Should you weather the storm or hide under the marquee?
If you happen to be based in Queensland then you are probably more than over the rain! As necessary as the rain is (and I love wet days) it also causes a number of inconveniences, starting from the fact that most activities are held outside – we do live in the Sunshine State afterall.
Festivals, parties, weddings, tours, social occasions, sporting events – how many times have you taken the weather for granted only to find out that the skies are opening up right as your guests are arriving?
You might not be able to stop the rain; however you can try and reduce its affect on your event. Here is how:
Hide under the marquee: If you are organising a family event, including weddings, then consider selecting a venue that has both indoor and outdoor areas and talk to the venue manager about what they can offer in case it rains. If it is in your backyard, on the beach or in a park, consider hiring out a marquee to shelter you from any downpours
Weather the storm: If the event is on a larger scale such as a festival, which needs to be held outside, then you probably need to put together a rainy day plan. This should deal with various situations such as
What happens if the ground is wet from heavy rain the day before
Oh no its raining and my guests are getting wet!
In that way you are ready to take decisive action. One possible action step is to actually cancel or postpone the event. It might be the last resort however you and your team should discuss this scenario before the event itself in case the unexpected does happen.
One good example of this was the Panyiri Festival which is held in Brisbane every year. In 2009 the event had to be moved by a few months even though all preparations were in place. Storms were predicted for the weekend and rather than risking ruining the event they moved it. A bet, that in our opinion, paid off as it was one of their biggest turnouts.
