(Taught at the December 6, 2018 Newcomer meeting in Aire Faucon.)
PRINT VERSION IN PDF FORMAT – click here
Description: Always wondered what goes on in running an event – either from the point of helping out as a Minion, or maybe running just a piece like a tournament, or taking the whole shebang from bid to final report. Well wonder no longer. By popular request, we are breaking down events and getting the business details behind the pageantry and party.
TIMELINE
- The Idea
- Brainstorming: Single day or Multi; Feast or no Feast; Dayboard; Merchants; Main Activities; Children; Youth;
- Theme – What Makes This Special? – Don’t lose focus
- Get helpers – Get head chef, reservationist, and main activities leads
- Find site
- Present bid to group – if going to kingdom, first go through Barony or Canton (Tap local officers)
- The Bid includes a Budget
- Contract with the site – Get Seneschal to signt he contract
- Spike AND Acorn your event
- Insurance – Required for Horses
- As things go
- Fill out Staff – Have your Leads fill out their staff and get back to you. Make sure there is no overlap (Special note: Setup crew should be different from Breakdown crew.)
- See if your staff has special needs and make arrangements
- Ask for any needed items from the Baronial Quartermaster.
- Send out monthly announcements on Merry Rose and Baronial List about cool things related to your event.
- Go to events yourself and help out a lot. Get known. Get people owing you help. Network.
- Make the special stuff for the event – for example, event tokens
- Do a test feast or two with your cook if they are new. Great to overlap with a potluck night in our Canton.
- Month before
- Staff – Retouch base with them. Still all good? Any new needs?
- How are reservations? Send out final reminder.
- Send lovings to the Seneschal and Baronage.
- Make the signs, make gate handout/flyer, figure out the money the reservationist needs (exchequers may already got this covered, but check it out), pens, tape. Basically get your kit together before the night before.
- Make arrangements to meet with the quartermaster to pick up stuff
- Day of
- Don’t sleep – well, try, but you aren’t going to.
- Arrive early and setup Gate first – get checked in.
- Set up activities next.
- Then food.
- Then help out guests.
- Troubleshoot.
- Close out troll with gatekeeper and exchequer.
- After
- Double check site, return key and get deposit.
- Remind everyone to get their receipts back toyou, yesterday.
- Return things to the quartermaster; note – youmay need to dry things out first.
- Thank your staff. Publicly and by writing recommendations. Thank your head chef personally.
- Event report closing with exchequer.
- Critique event with the group – what was good,what can be better.
ADVICE – Remember
A. CONTROL – Keep the event under control. Don’t let anyone – not the head chef, members of your local group or even the Royals wrest the control of the event or add to the event haphazardly. Remember at all times, YOU are the organizer and YOU MUST know what is happening when at the event.
B. DELEGATE – The above said, delegate as much as possible. Don’t move the chairs yourself, get others to move them or better yet have someone else direct the moving of the chairs so you are available for other problems. You should do very little of the actual work – YOUR JOB is to make sure things get DONE, not to do them!
C. CALM – Never let them see you sweat, or panic, or scream. If there is a major problem beyond your power, hand it over to the Seneschal – that is what s/he’s there for. Otherwise, be polite, smile, and firm. Panicking only makes it worse.
SPIKEING
THE EVENT– Event Registration, Event Flyer Submission
Form, SPIKE Documentation
Register a New event – information needed
Name of Event (required at signup)
Event Start Date; Event End Date (required)
Hosting Group (required at signup)
Site Opens; Site Closes
Site Name; Address; City; State; Zip
Conflict Status Desired – Other Groups MAY / MAY NOT conflict
within 150 miles (required at signup)
Site Restrictions
Alcohol Permitted? (required at signup)
Web Site
EVENT FLYER SUBMISSION (FOR THE ACORN)
Event Name (required)
Event Date (required)
Submitter’s E-mail Address (required)
Hosting Group (required)
Box to Update to existing Flyer
Event Description (required)
Make Check Payable To: (required)
Cost Notes:
Site: (required)
Site Restrictions:
Directions (required)
Event Cost: Adult, Youth, Child, – Daytrip, Feast, Camping (Required)
Autocrat and Reservationist Information: SCA Name:, Legal Name (required); Address/City/State/Zip (required); Phone (required); Email address
Activity Information: Event website; Martial Activities; A&S Activities; Feast Information; Merrchanting Information; Other information
Box: By checking this box, I affirm that I have obtained permission from each person listed in this announcement to publish their personal information electronically.
RESOURCES
Sacred Stone – Scroll down – Additional Links
Annual Baronial Events Needing Bids: Baronial Unevent (June); Baronial Birthday (September); In a Phoenix Eye / Runestone Collegium (Traditionally November)
Event Bid Form
Event Timeline Form
Baronial Inventory
Kingdom Event Bid Page: Home -> Offices -> Seneschal -> Kingdom Event Bid
Annual Kingdom Events Needing Bids: 12th Night; Winter University; Kingdom A&S; Spring Coronation; Spring Crown; Summer University; Fall University; Fall Coronation; Fall Crown; Unevent (Plus WOW)
How to Host a Kingdom Level Event Kingdom of Atlantia SCA Inc
Event Requirements and Statistics
Kingdom Event Bid Form
Atlantian Event Report
Kingdom Event Bid Regions Defined
2017-2024 Preferred Site Rotation
SITE INFORMATION PHONE CALL SHEET
Name of Place: _______________________________________________
Street Address: _______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
Mailing Address: ______________________________________________
(if different) ______________________________________________
Contact Person:_______________________________________________
Phone: ______________
1. Do you rent your site to non-profit educational groups?
(Explain SCA)
2. Do you have kitchen facilities? May we use them?
Does the kitchen facilities have additional costs?
