It’s finally summer!
Mask mandates are loosening, infection rates are down, and the country is kinda-sorta bending the corner on the Coronavirus pandemic. It’s been great to see so many canceled events back on the calendar for 2021. You may be a little out of practice with event planning. Trust me, we all are. But as you start planning for your 2021 outdoor events, here are a few tips and tricks to make sure your event is a success.
Planning for Your Outdoor Event
First up, if you are planning an outdoor event, portable restrooms need to be a part of your plan. The average person uses the toilet at least 6 times per day, so ensuring you have a safe and hygienic place for people to “use the facilities” is paramount.
Portable restrooms are a must at outdoor events such as:
- Weddings
- Reunions
- Parties
- Festivals
- Concerts
- Markets
- Concerts
- Outdoor sporting events
But having portable restrooms on hand isn’t the only consideration. The amount and type of restrooms available are also very important.
How Many Porta Potties Do I Need for an Outdoor Event?
There is no simple calculation for the number of portable restrooms you will need for an event. This is why we recommend you talk to one of our friendly staff members. They can understand the type of event and suggest the best and most affordable portable restrooms to keep your guests comfortable.
There are a few things to consider when thinking about the number of portable restrooms needed for your outdoor event:
Head Count
- How many tickets were sold? How many people RSVP’d? How many people attended this event the last time you had it? Some events like farmer’s markets or festivals can be tougher to estimate if you’ve never run one before. This is where our staff’s expertise can come in handy. We’ve supplied portable restrooms at events all over Southwest… And we’re happy to share our experience with you to help you gauge attendance numbers.
Duration of Event
- The longer the event, the more restrooms you will need. We found this handy dandy little chart online that shows you the number of attendees against the duration of the event. This chart is great to give you a ballpark estimate, but we still recommend talking to one of our sanitation professionals who can help you understand if that number is suitable for your event.
Attendees
- Your may event may not start until noon, but if you have people coming to set up at 10 a.m., you’ll want to have restrooms available at that time. Your guests aren’t the only attendees. There’s the staff. Caterers. Media. And, you!
- Will you have people with disabilities attending the event? The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has specific requirements for events. The current recommendation is that for every 20 standard portable toilets, there is one wheelchair-accessible or ADA-compliant portable restroom (we talk about the differences in those two units here). The restrooms should be placed in a location accessible by wheelchair users, meaning not up steps or curbs.
- Will you have lots of families with children attending the event? Sometimes our larger units can be helpful for families with small children.
Food and Beverage
- If your event is serving food and beverages, then you will definitely need porta-potties and wash stations. Especially if alcohol will be served, once people “break the seal,” the need for restrooms will increase. No one likes waiting in line when they have to go, so making sure you have the correct number of portable restrooms will be appreciated by your guests.
How Many Hand Wash Stations Are Needed for an Outdoor Event?
Hand washing has always been important but now more than ever before. Our recommendation is to have at least one hand wash station per four portable restrooms. The specific details of your outdoor event (is there food being served or prepared outdoors, social distancing requirements, weather conditions, etc.) will dictate whether that number should be higher or lower.
Keeping Your Outdoor Event Running Smoothly
Planning an event is challenging enough. However, other variables like weather, permitting, restroom accessibility, and ADA compliance have to be considered when planning an outdoor event. We’re happy to assist with the portable restroom needs for your outdoor event. Give us a call at 503-252-0550 or email us at sales@AmericanSaniCan.com.
We provide standard, ADA-compliant, and wheelchair-accessible portable restroom rentals to individuals and businesses throughout Portland and Salem, Oregon, and surrounding areas in Washington and Oregon. Contact us today to learn more about our different types of portable restroom rentals, or visit our portable restroom products page to learn more!
Chart Source: wasteawaysystems.com