Community Event Planning

Who organises community events?

As explored in this chapter, community events are typically planned by individuals, groups, or organisations based in and familiar with the identity of the host community. As such, community events are usually the effort of municipal governments or third-party (private) event organisers. Occasionally, a community event is co-produced or co-organised as a partnership between a municipality and a third-party organiser.

In Canada, a municipal government is “the level of government that is usually based in a city, town or district (a municipality)…[and is] responsible for areas such as libraries, parks, community water systems, local police, roadways and parking” (The three levels of government, n.d.). Municipal governments are traditionally comprised of a council of elected officials responsible for representing constituents and guiding the development of municipal policy, and a body of non-political staff responsible for the delivery of services under a variety of departments including administration, operations, planning, and community services. Staff from recreation, culture, or corporate communications departments typically plan municipal community events designed to foster community engagement or deliver on a mandate of municipal policy.

Third-party event organisers represent all other (private sector) community event organisers. Organisers in this category include for-profit event producers and promoters and charity/not-for-profit organisers like Chambers of Commerce, Business Improvement Areas, business owners, tourism and destination management organisations, and individual residents and volunteers. Within this category of event organisers, individuals, groups and organisations are often defined as ‘for profit’ or ‘not-for-profit’ according to their tax status, and as ‘resident’ or ‘non-resident’ according to their affiliation with the host community. Such classifications often define the amount of fees charged, operational and administrative support provided, and suitability and availability of venue(s) for the event within the host community.

Venues

While the Covid-19 pandemic temporarily altered this custom with expectations of pre-registration, community events traditionally occur in formats without registration, ticketing or access restrictions. The open-access nature of community events contribute to their generation of collective experiences in a community’s public realm. Defined as “publicly owned places and spaces that belong to and are accessible by everyone” (Healthy Communities and Planning for the Public Realm, 2016, p. 2), the public realm “can include municipal streets, lanes, squares, plazas, sidewalks, trails, parks, open spaces, waterfronts, public transit systems, conservation areas, and civic buildings and institutions” (Healthy Communities and Planning for the Public Realm, 2016, p. 2). As such, many spaces used as community event venues are outdoors.

Community events such as festivals, parades, fairs and street parties take place on municipal streets, civic squares, and parks. Similarly, community events such as farmer’s markets, artisan and night markets, sidewalk sales, and historical ceremonies (i.e. Veterans and Remembrance Day ceremonies) occur on less typical municipal properties such as pavilions, laneways, sidewalks and ceremonial grounds. Community events in their entirety, or elements thereof, may also take place indoors. Public facilities such as City Hall atria and municipal recreation centres and meeting spaces serve as indoor venues for community events such as debates, town hall meetings, and community movie nights. Community events that occur in civic spaces are typically subject to a municipal permitting process.

Private property venues such as patios, parking lots, fair and exhibition grounds, tarmacs, amusement parks, convention centres, banquet halls, and hotel venues often host community events including art shows, cultural performances, food festivals and community dinners. The use of these spaces as community event venues can vary widely in accordance with the private interests of the property owners or management. Depending on the nature of the private venue, the act of hosting a community event on private property may occur more like a business transaction with a focus on revenue generated for the property management and less involvement by the venue in the detailed event plans.

Permits

Community events that occur in civic spaces are typically subject to municipal permitting processes that serve a variety of administrative and operational functions for both the event organiser and the local government. Through municipal permitting processes, community events are often subject to prescribed application timelines and deadlines and can be required to submit documents and diagrams illustrating the event plans for review.

Many municipalities have formalised their administration and oversight of community events through the creation of local special event bylaws. Event bylaws, such as Bylaw 14731 in the City of Surrey, British Columbia, (City of Surrey, 2002) authorise the municipal government to regulate and impose conditions for obtaining, holding and renewing event permits and provide for the safety and regulatory compliance of community events on public property. Municipalities such as the City of Ottawa in Ontario have gone one step further to ratify an events bylaw that works to ensure the “economic and social well-being of the municipality, the health, safety and well-being of persons, and the protection of persons and property” at events on both public and private property (Recreation and Cultural Services Dept., 2019). Event bylaws exist to mitigate the impact of community events on civic property and on adjacent public domains, such as public transit, traffic management, and noise pollution. Through processes set out under events bylaws, all relevant stakeholders can contribute to ensuring the safety and success of community events.

