How to Deal with Bad Weather at Your Outdoor Event

No matter what type of outdoor event you are planning, weather can play a large part in the success and/or experience of your event. Unfortunately, you can spend all of your hours planning, executing, and working on your outdoor event, there is no guarantee when it comes to mother nature! 

Arrange a “Plan B” 

Having bad weather has the potential to completely ruin any plans that you have made for your outdoor event. In the situation where that may happen, having a plan B, or backup plan will come in handy.

If your event revolves around many outdoor activities, make sure to have some alternative activities or entertainment that can keep attendees engaged when the weather isn’t holding up. Have this backup entertainment and activities under some pavilions or shelters that you have rented in case of the weather. For festivals and other events where guests will be moving locations consistently, portable outdoor flooring may be useful to rent as well. 

Although these may increase your event budget, they are well worth the backup plan to make sure your event runs smoothly and attendees are happy with the experience! 

Know Your Venue 

When a wild card like bad weather is thrown into your event day, knowing your venue inside and out (literally) will help solve the issue! As well as knowing your venue, you should make sure that your staff and attendees are well versed with the venue too. Providing maps, signposts, or labels on key areas will help everyone navigate where they need to go, especially when there is bad weather. 

Beyond the venue, the organizers, vendors, and sponsors will benefit from learning where sheltered spots are where they can move equipment or other items that can be damaged in the case of rain or wind. Another great tip is to double-check that any type of structures (toilets, furniture, signage, etc.) are properly tied down or sturdy. 

Provide Amenities 

As an event organizer, you should always be putting the comfort, safety, and convenience of your attendees first. Even the smaller details like amenities. Although you should always prepare your outdoor event for some rain, it is important to also prepare your outdoor event for the heat! From ponchos and blankets to water, AC and sunscreen, make sure that whatever the weather, your attendees are covered, 

Remember Food and Drink Options

If rain or wind strikes at your outdoor event, be sure that your catering options are able to move or are disaster-proof. If something goes wrong, including bad weather, food and drinks are always a great option when managing your attendee’s satisfaction. Make sure onsite vendors are ready with snacks and hot or cold drinks for the hot or cold weather!

Take Precautions With Health And Safety

Weather policies and risk assessments should be a part of your plan. Health and safety should always be of top importance when coming to planning any event, but especially an outdoor one! It’s the event organizer’s job to make sure any possible dangerous situations and hazards have safety systems in place so these situations can be dealt with. 

Safety kits should be on hand as a minimum, but you should also have assets like where the nearest hospital is and extra medical staff on-site depending on the type or how large your outdoor event is. 

Make Sure Everyone Is In The Loop

Working on an event in the rain or wind isn’t always the easiest task, but as long as you have a plan and preparation, your outdoor event can run smoothly! The most important part of having an outdoor event during bad weather is communication. Communication with your staff, attendees, and vendors will make sure that everyone is on the same page. So when some bad weather starts coming your way, you all know the backup plans and systems in place.

Keep An Eye On The Weather! 

This may be an obvious one, but make sure to watch the forecast for your event’s local area! Be proactive by checking the weather forecast from a week before to give you some peace of mind and be ahead of what you may need to prepare for.

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