Fairs, theater, library exhibits, and picnics in the park are a wonderful way to meet people living around you who share similar interests. It is a great way to see your tax dollars at work when the town or city you live in plans events that bring people together. If you’re involved in the planning, here are a few ways to make sure you have a great turnout at community-based events.
1. Plan for Accessibility
To maximize attendance, it is important to ensure that the events are accessible. Plan to make it possible for people with special needs to also attend. Some things like wheelchair ramps and elevators may be required by law. But there are other things that you could add. For example, if you’re planning a speech, have a sign language interpreter on stage so that even those who are deaf can understand the talk. Closed captioning on all videos shown is another way to be more inclusive.
Make plans to include all age groups too. To attract families with little kids, host events near places with playground equipment, so the kids can stay entertained while parents mingle. Try to include a sandbox or some soft play area for the toddlers and swings and slides for the older kids. Parents love it when kids expend energy and get some physical activity as opposed to being glued to screens at home. Events that don’t have childcare or options for kids may exclude a whole demographic.
2. Focus on Affordability
Accessibility isn’t just limited to special needs or age groups. While many community-based events may be free, some might need to charge a fee. That is OK if patrons feel they get their money’s worth. A traveling theater, for instance, needs to pay its actors and create a set with props and costumes. Local businesses should try to sponsor such events to get their name out and make it affordable for more people to be able to attend. If organizers do not raise enough funds, they may need to recover costs by selling tickets.
If there is a fee, the charge should be nominal, and attendees should be able to see the value. Some fairs have free entry but charge for rides. That can be a fair price to pay to ensure the rides are well maintained and adequately manned for the safety of all the visitors. If the ticket prices make it cost-prohibitive for lower income families to attend, the city council or public library can offer some complimentary tickets for those who avail state benefits like food stamps.
3. Mix Up the Marketing
All events need a good mix of marketing to reach the eyes, ears, and mailboxes of the maximum number of people. Event organizers should use traditional advertising like fliers on the community bulletin boards or advertising in the library newsletter. At the same time, they should also use more modern approaches like social media marketing as well as email and text blasts. This way you are getting the word out to different age groups who hang out in different places.
Even if there is no cost to attend, you can put a different code on different marketing methods to evaluate what gives the best return. This can be invaluable for future events. People can bring in the library mailer or show a QR code to get a free funnel cake at the fair. This will let you know how people found out about the event. If you expect it to get crowded at times, you can manage that by making these codes for freebies only valid during off-peak hours. This way you can have visitors more evenly dispersed throughout the event.
4. Have Stellar Programming
All these factors can help you get people to the event. However, once they are there, the content of your programming is what matters. A great lineup of singers can help your event get rave reviews in person and online. Punctuality is also very appreciated. When events start and end on the times advertised, it makes people feel their time is valued. It can help those who have other plans or need to relieve a babysitter. When people must wait an hour for the fireworks to start, or the line for the tacos is a mile long, they get antsy and frustrated.
Don’t forget to take time to plan parking, security, and cleanliness. These things can make or break an event. Sometimes fights can erupt, or some people can litter. Event organizers must have checks in place so that these types of issues have contingency plans. Let your local police department know ahead of time if you’re expecting large crowds. Have an ambulance on standby in case there is a medical emergency. All these things can help maximize attendance for future events too.
Community-based events can be a lot of fun to attend, but there are months of planning behind the scenes. It is sometimes harder as community events usually cater to a broader spectrum of people than a small, niche event for only gluten-free cooking for instance. However, with good marketing and a plan to make them accessible and affordable to more people, you can hope to attract a wider audience. A stellar program and logistics can ensure they come again — and bring others with them too.