Event application process

Most municipalities and private event venues maintain some form of event application process as a framework for receiving, reviewing, approving or denying, booking, and collecting fees associated with community events.

In recent years, many event application processes have evolved from traditional pen-and-paper format application forms to online, portal-based systems that allow for one-stop-shop electronic submission, review, workflow processing, correspondence management, and financial administration process between the applicant and the venue.

The nature and requirements of individual event application processes vary, with some applications requiring the submission of fully drafted event plans complete with supporting documents and diagrams, while other processes allow for the submission of early-stage details to determine the availability of the desired event date and venue.

Often included in the event application process are guidelines advising:

• What community event spaces are available for booking;
• Applicable application submission, review and event planning timelines; and 
• Terms of use limitations including a maximum number of bookings per applicant and seasonal operating restrictions such as winter or wet weather closures.

Given the need for longer planning lead times required by large or complex community events, many municipal event application processes outline minimum application timelines. Some venues or application processes maintain pre-set annual or seasonal deadlines (i.e. January 1 and July 1, annually).

Table 9:8: Community Event Application Timelines, City of Markham, Ontario (City of Markham, 2021) 

In preparation to submit an event application to a local municipality or private event venue, event organisers should review and understand the application processes of their local municipality and private event venue, if applicable. Understanding the requirements and expectations of the local application processes will improve an event organiser’s ability to deliver on these requirements, and can simplify and improve the speed of the application process.

Before submitting an application form, event organisers should consult with their team and applicable stakeholders to determine what event variables (i.e. date, time, location) are fixed and which may be flexible. Event variables such as date, time and location are points that can present scheduling and availability conflicts with other events in the application process. Building flexibility into an event plan such as alternative date options or secondary location/venue preferences can improve the likelihood that an event’s preliminary details are approved.

Event organisers should also assemble the necessary event documents, diagrams, and preliminary plans necessary to answer all application questions and to demonstrate the vision for the event before submitting their event application. Event application processes may require preliminary event site maps, programming schedules, insurance certificates, and security deposit payments to accompany the application form. Failure to enclose the necessary supporting documents may jeopardise the application’s processing and approval.

Planning guidelines

Navigating the community event permitting and application process can be complex, depending on the nature, scope and size of the event, programming elements proposed, and the organiser’s capacity and familiarity with the application process. As explored above, many event venues have developed one-stop-shop electronic submission, review, workflow processing, correspondence management, and financial administration processes that reduce complexity and streamline event application and planning processes.

Community event planning guidebooks, handbooks, and flowcharts are popular resources often provided by municipalities and private community event venues that further assist organisers.

Community event planning guidebooks and handbooks often address:

• Applicable rates and fees;
• Application process steps, key dates and deliverables;
• Available programming and production services;
• Funding opportunities;
• Infrastructure and operational requirements;
• Pre-approved event locations, tips for venue selection, availability and priority date allocations; and
• Public safety and emergency response requirements.

Some municipalities and private event venues also offer online ‘A-to-Z’ toolkits that outline (typically alphabetically) specific event requirements, regulations or considerations pertaining to community events.

‘A-to-Z’ event planning toolkits often address:

• Applicable regulatory requirements;
• Contact information for supporting services and departments;
• Health and safety compliance requirements;
• Legal and insurance requirements; and
• Necessary federal, provincial or regional permits and approvals.

When beginning the community event planning process, organisers should connect with their local municipal special events office (and private event venue contact, if applicable) to receive and review the event planning guidelines and resources available. Reviewing and understanding local event guidelines and how to ensure event activities comply with local regulations are important preliminary steps in developing a safe and successful community event plan.