Timely Causes and Special Events

If you search online, you will find that many days, weeks, and months are dedicated to special causes. If you care deeply about a particular cause, or belong to an organization working for a good purpose, take advantage of highlighted times on the calendar. You can further your cause by organizing events at heightened times of public awareness to raise money, organize fun activities, and further educational opportunities.

May is Brain Tumor Awareness Month. This is a subject that matters very much to all of us at ezEvent™ for numerous reasons. Please take some time to become involved or learn more to empower everyone affected by brain tumors at www.braintumor.org. We invite you to participate in support of this cause in any way you are able. Whether you volunteer time, money, energy, or all three, please organize and participate in events designed to raise awareness during the month of May and throughout the year.

Your Local Library is a Tremendous Resource

It's National Library Week and a fantastic time to explore what a great resource your local library is to the community. Of course, you can find books, music, and movies available to check out for free, but did you know your library is also a practical resource for meetings, activities, and other events?

You can typically find a community calendar of neat things to do posted at libraries, and many have meeting rooms and other spaces that can be reserved for various lectures and workshops. Libraries often host fun parties and networking opportunities. You may find or host classes and activities for people of all ages to get out and explore various interests.

Some activities are organized by the library proper, but others may be put on by members of the community. For example, I attended a Zombie Makeup Class before Halloween last year at my public library. The organizers of the event were able to use an activity space in the library at no charge. They in turn charged a small fee for the class and were able to make a profit sharing their skills.

If you are looking for something to do, check out your local library for options. If you are looking for a place to hold a class or other gathering, speak to your local librarian to find out if the public library has available spaces that will fit your needs. You may find a perfect space is available at little to no charge – or perhaps a small donation!

Planning a Battle of the Bands

Looking for a fresh fundraising idea? Local musicians are always looking for outlets to showcase their talents, so consider hosting a concert event such as a Battle of the Bands. Amateur musicians will usually play for cheap or sometimes free if they know the proceeds are going to a good cause. There are several good ideas to keep in mind to ensure a successful Battle of the Bands:

•  Land the right venue: Have an ideal number of attendees in mind and find a venue to fit that target size. Businesses are usually happy to host events like this since it can bring them more business than a typical night.

• Be Courteous: It’s very important to keep neighbors in mind since the night is sure to get loud! It’s never a bad idea to simply knock on a neighbor’s door and ask for their understanding, give them an invite, or at least a heads up.

• Obey the Law: Most towns have noise ordinances that may require you to cut the tunes by a certain time. Knowing this beforehand will prevent local authorities from shutting down your event early. It's wise to do what it takes to avoid an unexpected visit from the 'boys in blue'.

• Advertise: To land performers, as well as attendees, target businesses in the area that are most likely to appeal to music fans and night-lifers, such as bars, restaurants, liquor stores, cafés, record stores, etc. Ask them if you can post a few fliers about your event, and be sure to mention the cause to which the money raised is going. Most places will already have a bulletin board for community happenings and will be glad to support your charity.

In conclusion, the more you plan ahead and think through the details, the smoother your concert event will run! Have fun and rock out!

Hope for the Best; Plan for the Worst

"'In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes." – Benjamin Franklin

We are very aware of the fact that many uncertainties must be considered when planning an event. Weather is certainly one of these. While it would be nice to be able to control the weather, ezWeather is ultimately a child of our imaginations here at ezEvent™. For now, we'll have to continue to rely on meteorologists and information from places like The Weather Channel. 

Really good event planners know that planning to contend with the unlikely can make or break an event. Hope for the best, and plan for the worst is the mantra of event planners with the skill to keep guests entertained and comfortable, while dealing with meltdowns, crises, and malfunctions behind the scenes. Coordinating an event brings together many different vendors, talents, and personalities. Negotiating all of these when a freak hailstorm or weather event threatens to dampen spirits is a talent that comes with planning, skill, and experience.

Outdoor events are most susceptible to weather changes, but even navigating to and from indoor events can leave guests subject to wind, rain, etc. You could plan an event in a luxurious ballroom, but in the case of a power outage, your guests would be in the dark if you failed to plan ahead and check that a generator in working order was on standby for just such a disaster.  

Too much sun and high heat can be every bit as uncomfortable to guests as wind, rain, or snow. When planning an outdoor event, think about the time of year and the likely weather issues you may face. Provide places of shelter and shade for guests when they need respite from whatever nature has in store. Attractive umbrellas on hand can offer guests relief from surprise rain showers, and can also double as parasols to protect sun-sensitive people. You can coordinate the umbrellas with your event's decorations and color scheme.

We'll talk more about pitfalls to avoid and opportunities to contend gracefully with problematic issues at events as this blog develops. In the meantime, as you are planning your next big event, think ahead like the pros. If you can imagine an obvious potential disaster, think of clever ways you would like to be able to deal with the circumstance.