Before you familiarize yourself with your venue you will need to find a suitable one. Here are a few considerations that you might want to think about when choosing a venue:
What is the actual nature of your event?
Will it be held outdoors or indoors?
If your event is outdoors, what happens if it rains?
Will you book another venue in case it rains?
Will you cancel or postpone your event in the case of adverse weather?
What activities will you be running?
What resources do you need to run your activities?
What space do you require?
How much car parking do you need?
Is there enough lighting?
Does the venue price fit your budget?
Is there enough seating?
What is the capacity?
Services and amenities available
Ambience
Accessibility
Layout
Once you have your venue locked in, it is important to get to know your surroundings pre-event so you’re prepared and ready incase anything does go wrong.
Consider these questions and what your response is to them
What rules are around the venue?
Where can/can't I drive?
Where are the services? Gas, water and electrical lines? Are there good plans to follow or even better, can someone mark them out for you?
Are there slopes, uneven ground, what is the drainage like?
What is the best format and timing for your pack in and pack out? How will you manage the site easily with all the contractors/suppliers coming and going?
Irrigation - where is it? What time does it come on? Do you have equipment in this area that could be damaged if it does come on?
What lighting is there. Is it enough for your event? Do you need extra lighting to make it safe?
Where are the gaps in your venue/ dark spots?
Will you need additional security in these areas?
Overnight security personnel. They may have preference to a lot of light, or minimal light. This depends on the security team, as a lot of light can show what there is of value but low light can make it hard to see who is there? Work with your security team to understand what works for them best.
Does it have a public address system in the event of an emergency?