Don't Let Winter Weather Ruin Your Events!

Here in Connecticut we woke up to a foot of snow. Being that it's a Friday, there's a high likelihood that many events around the state are going to be impacted. 

If you've been following our blog, you know that when planning your events you should hope for the best and plan for the worst, and always make plans to minimize weather worries. Sometimes, no matter how much planning you've done you're still going to have some last minute decisions to make regarding the status of your event. Here are some questions you'll need to ask yourself and some tips for dealing with them.

 

Should I make backup plans?

If you're planning a winter event, be sure you've considered how it will change if snow threatens to ruin your day. While weather problems like rain or extreme heat may allows for a change of venue, snow is likely to prevent people from getting to your event no matter where it's held. You should always have a "Snow Date" in mind and advertise it in advance. If you're contracting with vendors, musicians, or anyone else, you should be able to work out an alternate event date when you first negotiate your contracts and service orders.

 

Can I still hold my event if there's snow?

If you're able to modify your plans sufficiently to make sure your event is safe and are confident that guests will be able to travel to your event safely, then you can proceed even if there's snow on the ground. This is advisable if the snow ends hours before your event is scheduled to begin or if there's only a light snow expected. If it's still snowing during your event or if a storm could come in earlier than expected, it may not be wise to proceed. Sometimes you may not even have a choice, as your venue could decide not to open or event staff might not be able to get to the venue. If you are able to go on with the event as scheduled, make sure all parking areas and walkways have been plowed thoroughly to ensure guest safety. 

 

Is it alright to simply cancel the event when it snows?

In many cases, the best decision may be to cancel to ensure guests' safety. If you do cancel, make sure everyone scheduled to attend is aware of the decision. Send out a message via email and/or social media saying "This event will be cancelled on account of snow." If it's a paid event, let guests know how they will be refunded.

 

If it's snowing or threatening to snow, how and when should I implement alternate plans?

Making this call can be tricky, and sometimes unpopular, and takes a person or team with confidence in their decision-making abilities. Sometimes there won't be snow early in the day, but major storms threaten to hit during your event. You need to decide if it's safe, financially smart, and worth proceeding. This plan should really be custom to every specific event, but some elements that are common to help making this decision include:

• Who will make the call?
• What safety concerns need to be considered?
• What are the costs/losses associated with cancelling, moving or postponing vs. going forward with potentially smaller attendance?
• When will you make the call? (Some timelines may depend on contracts you've signed)
• Who needs to be notified?

 

What if a presenter/performer is delayed due to the weather?

If you know far enough in advance that your presenter or performer can't make it, it's best to work with your presenter to try to reschedule or make a call for a cancellation. Contractual agreements and ticket sales/refunds will affect how you handle this. If the news comes last minute and you already have an audience at your venue or on their way, you might choose to think creatively about an alternate offering. Do not plan to stall the start of the event for longer that 20 minutes without communicating changes to your attendees.