[Skip to main content](#main-content)     [Kevin Lewis](/)  [Blog](/blog)      # Finding Venues For Your Events

 [2023-11-22]    In 2021, I ran a small community of developer event organizers called Event Handler. It ultimately didn’t gain the traction it needed, but I recently discovered the ‘Event Handler Vault’ - a set of guides and checklists which event organizers could use - and I thought it would be a good idea to publish them. This is a set of tips and questions to ask when finding and managing venues for your events.

## [Finding a Venue](#finding-a-venue)

- Research venues in your city or town that have held similar events.

- Reach out to local event organizers for their recommendations and introductions where appropriate.

- Understand what is in it for the venue

- Tech companies may lend you use of their office to further their own goals

- Dedicated venue spaces are generally for-profit and you should expect to pay

- Like sponsorships, make it clear what you want when approaching venues and offer something in return.

## [Standard Questions](#standard-questions)

- What spaces are available? Dependent on format:

- Main space(s)

- Quiet, breastfeeding, prayer space(s)

- Speaker green/preparation room

- Breakout rooms

- Many of these could be as simple as a large meeting room

- How many people can they host?

- Dependent on format - check capacity with different layouts

- Do they have enough tables for a hackathon, for example? Enough chairs for a meetup in theatre style?

- Where will food and drink be served from?

- How will you keep queues low based on layout?

- If people come late, will they interrupt the speaker or attract attention?

- Is there available WiFi and power throughout? If a hackathon, you may want to also have a small number of wired internet points available.

## [Common Layouts](#common-layouts)

Understanding the name of common layouts will help you communicate requirements to venues.

![Common venue layouts]()

- Hackathons generally happen dining style

- Meetups generally happen theatre style if talks

- Workshops or meetups with hands-on elements generally happen classroom-style or U-Shaped style

## [Location](#location)

- Where is the nearest public transportation stop?

- Is it accessible to those with mobility devices? Those who are visually impaired?

- Is the area safe and well-lit?

- Is there parking? What is it’s cost? How can attendees access it?

- Is there a safe place to leave a bike? How can attendees access it?

- Where will people enter? Is it clearly signposted?

- Are there easy exits and reentries for smokers?

- Is internal access easy? Or will it need lots of swipe-accessed doors?

## [Setup](#setup)

- How early can you turn up to set up?

- Where can you have any large deliveries including equipment, sponsor drops, and food?

- What roles do you need to fill vs the venue host?

## [Check-In & Guest Lists](#check-in--guest-lists)

- What do they need from you in terms of a guest list?

- When do they need it by?

- Any provisions for last-minute additions or missing names?

- Where and how will attendees be checked-in to the venue?

- If this is away from the main space (a ground-floor reception) how will you make sure operational questions or concerns are handled around admittance throughout the event?

## [Agreements](#agreements)

- What relationship do you have with the venue?

- Will you pay for the space?

- Will they get a short introduction/callout?

- Will your venue provide food or refreshments? Will you need to pay for this?

- If they’re providing - what do they normally do to cater for dietary requirements?

- Are you bound by any venue rules?

- Catering

- No-access areas

## [Accessibility](#accessibility)

⚠️ *If you can’t do any of these things make sure to set and manage expectations to your audience so they can make an informed decision on whether to attend*

- Is your venue wheelchair accessible?

- Do stairs have rails?

- Is there a hearing loop? Do you know how to connect the sound system to it? What are the joining details?

- Does your venue have audience limitations?

- If you run an event in a pub, for example, those under legal drinking ages cannot enter. Potentially some people can’t enter based on faith or personal circumstance (alcoholism, etc)

- Some venues don’t allow minors for insurance and safeguarding concerns - see if you can work with them to allow this

- Are lecterns and microphone stands height-adjustable?

## [Audio/Visual](#audiovisual)

- How will your speakers plug in and show screens?

- Ideal is a single HDMI cable presenting to a screen or projector

- Does your venue require special audio setup to make sure everyone in the room can hear?

- If you need mics do you have access to a spare mic to give the audience during Q&A?

## [Attendee Experience](#attendee-experience)

- Is there enough power throughout the venue?

- Can you play light music into the space(s) to create a nice environment?

- Is there phone signal?

- Do you have control over the temperature or lights?

## [Inclusion](#inclusion)

- Is there anything in the venue that may be questionable?

- For example, offices can have in-jokes, memes, or other material which may not be appropriate on the walls.

- Toilets

- Are there gender-neutral options?

- If yes, are there also single-unit options if people need to readjust headdresses, etc?

- Are there wheelchair-accessible options?

- Removing alcohol

- I am a believer that alcohol does not improve social spaces and only has uninclusive traits

- if the venue provides alcohol, can this be made unavailable?

## [Post-Event](#post-event)

- When must you leave by?

- Build buffer into your event schedule. For example if you must be out by 19:00 schedule your planned exit for 18:30. This should factor in your clean up.

- What is the expectation about how you will leave the space post-event?

- For example, do they have morning cleaners to look after finer details, or is that your job?

## [Misc](#misc)

- Where does trash go? Is this your job to keep on top of during the event? Where is the external bin?

- If overnight or spanning multiple days

- Can people sleep in the venue (if hackathon)? Are there extra provisions required? Can people freely leave and reenter throughout the night - especially if smokers?

- How safe is equipment overnight? Do specific items need to be removed overnight?

- Note: It’s important to let the venue know that people will be working in the space overnight - often the word “working” differentiates it from local places of rest such as hotels.

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