Out Standing in a Field

Events outside in a field or a large open outdoor space come with very different challenges than those executed inside the comforts of a convention center. I feel like I’m stating the obvious here, but I recently helped coordinate a concert in a farm field, a mowed-down tulip field to be exact, and I learned first-hand just how different events of this nature truly are.

We spent two days out in the field getting ready. By Illinois standards, the weather was perfect, mid-80’s, sunny, and humid. Out there in the field we had access to…. nothing. Literally. As the crews worked hard to build the stage that was trucked in on a semi, here are some of the supplies we needed to bring in just to be able to prepare for the event:

Water. We were out in the middle of a field. No well, no kitchen sink. We had no access to water. Not only for drinking to keep the hard-working team members hydrated, but to wash off or wipe down anything.

Bathrooms. Porta potties and handwashing stations were it for the next couple of days. I’m going to leave it at that.

Electricity. As you can imagine for a large concert in a field, the amount of lighting and camera equipment was incredible. Not to mention the tech team’s trailer, performers’ greenroom trailer, volunteer hospitality tent, and so much more. EVERYTHING runs on electricity. The number and size of generators brought in were impressive.

Food. It takes an army to build a setup like the one we used. We needed to feed everyone throughout the prep days. Three meals a day, snacks, beverages, serving dishes, plates, napkins, and silverware. Everything was brought in on box trucks and vans.

Shade. In order for a field of tulips to be successful it requires plenty of sunshine. For it to become a concert venue and for a human being to dine comfortably after working in the sun, it requires a little shade. We brought in a large tent to serve meals under so the workers could bring down their body temperature a degree or two while eating.

Other things like forklifts, ladders, and light trees as well as tables, chairs, sunscreen, hand sanitizer, and paper towels were also all brought in.

Setup for the two days went smoothly. Rehearsal went off without a hitch. But in true Illinois fashion, after something like 20 consecutive sunshiny days, we were rained out. Check out my blog “Rain or Shine” to hear about making contingency plans for outdoor events.

Do you have outdoor event planning tidbits you could share? Share them here or email me, I’d love to hear them!

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