6 Tips for Rain or Shine Event Organizers or Hosts

Jan 24, 2018

Make your rain or shine outdoor event a hit with these six tips!

1. Make “rain or shine” clear to guests

The first thing you must do if you are hosting a rain or shine event is to let potential guests know that important detail. Before guests purchase tickets or vendors purchase sponsorships, it’s key to make sure you are upfront with them about the nature of your event.

While this may turn some people away, it protects you in the case of complaints. You would be surprised how many people don’t care if an event is rain or shine, either. Especially if it’s for something they love. Just make sure you are upfront with guests, vendors, and employees alike and you are on your way to a successful event (rain or shine!)

2. Know your “rain day” plan

Next, you should know your “rainy day” plan. What are you going to do in the case that it does rain? What if there is hail? What if there is lightning?

You need the answers to these questions before you event send out invitations. Is there an indoor venue you can move guests to? What’s your plan? Make sure you figure it out and communicate it to all involved parties.

3. Get covered

If you’re going to have an event that is rain or shine, it’s imperative that you have the proper insurance coverage. Certain insurance plans will help protect you from loss of revenue when inclement weather strikes on the day of your event.

4. Tell guests what to expect

As it gets closer to your event, you should let your guests know what to expect weather wise. It’s a good idea to send out an email or a social media message about anticipated weather conditions a week before the event. Then, you should continue sending updates as you get closer. This is a great way to help guests know what to expect. Depending on the weather, they should wear different clothing and pack different supplies.

It’s also a good time to let them know what items aren’t allowed on event grounds. For example, a lot of concert venues do not allow umbrellas – no matter the weather. Remind fans early and often of the forecast and any other important weather-related notes.

5. Know what’s going on with the weather

At the end of the day, the most important things for rain or shine events as an organizer is that you know what’s going on with the weather. How do you get this information though? Relying on the weather form the TV or your free app isn’t always the best idea. We recommend seeing the weather on a map of your area in real-time, with conditions that matter to you most. For example, if your event involves hot air balloons, you need to know wind information. Our weather visualization tool – Sferic Maps -is perfect for easily viewing customizable weather layers and sharing views with other event staff in real time.

If you really need added peace of mind, we recommend consulting the experts themselves. We have a team of meteorologists on staff 24/7 to provide weather consulting for events 24/7. This way, you know you’re making the best decision possible.

6. Don’t stop communicating

The worst thing you can do if you are planning a rain or shine outdoor event is to shut down channels of communication. There should be a constant flow of weather conditions, event updates, and important safety information between event organizers, employees, and guests. A great way to ensure this communication is through social media. Create event social media pages and have employees ready to answer any incoming questions and to disseminate important information.

Social media is also a great place to promote your event in general. Throwing a little money behind your posts with paid advertising is a great way to open up your event to new people who might show up, rain or shine.