Event Tech Heads Up: New Eventbrite Features for WordPress
EVENT PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY
Ooh, new event tech. We recently got wind that Eventbrite has increased its compatibility and integration with both WordPress.com and self-hosted sites using WordPress.org, which is super exciting considering the number of event professionals that use Eventbrite as a ticket sales platform and need to deploy sites quickly.
A quick reminder for those of you who aren t super plugged in to the world of WordPressery: WordPress.com is the fully hosted version of WordPress, while WordPress.org is the self-hosted, get-your-hands-dirty, DIY version. Still don t get it? This chart illustrates the difference.
About the Eventbrite upgrades for WordPress.com:
Previously there were only a couple of themes that could be connected with Eventbrite, limiting what you were capable of doing with events on your site. That has all changed now! WordPress.com has just launched a new feature that lets you connect to Eventbrite using any theme you want. It s just as easy to connect your site to Eventbrite as it is to Facebook or Twitter by using Publicize.
This is huge news: it means WordPress.com users are not limited by themes that are created with events in mind. Now, event data can be placed inside of any WordPress.com theme. Three cheers there.
And for self-hosted sites using WordPress.org:
You can now choose from two WordPress.org themes specifically created for Eventbrite: the Eventbrite Venue theme to promote multiple events in a calendar view or the Eventbrite Event theme to promote a single event. There are two new plugins now available for Eventbrite too. Find out more information in their Plugin Directory here and here.
WordPress.org users are still a little bit restricted here in the sense that they must be sure to choose a theme that is known to be compatible with the Eventbrite API plugin if they want to be able to use all of the new features and functions. Here s the list of WordPress themes that are officially compatible:
- Twenty Fifteen
- Twenty Fourteen
- Twenty Thirteen
- Twenty Twelve
- Twenty Eleven
- Twenty Ten
- Bosco
- Chunk
- Coraline
- Edin
- Fictive
- Goran
- Ryu
- Sketch
- Sidekick
- Singl
- Superhero
- Sorbet
- Tonal
- Writr
Happy event tech-ing!
Six Killer Margarita Recipes for Cinco de Mayo Events
FOOD & CATERING
Man, come on science: get it together. You guys can t agree on anything. You don t know if red wine s good for me, you don t know where life comes from, and you ve got no idea who invented the margarita. Not that someone hasn t taken stabs at solving that mystery, though: the big brains over at the Smithsonian have narrowed it down to a few likely candidates:
One of the most prevalent stories is that Carlos Danny Herrera developed the drink at his Tijuana-area restaurant, Rancho La Gloria, around 1938. As the legend goes, Herrera dreamed up the cocktail for one of his customers, an aspiring actress named Marjorie King who was allergic to all hard alcohol other than tequila. To make the liquor more palatable to his fussy client, he combined the elements of a traditional tequila shot a lick of salt and a wedge of lime and turned them into a refreshing drink.
Another top contender for the inventor title is Margarita Sames, a wealthy Dallas socialite who claimed she whipped up the drink for friends at her Acapulco vacation home in 1948. Among her well-connected guests was Tommy Hilton, who eventually added the drink to the bar menu at his hotel chain.
Not that anyone at the party will care where they came from after knocking back a couple of these babies:
The Cuervo Margarita
No, it s not hand-squeezed and yes, it s branded as all get-out, but this is the alcoholic equivalent of the Toll House chocolate chip cookie recipe, and it is sacrosanct.
Smoky Watermelon Jalapeno Margarita
Who doesn t like a margarita with a little nuance? A little kick? Here s a fantastic drink from the Bolder Locavore blog. The recipe calls for hickory smoked salt for rimming the glass and in the end I used alderwood smoked salt for the finer grind.
The Mojitarita
Besides being delicious, drink is way up there on the fun-to-say scale, right alongside words like ballyhoo and brouhaha .
Beer Margaritas
Oh, I m sorry did you need me to say something about this? Because I m not sure what there is to say. It s a margarita, but it also has beer in it. It is a heavenly gift, and you should have one. And then you should serve them to your guests.
Grilled Grapefruit Margarita
This recipe s been floating around the net for a while, but if you re a fan of hard citrus, this thing takes the gold. A word of warning: this drink has a strong personality and will not please everyone, so you re gonna serve this sucker, you should probably have at least a few alternatives on the menu.
Pomegranate Frozen Margarita
Serving to a crowd of well-heeled upper crust, are we? This is a classy twist on a typically rowdy cocktail. Frozen margaritas can be problematic to make on a larger scale, so do ensure you ll have the freezer space available, or better yet, a margarita machine on hand.
