Backup Plans for Company Picnics: Weather
When you’re planning a company picnic, don’t let the weather rain on your parade. Having a backup plan is necessary. Come rain or shine, your contingency plans will make sure that your event experience is the best possible. Let our seasoned event team guide you through the process with 40 years of experience in rainy day backup plans.
The Importance of Planning Ahead
It’s necessary to think ahead and come up with contingency plans! Weather events happen, so knowing what you’ll do in advance ensures the day of your event goes smoothly, regardless. Ensuring your picnic won’t have to be canceled guarantees better employee morale. If your team has been looking forward to a picnic all year, you don’t want to disappoint them! Our backup plans are flexible and ensure a seamless picnic experience for guests.
Let our experienced picnic planners explore what you need to consider and what options are available to you.
Event Space Considerations
When it comes to event space, many parks offer onsite shelter options that come in handy when the rain arrives. Moving your picnic to a sheltered area, be it a gazebo, an onsite rec center, or another structure, is the simplest way to avoid rain. Ensure there’s enough seating in your sheltered area to keep your team dry. Even in mild weather, this company utilized the onsite picnic shelter for group games.
Also, consider setting up large, sturdy tents to keep your team’s heads dry while they enjoy the day. Using canopies and tenting enables you to use the outdoor space you’ve booked, whether or not it has onsite shelters. If the tenting is large enough, you can keep your activities like carnival booths and other games.
Many parks, like Bonelli Park, have great onsite shelters, and many outdoor spaces have recreation complexes or community centers, like the Michael Landon Community Center in Malibu Bluffs Park. Talk to your event manager about options near you to ensure your picnic is perfect.
You can also switch locations, whether booking an indoor space or moving your picnic onsite if you have ample space at your workplace. However, this means ensuring your location’s cancellation policies include inclement weather. If cancellation and switching spots are not an option, speak to the managers at your location and your event planner to learn what plans they can recommend and implement.
Alternative Activities for Rainy Days
Depending on the size of your indoor space, you might need to bring in alternative activities. If your indoor space is ample, you won’t have to worry about this. Our team has set up entire inflatables like bouncers and rides indoors, like the indoor portion of the OC Winter Fest! It’s possible to incorporate a majority of your planned entertainment inside.
However, if your indoor space isn’t big enough, some options take up little space but still provide a means to bond and network. Our favorites include:
- Arts and Crafts (see our top company picnic arts and crafts ideas!)
- Lawn Games (cornhole, giant Jenga, ring toss, etc.)
- Caricature Artists
- Karaoke
- Movie Screening
Logistical Considerations
There are a few details to remember regarding rainy-day contingency plans.
- Ground conditions can be poor, so plan. Grassy areas easily become muddy and, therefore, hard to navigate, especially for those who use mobility aids. We recommend using mats and interlocking flooring to make these spaces more accessible and less messy.
- Make sure your outdoor space is not prone to flooding. If it is, you will have to move your event indoors.
- Plan to modify travel, parking, and entering the event space if it is rainy. Recommend that your team bring umbrellas or use shuttles to keep them dry from the parking lot to the picnic space. Even better: consider offering unique branding opportunities through rainy day swag, like branded ponchos and umbrellas so they won’t have to bring their own!
- Always keep your team informed about any changes to the picnic due to weather. Before the event, make sure to let them know any location changes, the need for umbrellas, or shuttle information. Ensure that everyone is on the same page and can plan accordingly.
- Stay in contact with your team on the day of the event, too. You may want to set up a point of contact to make information sharing easier.
- Keep tabs on the weather! Track the weather and implement your decisions and backup plans early. Don’t be caught out in the rain! Our proactive approach to weather tracking ensures that you are always prepared for any changes.
- Make sure your event insurance covers changes due to weather. Our company’s event insurance includes a rainy day policy that means you can reschedule your event due to the weather. Talk to your event planner about your insurance policies.
Your event planner can help you with all of this. They’ll even assist with day-of changes like covering electronics, equipment, and food and providing weather-proof outdoor power sources. They’re here to make sure your day is perfect, rain or shine.
Backup Plan Checklist
Now that we have explored what you need to keep in mind, here’s a checklist to summarize:
- Secure an indoor backup location or have a tent/shelter plan.
- Make a list of alternative indoor activities and entertainment.
- Check the weather forecast regularly.
- Establish a clear communication plan between staff and attendees.
- Consider logistics, like ground cover.
- Plan for transportation and parking contingencies.
- Review the event insurance policy for weather-related issues.
If you have any questions or concerns, contact your event planner.
Do you want somebody to handle the fine details for you? Our picnic planning agency has nearly 40 years of experience with contingency planning and every other aspect of event coordination. Call us at 1.800.316.6722 or fill out the form below to connect with someone who can ensure nothing rains on your parade.
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