Event Logistics Guide
APPENDIX A

Appendix A | Appendix B | Appendix C | Appendix D | Appendix E | Appendix F | Appendix G

WEEKLY PLANNING

Week One

• Meet and decide the primary coordinator of the event.
• Research local clubs, teams, and organizations.
• Plan an informational meeting for potential exhibitors.
• Research venues with capacity to house the number of anticipated youth, parents, and activity stations. See the Venue Selection section for suggestions. Schedule site visits as needed.
• Develop a list of potential sponsors to defray costs of advertising, staffing, equipment rental, prizes, water, etc. Contact them throughout the planning process.
• Decide from where you will draw your tween audience. Who will you invite? See Planning a Community–Wide Event section for ideas.

Week Two

• Send invitation letters to potential exhibitors. The invitation invites them to exhibit and also invites them to attend the informational meeting. Follow up with telephone calls.
• Meet with the necessary parties to secure the venue.
• File any necessary permits or notices. See Safety Precautions and Legalities section.
• Arrange for medical presence.

Week Three

• Contact leadership at schools and organizations who will be invited to the VERB Activity Zone event. Provide them with early notice of the date and location of the event.
• If needed, rent equipment such as perimeter fence, chairs, tables, etc. See Logistics section.

Week Four

• Hold informational meeting for potential exhibitors.
• Develop advertising and promotional materials. See Advertising and Promotion section. Allow 2–3 weeks for design and printing.

Week Five

• If needed, hire staff for security and/or traffic control. See Logistics section.
• Plan and coordinate student transportation to the event if necessary.

Week Six

• Determine how many stations there will be and the amount of space that will be needed.
• Solicit commitment from invited exhibitors. Assure variety. Don't confirm with more exhibitors than your space will allow. 15

Week Seven

• Continue to confirm exhibitors.
• Work with confirmed exhibitors to determine their needs; e.g. equipment they plan to bring or will need.
• Continue promotion and advertising efforts.
• Confirm with donors about the availability of all contributions like water, prizes, tents, etc.
• Develop a media list. See Advertising and Promotion section.

Week Eight

• Continue promotion and advertising efforts, with emphasis on newsletter placement and advance media coverage.
• Solicit volunteer staff to greet attendees, help with set–up, hand out prizes, do crowd control, etc.

Week Nine

• Develop a map of the facility, assigning each exhibitor a space. Include areas for registration, prizes, water, medical care, etc.
• Confirm medical and security staff, as needed.
• Send letters to confirmed exhibitors with details about the event and inviting them to a meeting to be held during Week 11 to discuss last minute logistics.

Week Ten

• Ask schools to promote the VERB Activity Zone event during daily announcements during the next two to three weeks.
• Ask PTAs to distribute flyers to parents.
• Fax or e–mail a "hold the date" media advisory notifying local media. See template in Appendix E.
• Contact volunteers to request that they attend a briefing session prior to the event. You can choose to hold the briefing the morning of the event or the day before.

Week Eleven

• Hold a meeting with confirmed exhibitors to discuss event–day logistics. Call exhibitors who don't attend to answer last–minute questions.
• Meet with the venue manager to confirm logistics such as sufficient electricity, air conditioning or heat, clean–up, set–up and break–down hours, etc.
• Confirm volunteer staff.
• Print participation release forms.

Week Twelve

• Produce exhibitor roster. See Logistics section.
• Repeat the media advisory with updated information and follow–up with phone calls to local news desks to invite media to the VERB Activity Zone event.
• Prepare emergency contact list. See Safety Precautions and Legalities section.
• Hold briefing session for volunteers – either the morning of the event or the day before.
• Handle the last–minute details!

Week Thirteen

• Send thank you notes.
• Send pictures and evaluation forms to schools and volunteers. See Follow–Up section for details.
• Send press release and pictures to local newspapers.

Page last reviewed: August 1, 2007
Page last modified: August 1, 2007
Content source: National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Division of Adolescent and School Health