Crowd Dynamics: How to Prevent (and Survive) a Human Stampede or Crowd Crush
TIPS & TRICKS
Human stampedes are tragically common in certain parts of the world, namely India, where heavy population density and a high tolerance for crowded spaces create gnarly conditions that can easily turn deadly. But stampedes and crowd crushes are by no means limited to the Third World, as shown by last year s New Year s Eve stampede in Shanghai, and the Germany Love Parade disaster of 2010.
Crowd safety expert Paul Wertheimer takes care to differentiate between a stampede and a crowd crush , pointing out that stampedes are usually created when a crowd is started or fleeing a danger or perceived danger, while a crowd crush is created by the press of human bodies on a central point or points.
How do these things happen?
It seems difficult to imagine how exactly these things occur, but make no mistake: crowds are dangerous. If the crowd is big enough, it can exert enough pressure to bend steel. While every situation is different, this documentary outlines the official findings from the Love Parade crush, during which left 21 people dead and scores more injured.
Scary. So how do you, the event manager, make sure these situations don t happen? And what do you, the living, breathing human that wants to stay that way, get out alive if they do?
How to prevent a stampedes and crowd crushes at your events
When it comes to crowd control, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Crowd panic often rises slowly, and there are plenty of break points in which you can ensure that things don t get out of hand. Ensuring that exits are clearly marked, that attendees are aware of safety procedures, and that maximum space capacities are adhered to can help ensure a safe event.
Researcher Jens Kraus, crowd evacuation and control method researcher, has been developing some new science that suggests that placement and manner of security personnel is critical:
Krause s team analyzed the behavior of 200 volunteers in an arena with a diameter of 50 meters. The arena could only be evacuated safely and quickly if the security personnel were posted in the corners of the arena or in the middle of the crowd. Only the personnel, and not the members of the crowd, knew that the aim was to evacuate those in the venue to a safe place on the edge of the arena. Krause illustrated his findings through computer animations.
He also found that there is no need for security personnel to be dressed in an identifiable uniform. As long as those in the crowd are aware that there is someone who will lead them to safety, the theory works.
The experiment worked quickly from the very start: the security personnel moved very determinedly and firmly to the edge of the arena. Although there was no verbal communication, the other members of the crowd recognized the resolute behavioral characteristics of the personnel and followed them intuitively. Behavior alone is enough for the crowd to recognize if somebody has certain information, Krause concludes in the study, which he will publish shortly.
If you re caught in a human stampede
In a recent interview on Safebee, Mr. Wertheimer urges those caught in a crush to be sure to stay on their feet, adopting a boxer s stance to maintain balance and keeping hands up by your chest to protect your breathing space. He goes on to say:
Use the accordion technique to weave your way to safety. When a crush surge passes, a lull will likely follow, says Wertheimer. Crowd surges are like waves along the shore. They move back and forth. In between the tide, there is a moment of calm. That is when you make your moves. So, it won t be a straight line to safety and comfort. Your exit route will use the weave technique as you move in and around people in zig-zap style, likely in a diagonal direction to the periphery and freedom.
Further Reading
Check out these related articles for more interesting forays into crowd control:
Music Festival Month Meets Throwback Thursday: Historical Photos of Glastonbury
LIVE EVENTS
The first-ever Glastonbury Festival was held in 1970, one day after the death of Jimi Hendrix. Now, 45 years later, Glastonbury 2015 rages on. Running from June 24-28 this year, Glastonbury s line up includes Patti Smith, The Who, Kanye West, The Chemical Brothers and Ryan Adams. We dug around in Glastonbury s historical galleries and hand-picked some cool photography and interesting artwork from the library.
1971
The second-ever Glastonbury festival saw an attendance of 12,000 people.
Pyramid under Construction by Peter Ball
It was in this year that the first pyramid stage was constructed out of scaffolding and expanded metal covered with plastic sheeting, built on a site above the Glastonbury-Stonehenge ley line.
The pyramid stage would go on to become an enduring symbol of the festival
1979
1982
by Jason Pring
1983
A long way from 1971 View Of Pyramid Stage And Tents
by Stuart Thorpe
1985
It rained at Glastonbury 1985, turning the parade ground into a huge mud pit.
1989
And suddenly, punks:
The group s spot. You don t get that much space these days, I m sure.
by Matty
1993
Rave culture is in full-swing in 1993, as this group of festival goers party under a parachute.
