Planning a Platinum Jubilee event?

Time is ticking by, and preparations need to made. This is set to be one of the biggest events taking place throughout 2022, and with people enjoying a four day holiday weekend after the pandemic limitations on social activity, every event will be attracting a lot of publicity and high attendance figures.

Already long lists of events are appearing in the media, organised by National Trust houses, museums, art galleries, local councils, charities, community and sports organisations. Some are single day events, while others cover several days. Big Jubilee Lunches and tree planting events have their own web sites, quite apart from the main Platinum Jubilee site which is open to any organization or business wanting to list an activity.

Taking part in such a high profile event is guaranteed to attract publicity and raise awareness whether on a local, regional or national basis.

But it is not just enough to hold an event in order to maximise the benefits for your organisation. Preparations need to be made in advance, and not left until the last minute. Pre-event planning is crucial in order to achieve your aims and make your event a success.

Quite apart from the need to book a venue – and bear in mind that many venues may already be booked up, you need to think of all the extra implications such as parking. No one wants cars to be blocking roads, and preventing access for emergency vehicles. Organising suitable car parking provision is crucial.

You need to identify exactly where you are placing the car park, and if any separate space is needed for participants or exhibitors. Marshals and stewards will be needed to organise the car park throughout the event, roping off areas as necessary and making sure that people park safely and sensibly with clear entrance and exit lines. The marshals and stewards will also be able to deal with any problems that might arise given the vagaries of British weather – a sudden rainstorm can lead to a mad rush to leave the car park, lots of mud being churned up with cars getting stuck and needing to pushed out.

Events that end late at night can result in other potential problems. Impatient drivers leaving dark, unlit field car parks can all too easily have minor accidents or take a wrong turning. It just needs one such incident to jam up an entire car park for a long time. Even leaving the car park and joining traffic on adjacent roads can be hazardous, especially at night, which means marshals are needed to direct the traffic.

For any business or organisation, consideration also has to be given to ways of maximising the potential commercial benefits of taking part in a Platinum Jubilee event. It is worth thinking creatively and seeing what could be done to make it even more memorable, or gain extra publicity for your organisation. How about hiring some character mascots perhaps dressed up as royalty from the past such as Queen Elizabeth I, or Queen Victoria? Or you could have playful corgis or horses – it would certainly attract attention and provide great opportunities for visual images especially when posted on the internet.

Take advantage of the Queens Jubilee to promote your products

It can also be a great opportunity to provide information about services or products. Having demonstrators or sampling staff at hand to distribute samples and other information especially if linked in some way to the nature of the event such as providing beverage, food or confectionary samples at a community picnic.

This is after all a captive market at a venue – they are relaxing, enjoying themselves and could easily be interested in what you have to offer. All you have to do is make sure you are visible and active.