The event production business is all about fun. Providing an event where people can come, have a good time and let their hair down. Games, food, music, entertainment all contribute to this happy and special day of getting away from everyday cares. The event producers job is to make sure all of that happens.
It is also the producers responsibility to try very hard to make sure nothing more than that happens. What else could happen you ask?
Unfortunately.... A lot! When an event goes wrong it can go very wrong, very fast.
Take the sad tale of the Talkeetna Moose Dropping Festival as an example. When I used to attend this event it was great. A small town fair with games, food, entertainers and lots of fun. I took my five small children and we all had a wonderful time. It was small town Alaska at it's very best and we loved it.
But in 2009 it all came to a head. The festival went from family friendly to utter mayhem. The happy times had been co-opted by that utterly worthless element of society who cannot seem to understand that drunkenness, damage, destruction and filth really are not welcome in most places. Including Alaska, although some will coo nostalgically about the "last frontier" and how "wild and free" they are. This exact attitude has unfortunately attracted a huge contingent of what I will restrainedly term "trouble makers." They envision a world with no rules, no boundaries and an anything goes mentality. They think that world is Alaska.
What could the producers have done to curb this sad ending? Probably not a thing, unfortunately. They had done what they should: they put on a consistently great event. Which is exactly what killed the event in the end. It became a victim of it's own popularity because it only takes so long for the lawless party crowd to decide to make it their own. Too broke and lazy to get to Sturgis, they got to Talkeetna instead.
So what can be done to prevent this? That all depends on the venue. If you can keep the event contained and control the attendants you stand a good chance of nipping trouble in the bud. Keep a sharp eye out and at the first sign of trouble eject the troublemakers. Are there minors hanging out in the parking area (or anywhere under your purview!) drinking? Call law enforcement. Right now, no warnings and no second chances. I know people who will consider that unnecessarily harsh but this is your business - your reputation, your money, your livelihood on the line! Setting a fierce no nonsense policy will stop 99% of trouble in it's tracks. The word gets around very fast that you are a jerk who will call the cops. You want that reputation.
Part of your planning should be a talk with local law enforcement. Make an appointment and sit down with them and explain exactly what and when your event is. Tell them your plans for internal security. Listen to their suggestions and ask for any ideas they may have about how to discourage the low-lifes. Invite them to stroll through the event a few times a day. If it is an appropriate venue offer them space for a public information booth at no cost. Do anything you can to foster a positive relationship with them and let them know right up front that you have and intend to enforce a Zero-Tolerance policy for under-age drinking, illegal drugs and weapons. Over-consumption is a huge problem as well and if you do not provide a beer garden on-site that you can absolutely control then your best option is No Alcohol Allowed. Period. Never forget that you can be held liable for damages caused by someone who was served at your establishment - even if it's a sponsored beer garden! You are the promoter and the buck stops with you.
You cannot stop all trouble. But by employing security, working with local law enforcement and setting policies that you enforce - you can stop a lot of trouble dead in it's tracks.
Because worrying about trouble brewing is not why people go to events.