Dropzone
by Clive Moore
2002
By 2002, festival attendance was at 100,000. This is what Glastonbury 2002 looked like from the air:
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Arial view, Glastonbury, 2002
2005
The morning after the storm on Thursday night, taken from the old railway track
by rachel osborne
2007
The pyramid stage isn t the only Glastonbury tradition: braving the mud in a set of wellies has become a traditional Glastonbury experience.
2015
Bringing us, finally, to the present. Glastonbury organizers posted this instagram shot of the pyramid stage going up for its 45th year:
Five Great American Breweries that Double as Event Spaces
EVENT PRODUCTION INSPIRATION
The popularity of craft beer has skyrocketed over the last five years or so, and we ve seen hundreds of amazing brew pubs, tap rooms and public houses open across the United States. Breweries make ideal event venues: the raw brick and industrial metal aesthetics are great, the ceilings are typically high and airy, and oh, yeah, attendees can throw back gallons of delicious made-on-site craft ales. Here are a few of our favorite American breweries available for private party rental.
Brooklyn Brewery, New York
One of the more recognizable craft brews in the US, the 4,000sqf Williamsburg-based Brooklyn Brewery is available for after-hours events and has a max capacity of 200. Event amenities include up to 10 draft lines of Brooklyn beer, up to 3 large format Belgian-style Brooklyn beers, tables & benches and A/V equipment .
Angel City, Los Angeles
With a 230 person standing capacity (130 for table seating), Angel City Brewery offers a grand, private space that sits perpendicular to the Brew House, perfect for private or special events. Consider the Beer Hall an open canvas, as it can be tailored to fit any event needs. It has its own 12-tap bar, moveable stage with PA system, customizable chalk-board painted restrooms and room for games or activities. The Beer Hall boasts seven industrial garage doors that open to the parking lot and allow LA s best food trucks to serve food to inside guests.
Nightshift Brewing, Everett MA
Massachusetts friendly home-town brewery Night Shift is one of the smaller venues on this list, but it s got great decor and fantastic beer. Events can include private brewery tours and tasting, plus fresh beer flights for attendees.
Sweetwater Brewing, Atlanta GA
Sweetwater Brewery has the event organization stuff down, with two event spaces, The Tasting Room and The Reel Room, which capture the energy and atmosphere of the brewery, brand and mission. The Tasting Room has a capacity of 650, with 450 for the Reel Room. Pricing includes Two hours of set up time prior to guests arrival, 3 hours of event rental, and 1 hour for event clean up/breakdown, plus Sweetwater tastings for all guests in conjunction with free brewery tours, featuring the SweetWater year-round selections and Catch N Release series depending on availability. Complimentary guest parking is also available, and in terms of A/V, they ve got streaming SIRIUS music, screens, and iPod connections. Grab their PDF one-sheet here.
Red Hook, Portsmouth NH & Woodinville WA
Another event venue rental and brewing veteran, Red Hook has two U.S. locations in New Hampshire (here s the PDF event packet) and Washington State. The Washington location has two event spots, one inside (PDF info) and one outside (PDF info).
Throwback Thursday: Five Early Event-Industry Patents from the Wayback
EVERYTHING ELSE
Event production doesn t exist in a bubble, but rather skates the edges of many different fields: stage design, audio-visual, marketing, catering, and a dozen other things, and its advancement has been dependent on the evolution of technology in its sister industries. This #tbt, we take a peek into a couple event industry patents from days past.
Stage Design & Effects
When the entertainment industry collided with the industrial revolution, new technologies were quickly incorporated into stage design and theatrical special effects. U.S. Patent number 1,332,918, filed in 1919 by Roy J. Pomeroy, is an awesome example of pre-digital machinery created to enhance performance visuals:
My invention related to a new and useful improvement in a theatrical device where in a framework in the form of a hollow sphere is to be rotated and in which there is a stationary platform on which will be placed one or more dancers. The framework may all be painted various colors or part of the framework may be silvered and other portions of the framework my be shaded or colored so that when the sphere is rotated at two or three hundred revolutions per minute it will appear as if it were a huge bubble of a myriad of colors, in which an artist or a number of artists are seen to perform, and thereby provide a very spectacular effect.
Food & Catering
One of the earliest examples of mobile catering as we know it is from this 1961 patent for improvements on the mobile catering truck. Though we know mobile catering was around long before this patent took effect, it was fraught with problems that this new design sought to solve.
in managing trucks heretofore the operator would merely drop the side panels of the truck and stand back to collect as the customers crowd around trying to serve themselves. This results in inefficient operation and lost time in serving the customer . [therefore] another object of the invention is to achieve more efficient control of catering truck operation by providing a truck with extendable cafeterial type table having a central opening in which an operator may stand while serving food.
