the very least able to find a few helpful nuggets in this guide. Or you can be just like me and roll up to every event with several suitcases full of literally every single item listed below and then some! Trust me, they’ll laugh in the beginning and then thank you later.

Event Survival Guide

What to wear:

• Shoes

o Good, broken in shoes

o Water proof

o Work Boots

o Consider changing shoes daily

o Consider having a second pair on hand

o Rain boots – keep nearby

o Always have extra dry socks

o Compression socks

o Dr. Scholl’s Inserts

• Fanny packs – stylish and practical or a murse or shoulder bag

• Hats – sun and rain protection

• Sunglasses

• Sunglass neck strap

• Eye glass cleaner (if applicable)

• Contact lens solution (if applicable)

• Consider cargo shorts – no one will judge you, I promise

• Tide to go

• Rain coat (I recommend frogg toggs)

• Downy wrinkle releaser

• Change of underwear (things can get sweaty!)

• Mini, travel sewing kit

• Poncho

• Safety Pins

• Sweater or sweatshirt for chilly evenings or mornings (recommend layering)

First Aid/Medical/Health/Safety Items:

• Band-aids

• Blister band-aids

• Blister prevention stick

• Chapstick

• Sunscreen

• Bug spray

• Anti-itch – cortisone, etc.

• Tylenol, Motrin, Aleve etc.

• Inhaler – if needed

• Epipen – if needed

• Trick for bees: put a dryer sheet in your pocket

• COVID specific

o Extra Masks

o Gloves

o Hand sanitizer

o Hand wipes

o Cleaning wipes

o Lysol

• Hand warmers

• Icy/hot, Biofreeze, Arnicam etc.

• Tums

• Other personal meds

• Gold bond

• Tampons, pads, birth control

• Kleenex

• Seasonal Allergy Meds

• Lotion

Food and Beverage:

• Stay hydrated! Stay hydrated! Stay hydrated!

• Don’t forget to eat – consider packing small snacks like granola or protein bars

• A small cooler for snacks and drinks is always recommended!

• Energy bars/power bars

• Gatorade

• Caffeine of your choice (but not too much!)

• Liquid IV

Technology/Personal Supplies:

• Phone wall charger

• Portable phone charger and cord

• Personal wifi hotspot (if you have one)

• iPad

• Computer and charger

• Portable power bank

• Sharpies

• Pencils/Pens

Hygiene:

• Deodorant

• Foot spray

• Gum

• Floss

• Toothbrush, toothpaste

• Hair brush

• Comb

• Mints

• Body wipes

• Hair spray

• Extra hair ties

• Safety Pins

• Mini sewing kit

• Bobby Pins

• Shoe inserts

Attitude:

• Sense of humor

• It is not IF something goes wrong, it is when – be prepared!

Pre-event tips (the last thing you want to do is find out your driver’s license expired or your car insurance lapsed mid-event!):

• Get a good night’s sleep as much as you can!

• Get any routine medical visits out of the way well in advance – dentist, PCP, etc.

• Stock up on your personal toiletries if you’re running low

• Take care of vehicle oil changes, inspections, etc. early if they expire during event

• Check on any other items with expiration dates – driver’s license, car insurance, car registration/inspection, passport, TSA precheck, etc. – and try to handle in advance

• Review any on site protocols and emergency plans

• Put all important contact numbers into your cell phone favorites

• Plan outfits in advance and lay out your clothes

• Keep up with vitamins, vitamin c, etc.

• Pay all personal bills in advance of event so you don’t forget during

Kids!

Do you have kids? If so, this section is for you. My wife, Brittny, and I just welcomed a baby girl, Parker! Now, my event prep has totally leveled up. In addition to preparing myself for my event season, I am now responsible for preparing her for those busy times. It is important to me to make sure that my wife and our daughter are all set for my long days away. And to make sure I have everything I need in case Parker needs to be with me at all during events (she is my succession plan, after all). Here are some recommendations and things to think about if you and/or your spouse are unavailable to your family for long stretches before, during, and after your event:

• Childcare!

• Kid’s doctor’s appointments – pediatrician, dentist, etc.

