Planning an event forces one to think in the future -- sometimes a year ahead and other times several years in advance...yikes! That can be very troublesome for some, given the constant pressure to live in the moment and enjoy the here and now. YOLO, right? For me, planning events is both a blessing and a curse -- while I love planning events and seeing so many different elements come together, a regular stroll down the sidewalk or leisure time in the park turns into visions of tents, food trucks, and staging...so many possibilities! Welcome to the life of an event planner!
My career has consisted of planning programs and events, everything from 3 week canoe trips for a small group of 15 people to 9 week summer camps -- thousands of kids, a ton of arts & crafts, and many backpack adventures! I’ve coordinated over 50 vendors for a 3-day festival and planned for 200 Marines to have an outdoor Fun Day upon their return stateside. Needless to say, timelines and calendars are some of my closest friends. Some things I constantly have swirling around in my head are possible event dates, holidays, other events that might conflict, resources needed, staffing availability, and if I'm lucky...I still have some time to enjoy an occasional date night with my husband and plan a fun day for my son. ME time is a must!
One of my current projects is the Fantasy of Lights Opening Night Parade. The date was set a year ago, so now it’s time to finalize the framework for this year’s holiday magic to unfold. Behind the scenes, I’ve been working on designing an online application for the parade units, examining the parade route and the necessary street closures, parking detours, placement of port-a-lets, and the layout for the festivities at Centerpoint Plaza...and we're still nearly 5 months away. Information on the event date, time, parking, parade unit application, and of course pictures are all available. What would summer in Arizona be if it weren’t for looking at pictures of Christmas celebrations and thinking about our amazing winter season? The mid 60's are sounding SO good right about now.
Here’s what I can tell you about the parade this year…it’s still on Mill Ave, Santa will make an appearance, and the magnificent tree will be lit to open the holiday season in Downtown Tempe. Will there be something new and different? Yes, of course...but you'll have to come on November 28th and see for yourself! I would tell you now, but don't want to ruin all the fun. Just live in the moment, be patient for the next 5 months and don't think about what's to come. Leave that to me...I’m the event planner, remember?