[1]Photograph Credit: Flickr (Caston Corporate)
Before planning the events of 2012, I want to take a few posts to complete the events from 2011. In revealing my upcoming events in 2011-2012 [2] post, I highlighted three events. Having completed the fall festival, I promised more information on how to better plan for next year [3], then came Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the Top 10 List.
In getting back on track, I will share what I learned about fall festival and how I plan to improve next year.
Successes
Barriers: Enclosing the space kept all the students and children safe and within boundaries. Separating the open play area and the ponies designated a natural entrance to the pony rides within the KidZone. This arrangement worked so well.
Bounce Houses: Increased number from 2 to 5 this year. The lines were manageable and moved quickly. Having totes for shoes, outdoor mats, and canopies at each entrance kept the area clear, clean, and shaded.
Police Officer: Keeping watch over the entrances and wooded area around the KidZone, the police officer oversaw the safety of our event. Having him available during money exchanges and changing of the volunteers was extremely helpful in keeping our event safe.
Stage Performances: With performances beginning every half hour, the KidZone stayed alive during the full event. Having the hay bales for seating gave the stage an automatic audience. The placement worked well in the center of the area, and the juggling and karate demonstrations were well-received.
Volunteers: This event would not be possible without the many volunteers. In KidZone alone, I worked with over 50 volunteers throughout the day. Asking community organizations to help with our event allowed our staff and parents to oversee the details.
The event was definitely a success without any major problems. However, there are always those unexpected items to improve next year.
Improvements
Audio: Add speakers and microphone to area for announcements and stage area. We had no way to get information to those in the KidZone. For safety, we need to have audio for next year.
Advertising: KidZone flyers distributed at the entrances than ignored at the KidZone registration table.
A source of frustration: I spent a good 2-3 hours designing a half-sheet flyer with a map and details about the Kidzone. Volunteers were scheduled to distribute these flyers at the KidZone entrance.
When a few volunteers failed to arrive, I adjusted responsibilities. Unfortunately, the flyer distribution suffered, and I found the stack of flyers in a box after the event. Though it was a source of frustration, I have the template for next year. (Looking on the bright side. :-))
Giant Slide: Need a more advanced slide next year. The younger children had lots of activities while the older students missed the giant slide. There was miscommunication with the contract. The e-mail indicated the large slide would be delivered, but we received a small one. Next year, I will be more proactive with the bounce house contracts and contacts.
Cleanup: The most frustrating part of the event was cleanup. The new crew came in with gusto. In an effort to help, they cleared everything out, stacked remaining items in storage, and left.
I ended up coming back on Monday morning to sort through all the KidZone items. Finding coolers filled with floating leftover water bottles, totes with soiled paper towels, and missing items was not pleasant. Knowing that tearing down will be quick and immediate, I need to better prepare next year.
I may try to choose one area where all the KidZone items stay until I can go through the items. By the end of the event, I hit an energy low [4]. Dealing with cleanup was hard to swallow.
After each major event, I like to take a week to decompress and take a step back to view the big picture. With a little break, I can better rate the details to find the successes and failures. By writing down these observations and finding solutions, I bring these notes to the recap meeting for my report.
The recap meeting for this event was long, but lots of suggestions given to consider for improving our event for next year. In using time wisely, I celebrated the successes, learned from the unexpected surprises, and enjoyed the process.
Question: What helps you improve your events? Please add your comments and suggestions.