Lately, Track15 has been asked to “read the tea leaves” as it pertains to event planning for 2021. While we are not fortune tellers or public health officials, we have made it our priority to gather as much information as possible on the future of events to help our clients make safe and informed decisions.
Until we hear from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) (or another highly reputable public health organization) that herd immunity has been reached, the safest option is to keep all events virtual. The last thing your organization needs is to host a “superspreader” event. However, we know that many organizations are now planning their events for the summer, fall, and winter. We’ve created a forecast on what we believe could be potential options for your organization in the coming year.
February - May:
Format: Virtual/Drive-thru
Why: There is no indication that enough people will be vaccinated during this time to make an in-person gathering of any size safe. Drive-thru events in which attendees remain in their vehicles are considered safe.
June - August:
Format: Outdoor/Hybrid
Why: Socially-distanced, outdoor options should be safe if people keep their distance and mask up when they come within 6 feet of each other. Offering a virtual component is a good way to include folks who are still uncomfortable meeting in person. The size of the outdoor venue will dictate how many people can attend.
August - January:
Format: Indoor/Hybrid
Why: Current vaccination projects show that herd immunity could be reached. However, many people will still feel uncomfortable meeting inside. Keep the guest list small and offer a way for guests to join virtually.
As we all know, a lot can change in the next month or two (or even the next week or two!). These changes can speed up or slow down this timeline, so the best thing your organization can do at this point is stay flexible and have a plan A, B, and C in place. Venue and format should not keep you from asking for sponsorships when you normally would. Sponsors do not need to have all the event information available at the time of the ask.
To help you with those backup plans, we have created the ultimate event planning guide. This resource contains our best practices for event planning; whether they be virtual, in-person, or anything in between. We hope that this guide is helpful to you in planning your next event. If you need a little more help we are offering event planning workshops that will take you through the planning process step by step.
For more information on the workshops, email: hannah@track15.com.