Invitations & Ads
In the heyday of print advertising, clever design helped one event invitation stand out from the rest. This invitation card, created by Paul Furstenburg, leverages lo-fi human curiosity to drive engagement.
The object of the invention if used as an advertising medium is to provide a device which may not only be readily forwarded through the mails, but which will, upon receipt, so arouse the curiosity of the addressee that he will give the article a second thought and peruse the same instead of immediately depositing the same in the waste-basket.
Mobile Media Road Shows
In 1921, Swiss citizens Roger Juvet and Robert de Stoutz patented improvements in the exhibition car , an invention which provides a car for exhibiting goods and samples without repacking consecutively at different mercantile and industrial centers situated at a distance from each other.
Trade Shows
Portable pop-up display stands are a staple of trade shows and expo halls today. But while the idea seems pretty straightforward, these types of displays weren t actually invented until the portability craze of the mid-1970 s. It began around 1972-73 with Gerry Welton s display apparatus for exhibiting at trade shows and the like , and in 1974, Theodore Zeigler filed his first patent, number 3,968,808, a collapsible, self-supporting structure made up of a network of rod elements pivotally joined at their ends and forming scissors-like pairs .
Zeigler would later go on to found Nomadic Display, one of America s leading expo display firms, and fun fact! a Decibel Management vendor.
Music Festival Month: Firefly This is why Every Event Needs an Evacuation Plan
LIVE EVENTS
It s Music Festival Month on the Decibel blog, where we take a look at the highlights from this summer s best shindigs. The Firefly Music Festival in Delaware got off to a decent start this year, selling out for the first time ever, but took an operational hit or two as merrymaking was interrupted on the festival s third day by severe incoming thunderstorms, leaving festival organizers in the unenviable position of evacuating 90,000 people from the Dover Speedway grounds.
Yup, 90,000 people, a painful reminder that every event needs an emergency evacuation plan. The good news is that festival organizers at Red Frog handled the emergency with efficiency and aplomb, and though nobody was particularly excited to leave, no casualties were reported. The festival continued the following day, as planned. So how did they keep things together in a crappy situation?
Making the Announcement
The first task before festival organizers was getting the word out via channels likely to reach the highest number of attendees with all possible speed. Planners announced the closure both on the official Firefly Twitter stream and in person on the performance stages.
Directing Attendees Towards Escape Routes
Those routes should be clearly-marked and unobstructed, well-lit, and well-signed, with personnel directing evacuees and keeping the vibe calm. Ensure there s assistance on hand for people with disabilities who may be unable to exit the grounds themselves.
Liaise with Local Emergency Services
Appoint one member of the team responsible for keeping emergency services looped in to any developments on your end, and who will ensure that any official directives are followed.
Will the show restart?
Keep attendees notified if or when the show will restart. Organizers utilized social media to keep audiences informed of which shows would be rescheduled, which shows would be cancelled, and when the festival would restart.
Sorry you guys had to deal with nasty whether, but nice save!
Fantastic Buffet Layout Ideas from Around the Web
FOOD & CATERING
We ve been seeing a lot of catering pics recently, and with outdoor snacking season upon us, I realized we hadn t done a food post in a while. Or hey, maybe I m just hungry. Here are five inspiring buffet layout designs from smart and creative decorators around the internet.
Dangling in Mid-Air
There s something kinda Neverland about plucking your food out of the air, and definitely something whimsical about eating it off a swing. If you ve got some scaffolding to work with, you can create a gorgeous gardens-of-Babylon or country backyard feel, like this one from Elizabeth Anne Designs:
Rustic Piles
Three cheers for abundance psychology, that cornucopia effect that wipes away attendee inhibitions and encourages high-piled plates. Plus, something about a big ol mess speaks to the joyful anarchist within us all. Doesn t this pic by Inspired by Charm make you wanna break every diet you ve ever been on?
Or how about this gorgeous mess by Seven Layer Charlotte:
Chalkboard & Slate Labeling
Nothing goes quite as well with modern-vintage as scrawled-on-a-slate food labeling. I know, I know, it s trendy. But we re not sick of it yet. We snagged this pretty thing over at Brit + Co, in their nifty post about creative food stations:
Lifestyle blogger Ramsey nails it:
OCD Flat & Square
Gotta love hyper-organization, and all that food really pops on stark serving dishes. Here s a gem from Colin Cowie Weddings photo inspiration finder, an ultra Type-A table layout that does everything right:
A French country take on the same idea from Bright Bold Beautiful:
Food in a Cabinet
This idea from Austen & Carissa s wedding over on Wedding Chicks would be rough to pull off for anything large-scale unless you ve got the capability to fabricate your own furniture installations, but with a guest list under 500, this is gorgeous:
Same sitch with the Murphy Bar over at Thisoldhouse.com, a small-scale idea that would be fun to convert for a larger event. We re thinking several dozen of these, or a much bigger one:
Got buffet layout ideas? Tell us in the comments.