3. How many people can be seated in the Hall?
Do you have enough tables and chairs to seat that many?
Do we have to rent the tables and chairs in order to use them?
Is there a Fire Regulation Limit on seating?
4. Cost to Rent this site? – Day _______ (know the range you
Weekend _______ need to work in)
(If cost is too high, say Thank You, and end here.)
5. Are there rooms or areas that can be used for changing clothes?
(Royal room and/or classrooms for SCA courses)
6. Accessibility of restrooms? How about overall Handicapped accessibility?
7. Parking areas?
8. Outdoors areas? – (To use for Tournaments.)
9. Proposed dates: Have at least 2 dates in mind. – Be flexible.
Preferred date: _____________ Alternate date: ____________
If everything looks good thus far, set an appointment to see the site personally with them. Bring your support material when visiting the site. Bring your head chef if possible.
Other
Questions about Sites: Know local
archery laws? (some jurisdictions classify bows as firearms)
CHECK LIST FOR SITE VISIT AND FOLLOWUP THOUGHTS
Verify information already received over phone. Then walk through the site.
COST (In advance calculate approximate cost per person expected to attend)
Is a deposit required? When is it required? What is the cost per piece of the facility?
INSURANCE (Ask the Seneschal for details about any insurance matter.)
Do they even care? Do they want proof of insurance? Will the cover letter do?
Related Questions: Do they want an official copy of our insurance? Do they wish to be included on our insurance? (Try to avoid this)
DATE
Is site available on day(s) wanted? Is an alternate date possible until all arrangements are firm?
TIME
What should the site hours be? Are they acceptable to the site director?
Can you set up the day before? (Especially helpful for event beginning with activities starting at ten.)
Can you clean up the next day if necessary? (Remember you will be exhausted the following day, so day-of is better.)
SITE LOCATION
Proximity to major highways
Public transportation access
Proximity to hotels. Will any hotels give a special group rate?
Parking on site. (Count the slots – both regular and handicap)
SITE FACILITIES
Capacity of site.
Number of bathrooms. (Are changing rooms available other than bathrooms?)
Special rooms available for a quiet room or nursery.
Are any rooms off limits? (Like the pastor’s office.)
Does the site require an overseer during the day? Do you have to pay them? (janitor,food prep, overtime)
Custodial supplies – do you have access to them? Toilet paper, paper towels, detergent -mops and brooms are a must! If no access, don’t forget to purchase them.
Air conditioning/Heating?
FEAST HALL
What is the number of people you are planning for feast? What is the capacity of this feast hall?
Room for offboard? How many?
Can you use the tables and chairs on site? How many tables on site? How many can sit at a table?
Where can you borrow/rent tables and chairs?
Alcohol – Is the site dry, damp or wet?
Candles in hall – open, closed flame, or not allowed? Check local fire codes if necessary. Ventilation of hall, taking into account lots of people and candles.
KITCHEN
Counter space
Stove. Number of burners. Number of ovens. Gas or electric?
Number of microwaves.
Refrigerator(s), Freezer(s), Dishwasher(s), Large sinks
Access to any and all kitchen equipment, do they work, and how clean are they? Will they be empty when you get there? Will they be turned on and cool?
Can you use utensils and cookware available on site? (i.e., knives, silverware, potholders, dishrags, pots, and pans)
How many people can fit in the kitchen?
Access of kitchen for carrying things in from the car? Access of kitchen to feast hall? (Getting food to feast hall and being accessible to volunteers vs. keeping nosy people out)
MERCHANTS
Is there room for them?
If it rains and they are outdoors, can they be moved indoors?
Is selling allowed on site? (Make certain of this!)
TOURNAMENT EVENT
Does the site director truly understand what is about to happen (heavy weapons, fencing or archery)?
Number of lists that will fit on site.
Area for list tables. Will they be sheltered?
Area for first aide and for waterbearing. Will they be sheltered (shade/wind)?
Level fighting area? Check for roots.
Can the martial activities be moved indoors for bad weather?
What type of footwear may be worn for fighting indoors?
Will going to one’s knees damage the knees or the floor?
What are the federal, state & local laws for archery?
If visible to police (near major road), do you wish to warn them?
Is the area behind the butt clear? Will people be tempted to use it as a short cut?
TEACHING EVENT
Number of classrooms. Size of classrooms. Size of chairs in the classrooms.
Materials available: Projection screens, chalkboards, AV carts.
Chalk and erasers: Available on site or do you need to provide.
CAMPING EVENT
Where may tents be staked?
Campfires allowed? Where? Firewood – allowed to collect on site or bring your own? Liquid fuel – is it allowed on site? Propane fuel – is it allowed on site?
Natural dangers on site – bears, snakes, scorpions, bees?
Disposal of trash?
Port-A-Pots? How many? How much will they hold? – This may be a question just for yourself, not the site director.
Running water? Will a water buffalo be needed?
What will cleanup be like? Located in one spot or all over? Plan cleanup staff accordingly.
Additional printouts to include in the Business of Event package when teaching the class.
- Event Planning Timeline (from the Sacred Stone website)
- Kingdom Event Bid Form (from the Atlantia website)
- Event Budget and Event Financial Report forms (two excel worksheets) (from the Atlantia website – Atlantia Event Report – an excel file for the exchequer report)