outdoor – Fedra Meetings & Events

Outdoor meetings are the perfect opportunity to take participants out of their routine, stimulate brainstorming and foster out-of-the-box thinking.

But planning outdoor meetings is not exactly the same as planning outdoor events.While some of the same best practices apply, there are other considerations as participants will be outside longer, and they will need to focus and get work done despite some distractions.

Site Inspections

Sometimes, clients are tempted to skip site inspections to save money. If an outdoor meeting is on the horizon, site inspections are a must, not a nice-to-do. Audiovisual and lighting suppliers must also conduct site inspections.

Sensible Schedules

Some of the considerations for outdoor meetings include:

providing shade cover for hot periods of the day and cooling units if necessary
if shade cover is not possible, start early (e.g. 8 am) take a break at 11 am and resume the meeting at 3:00 in the sunbelt (e.g. Dubai, Oman, Singapore, the Caribbean)
if you must meet during hot times of the day at hot destinations, move the lunch and early afternoon portion of the meeting into a marquee or pop-up event venue
carving out some downtime for participants who will look forward to some R&R after spending time outdoors

Seating

Unlike strictly social or recreational corporate events, chairs for business meetings must have backs that provide good support and enough comfort for longer periods of seating. Portable tables with firm surfaces will be needed for work.

Mikes May be a Must

Even for small to medium groups, if participants are seated at more than one table, microphones and sound systems may be needed to counteract background noise. If some participants are soft spoken, it will be important to punch up the volume.

For small meetings, save on audiovisual costs by sending out the presentations in advance for participants to load on laptops and tablets.

Plan B: Always Have a Back-up Weather Plan

You will need a flexible agenda in the Caribbean and Mexico during rainy season (May and October). However, rain isn’t the only weather-related concern. In the Middle East, sandstorms are cause for concern in some destinations; in Canada and Europe, watch for unseasonable drops in temperature.

Set-up Fees

There will often be special set-up fees for outdoor meetings. It’s important to check what they are and determine if they will still apply if the event must be pulled indoors due to weather or other considerations. At some destinations, resorts are located on beaches that are government owned and a fee must be paid to hold an event or meeting on the beach. Sometimes, this has to be paid a week prior to the event and there are no refunds if the meeting is rained out.

Dress Codes: Brief Attendees on What to Wear

Opt for a casual dress code. Send out a packing list a few weeks in advance and a reminder before the event. Remind the group again during orientation. Despite reminders, I have seen participants show up without boots in areas where there has recently been rain, in sandals and high heels for horse riding, and without head coverings for meetings in the desert.

Be prepared. Pick up extra, sun hats, umbrellas and rain ponchos at a “dollar store.” $20 – $25 will cover it and it may make the difference between participant comfort and discomfort.

What are some other practical considerations for outdoor meetings?

The trend of open-air party started in northern Europe, where it is impossible to spend a day outdoors in the winter months and as a result, the arrival of spring sees every city park transformed into a place of meeting and entertainment.

Not only public and private parties, but also corporate events, brand presentations and inaugurations began to populate the green spaces of our cities.

Here are three creative ideas for an unforgettable outdoor event.

Colour: do not be afraid to dare

Even if your event has a high profile, a park or a garden represent the right environment for experimenting with unusual arrangements that would be out of place in a reception room. Not only for the floral decorations, therefore, but also for the furniture and the accessories you can be daring with colour choices and materials.

An original and surprising combination will help create the right atmosphere to make your corporate event memorable.

Catering: Local is better

If you choose to implement your events in an environmentally friendly way, you probably selected a caterer at zero kilometres. An open-air event is the perfect opportunity to make it clear that choice in shape, as well as in substance.

If your goal is to provide wholesome dishes, save and stimulate the economy in the area, certainly there will be targeted at small local producers.
Instead of the usual buffet, you could arrange your catering as one of the many food markets held on weekends, with typical products to taste offered directly from producer to consumer.

Open-air and vintage: a perfect match

Theme parties, you know, never fail to impress people imagination.

Depending on your budget, you can choose the most extravagant solutions, how to set the areas for meals in the form of old-style rides, or to suggest the topic in a more nuanced way, by hiring one of the many carts of ice cream or popcorn that still today maintain the typical design of American movies of the fifties.

Of course, each event has its own requirements and its features and represents a new challenge for the organizer’s creativity. From entertainment music promotion, by fittings to the selection of staff, the secret of success lies in consistency.
If every single detail communicates exactly the message you have in mind, you are definitely on the right track.

Fedra Meetings & Events

THE ITALIAN WAY TO EXCELLENCE

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Outdoor meetings: some practical considerations