Event Theme Design Inspiration: Stained Glass
EVENT DESIGN
This week, we re inspired by the incorporation of stained glass into spacial and event designs. The design world went pretty single-color for a while there, but we re seeing (and loving) a lean back towards more vibrant, daring palettes. We ve collected a little mood board of beautiful images with inspiring prismatic decor.
Monumenta 2012
One of Paris most expansive art events, Monumenta is an annual exhibition that challenges artists to execute their vision on the grounds of the 145,000 square-foot Grand Palais. The chosen artist for 2012, Daniel Buren, created a gorgeous stained-glass landscape, reflecting the light of the building s dome skyward.
Tom Fruin s Stained Glass House (via Colossal)
Art blog Colossal featured this October, 2014 work by installation artist Tom Fruin, who created a plexiglass house as part of a performance installation under Brooklyn Bridge in New York.
Sugar House
A similar project to Fruin s was undertaken by artist William Lamson, who created a solarium using panels of melted sugar.
Standalone Window Backdrops
We don t do a ton of weddings around here, but this gem from Southerweddings.com is worth the deviation. We could see these standalone windows in use for both outdoor or indoor spaces.
The Glory Window
From Wikipedia: The most prominent and recognizable feature of Thanks-Giving Square [in Dallas, Texas] is the Chapel of Thanksgiving , a small, spiral tower that features an enclave for prayerful thanks. The entrance to the chapel is at the end of a 125-foot (38 m) bridge that runs over a cascading waterfall. Inside the chapel, the spiral is topped with stained glass Glory Window , one of largest horizontally mounted stained-glass pieces in the world. The window was designed by Gabriel Loire of Chartres, France to feature brighter colors as the spiral reached its apex, becoming brighter as it reaches the center.
The Mirror Woman (pic via Buzzfeed)
From Juxtapoz: South Korean-born artist Kimsooja has had a long, intense career full of installations, performances, photography, videos and site-specific project. This particular installation from 2006 is at the Palace de Cristal in Madrid. Exploiting the structure of the building while also leaving it intact, Kimsooja installed a mirror on the floor to multiply and unify the original architectural space. A translucent diffraction grating film also covers the glazed dome and wall of the crystal palace. Awesome.
Music Festival Month: Underground and Sustainable at Gottwood 2015
LIVE EVENTS
It s Music Festival Month on the Decibel Blog, and today we re turning the lens on the boutique festival scene with a quick intro to Gottwood, one of the UK s most interesting summer events. The Gottwood festival is an intimate slice of hippy-sci-future held in the forests of Wales, a woodland rave that aims for maximum sustainability.
Gottwood 2015, now in its sixth year, ran from June 11-14, and true to their underground roots, accepted no corporate sponsorship. According to an interview with one of the three Gottwood founders in the London Evening Standard:
All seven stages and other festival outbuildings are made from materials found on site. Anything built by teams of local craftsmen will remain after the event so that it can be used by school groups or community projects, while money raised by the festival is invested in improving the area. No vehicles are allowed on site and organisers ask festival-goers to use car share schemes as much as possible. Ticket sales are kept low to 5,000 customers, plus 1,000 crew so as not to damage the site.
Here s a little overview from the organizers:
And a bit more of the vibe:
The festival is held on the Carreglwyd Estate grounds, on a wooded stretch of coastline that was named Lonely Planet s Greatest Region on Earth in 2012. The estate itself has a history stretching back 400 or so years.
Carreglwyd was built in 1634 by Dr William Griffiths. He was the Chancellor of St Asaph and Master of the Rolls to Charles the First. His grandfather, Sir William Griffiths had been the Rector of Llanfaethlu for 44 years. Charles the First gave Dr Griffiths one of the five Edward Bower copies of Van Dyke s portrait at the time of his trial. This portrait hangs in the Dining Room of Carreglwyd today.
The 2015 gallery hasn t hit stands yet, but keep an eye on the Gottwood gallery page for more stunning photos of the event, like this one from photographer Roo Lewis:
