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Planning an evening event: event organization

Professional & well-planned processes — event organization © KölnTourismus GmbH, Volker Voigt

Please note:
This checklist assumes that you are planning an evening event to which a select group of participants has been invited and for which no participant fees will be charged.

Step 4:
Professional & well-planned processes — event organization.

Make your final decisions about the service partners and commission them to implement the concept you have developed.
Design, do layouting and send (or arrange the dispatch of) Save the Date messages and invitations.
- What information must be included in the invitations?
- Analogue or digital?
Organize the participant management.
- Set up the registration procedure for the participants.
- If appropriate, set up a hotline for questions and changes.
Create set-up plans.
- How will each room be equipped, fitted out with seating and decorated?
- Technical equipment and lighting effects?
Create flowcharts.
- List all the individual programme points in a timeline, complete with all the related information
- Event direction plan (programme point, projections, microphones, background music, lighting effects)
Ask all the protagonists about their technical requirements, plan these and inform your technology partners.
Make to-do lists for any elements missing from the flowchart. Flowcharts show where gaps still exist in the event planning.
Plan the construction and dismantling periods.
- These plans must ensure smooth logistics for the specialized workers doing the construction and dismantling.
- Equipment: Which equipment will be provided by which companies and when?
Make a “Branding, route information, signposting” list.
- The list should include information about the locations, content, dimensions, materials, and producers of the materials.
- Take the stage design into account.
- Have the graphics and content produced according to the list.
Plan the catering.
- Select the food and beverages
- How many people should you order for?
- Must special allergies/religious customs/food intolerances be
taken into account?
- Catering for the crew and the performers?
Plan the table decorations.
- Define the desired table decorations and order suitable sketches or photos of possible decorations.
- Prepare a set-up of a table.
- Will you have seating plans? If so, work out the seating plans and make place cards.
Briefings for all the specialized workers, speakers and performers.
- A general briefing about the event.
- Information about arrival options and other framework conditions.
- Precise areas of responsibility.
- Times and periods of duty.
- Catering for the crew
Human resources & team planning and briefings for the staff.
- A general briefing about the event.
- Information about arrival options and other framework conditions.
- What is each person’s area of responsibility and the place and time of his/her work assignment?
- Clothing.
- Catering for the crew.
- Cloakrooms.
- Breaks.
Make phone lists that include the name, company, function and mobile phone number of each participant.
Submit and receive registrations and authorizations
- Insurance policies.
- GEMA (German Authors' Rights Society).
- Artists’ social insurance.
If appropriate, contact the building authority for specialized uses.