Hosting a cultural event can be very exciting, but it can also be overwhelming, which is why we created a step-by-step guide to make your life a little easier. You may be asking yourself what is a cultural event? It is a celebration that focuses upon a theme and may run for only a few hours or a few days or weeks, depending on the cultural tradition. 

How to Organize a Cultural Event?

1. Create Your Budget

The first thing you will want to do is create a budget. We suggest having an overall budget, and then breaking that budget down into smaller categories such as event venue rental, cultural event planning team, décor, entertainment, furniture, additional staffing and so forth. This makes it much easier to stick to a budget when you have it broken down into smaller, more manageable buckets. This can also be a very helpful starting point for the next event you throw.

2. Plan Out the Scope of the Event

Cultural events can last only for a few hours when celebrating a special date, or they can last for days if it’s an extensive retreat. The possibilities when it comes to cultural events are endless so you want to make sure you understand the scope of it. This will also help you assess your goals and objectives, and what you wish to accomplish with this event. These should be very well defined so after your event, you can determine if it was successful or not. This will also help with post-event follow up and debriefing.

3. Choose a Venue

Next, you will look at cultural event venues. The venue should be chosen carefully and should align with the goals and objectives you set, as well as the scope of the event. You want to make sure you’re paying attention to the venue’s capacity and what their facilities look like as well to ensure you can host the number of people you want to within the space. It’s always a good idea to tour multiple spaces to find a venue for an event so that you can compare and contrast them, and have leverage when it comes to price negotiations.

4. Set a Date and Time

Once you have found a venue, you will want to set a date and time. You will need to coordinate with the venue to ensure that the day you want is open and available. From here, you can start planning out the invitations and make sure you send them out in a timely manner. We suggest 4-6 weeks in advance, so people have time to arrange and plan out their evening.

5. Create a Team

You will also want to create a team of people you can trust to get the job done. Having different people on your team brings different cultural event ideas to the table and helps inspire creativity when it comes to planning out the event. We always suggest having a master plan for the event so everyone on your team can refer to one document and be on the same page when it comes to planning out all the details.

6. Promote the Event

Finally, you will want to promote your event. The promotion should be tied to your target audience, as well as your goals and objectives and what you’re trying to accomplish at this event. Giving yourself enough time to promote ahead of time will ensure you have a great turnout for your event. 

Instead of searching ‘event spaces near me,’ give us a call at Ovation Square and we would be happy to help you plan out your next cultural event. We’re located right in the heart of downtown Long Beach, and have a space that is perfect for hosting events.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What kind of promotion should I be doing for my event?
A: That really depends on who your target audience is and what the goal of your event is. However, as you begin planning your event, that is something that the event planning team can help you define and plan for.

Q: How do I negotiate pricing for venues?
A: That is something that your event planner can be very helpful with. You can also tour multiple venues and tally the pricing versus the amenities that are most important to you and narrow it down from there.

Q: If I need help planning out the scope of the event, is that something you can assist with?
A: Of course. We have an entire event planning team behind us at Ovation Square and we can help out with any phase of the planning process.