• Kid’s medication refills, if necessary

• Diapers, diaper cream, wipes, etc. should all be well stocked prior to an event

• Clothing

o Back to school clothes/uniforms

o Laundry is all set

• Food

o Are you breastfeeding/pumping? Make sure you have a pumping plan, location to nurse, etc.

o Are you formula feeding? Make sure you have enough formula on hand to last for the duration of your event.

o Older kids? Plan meals for them if your childcare is unable to. You can freeze meals, order groceries, etc.

• Events in late summer/early fall

o Is your back-to-school shopping with your kids done? Do they have all their school supplies, books, clothes, uniforms, etc.?

o Are after school/extracurricular activities registered for? Sports uniforms ordered?

• Events around the holidays

o Is your holiday shopping done?

o Do you need to get your kid’s teachers presents?

• Events in the spring

o Are summer camps lined up?

o Childcare?

o Summer activities?

• Will your kid(s) be attending your event for long stretches?

o Have activities planned for them

o Pack sunscreen and lots of meals/snacks

o Bring a pack-n-play, diaper bag, change of clothes, etc., if appropriate

o Create an emergency plan for the kids – where will they meet you if something goes wrong, who at the event site should they go to with an issue, are there areas they should avoid at the event, etc.

Below you will find even more ideas about what supplies to have with you at an event! Do you have anything that you would add to this list? I’d love to hear from you! Wherever and whenever your event is, I hope that you always show up prepared for anything and everything that may come your way!

Other Handy Supplies:

Air compressor for tires

Foam floor pieces/fatigue mats

Gaffers tape in varying colors

Batteries (AA, AAA, D, etc.)

Box cutters

Brooms and dustpans

Buckets

Bug spray

Bug swatter / zapper

Bungee Cords

Cable drum

Cable ties of varying lengths and thicknesses

Caution tape

Chalk

chalk spray

Clorox / Lysol wipes

Coded locks for portable restrooms

Cones of varying sizes

Contact Person Lists (emergency, staff, etc.)

Cordless Screwdriver

Crowbar

Disposable gloves (latex, nitrite, vinyl)

Dollies

Drill

Drill set / bits

Dry Erase Markers

Duct Tape

Extension cords

Fans

Fire extinguishers

Flags (safety)

Flashlights

Foil, saran wrap, wax paper

Funnels

Garbage bags of varying sizes, colors, and Thickness

Gum / Mints

Hammers, nails, screws

Hand Sanitizer / Hand Wipes

Highlighters

Jumper cables

Key rings

Knives

Kwik covers / table covers

Ladder

Laminator

Laminator sheets

Locks and chains for gates, etc.

Marking spray

Masking Tape

Measuring tape, laser measurer

Megaphone

Moving pads

Mr. Clean Magic Erasers

Office paper products (plates, cups, napkins, silverware)

Painters Tape

Paper towels

Parking tape

Pencils

Pens

Phone charger USB bricks

Plyers

Power strips

Raid (pest control)

Replacement blades (carpet knife /

box cutter)

Rolls of wire, insulation

Ropes of varying thicknesses and lengths

Rubbing Alcohol Pads

Safety vests

Scissors – always have lots of scissors

Scotch Tape

Screwdrivers (flat / Phillips head)

Sharpies – always have lots of Sharpies

Snacks

Sponges

Staple gun

Staples

Staplers

Step ladder

Surge Protectors

Sunscreen

Table covers

Tarps of varying sizes and colors

Tension straps

Tissues

Toilet paper

Toolbox with varying tools

Tote bags

Towing cables

Traps – fly, mouse, ant

Umbrellas / Rain Gear

Velcro

Water

WD40

Wetvac

Whistles

White Board

Windex

Wire cutters

Working Gloves, light and heavy duty

Wrenches

Ziplocs of varying sizes

Mairin Petrone is an independent event contractor and consultant. She most notably serves at the Executive Director and President of the Pittsburgh Irish Festival, Founder of BRIGID – a celebration of Ireland’s Patron Saint, and as Development Director for Family Focus Media, LLC., a publishing company in Philadelphia. She has also done work for the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society/Philadelphia Flower Show, iIrish newsmagazine, Pittsburgh International Folk Festival, and the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership where she was part of the team responsible for the production Picklesburgh, Light Up Night, and more!

Mairin lives with her wife, Brittny, and newborn daughter, Parker, in Pittsburgh, PA. In her spare time, she loves supporting women’s sports, binging TV shows, and going to Disney World!