Social distancing on blackboard, viral pandemic prevention concept
The event planning world has been turned upside-down as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The promising news is that there are still ways that you can bring people together, both virtually and in-person, for a variety of events. Regardless of if you are choosing a safe venue that supports social distancing or going the online route, here are five ways that you can organize a large event during the era of COVID-19.
Pick the Right Venue
The single best thing that you can do to ensure a safe and socially distanced event is to pick the right venue. The size of the space will dictate how many people you can include. It is also easier to safely socially distance when in an outdoor space. If the weather looks unfavorable, consider renting tents and portable heaters to keep everyone comfortable.
Most venues should be familiar with your area’s gathering rules. This takes the pressure off of you to make sure that the event is compliant with state and local regulations so that you can focus on planning an amazing experience for everyone.
Leverage Communication Options
In today’s digital age, it is easier than ever to stay connected to your event attendees. With this rapidly changing world, you are going to want an easy way to keep everyone in your circle connected and informed.
If you are a religious organization looking to disseminate information, you should consider using one of the various church texting services. These services make it a breeze to get the word out about events, provide updates, and build stronger connections within your community. For a low monthly fee, you will be in touch with everyone that needs to hear your message whenever you need to send it out.
Take the Right Precautions
Once you have the venue and theme selected, you need to consider how you are going to implement the right safety precautions. Mandating the wearing of masks is a good way to build confidence in the safety of your event. Rather than making this a hindrance, consider leaning into this idea by purchasing branded masks to give out to your attendees.
You should also make it easy for the attendees to practice good personal hygiene. Installing hand sanitizing stations and choosing food and drink that is individually packaged will go a long way in protecting your attendees and ensuring everyone that this is a compliant event.
Choose Events with Built-in Social Distancing
Rather than trying to fight the constraints of the pandemic, you should embrace the activities that naturally have social distancing in place. For example, perhaps you want to plan a drive-in movie event for your group. By mandating that everyone stay in the vehicle that they arrived in, you will keep the attendees socially distanced while still delivering a sense of community.
Or maybe you want to host a fireworks extravaganza over an open field where people can spread out and stay on blankets within their own immediate family group. By thinking outside of the box, you can find fun ways to provide a shared experience while practicing safe social distancing protocols.
Support the Local Community
You can make your event even more meaningful by finding ways to support the local community in the process. Perhaps this means that you use a local restaurant to cater the event. If the event is virtual, maybe you want to give your attendees a voucher to order from a local favorite.
Choosing local entertainment is also a good idea to support your community. This will also eliminate the need to travel during a pandemic. More than ever before, people are looking to support small businesses in their area. Leaning on the resources that you already have near you will build rapport with others while also ensuring that you are responsible in your planning process.
There is no doubt that there is a significant amount of challenges present when trying to plan an event during a pandemic. However, with the right planning and preparation, you can still provide a shared experience for those in your group. There has never been a more important time to bring people together and provide a connection.
