LET’S GET JUNED!
HAVING AN EVENT IN THE MONTH OF JUNE IN GHANA
This article is a seasonal write-up following the numerous consultations and enquiries coming through our office, Eden Events Ghana, recently.
Thinking of having your event in June, in Ghana? I am sure that like many of our clients, you are either concerned about the impending raining season, the venue for the event, as well as other appropriate preparations and considerations which will contribute to creating the event of your dreams. And oh, the COVID-19 factor! Yes, the disease is still with us!
The Republic of Ghana, lying along the coast of the Atlantic, is the champion of hospitality in West Africa, bustling with colourful culture, rich history , a stable democracy and a vibrant social scene. Ghana is also home to some of West Africa’s most beautiful beaches and resorts; undoubtedly the perfect destination for a getaway experience in the entire West African region.
Ghana experiences a typical tropical climate. It is almost always hot, and the seasons are either wet or dry. As a rule, temperatures are milder in the highlands, more humid along the coast and hotter and drier the farther north you go. In the north of Ghana, it is drier and warmer because of the influence of the Sahara. The rainy season in the North lasts from April to October. In the south, from April to June and a second rainy season starts from September and October. This means that in one out of two days, usually in the evenings, a great downpour is the norm for one or two hours. In the dry season, which is from December to March, the harmattan wind blows from the Sahara and then, across the country.
Our outbound clients from time to time, try to solicit the best time to host a destination event in Ghana, in the respective regions and the right seasons to do so. I have come to realise that out of all the things inquired about, there are three (3) important ones that should be prioritized in order to have an absolutely successful event.
THE VENUE.
June is known to be the peak for most of the downpour in most parts of Ghana, creating major constraints on many activities such as weddings, parties, trade shows, park gatherings, outdoor corporate events and destination events. As June is a breath away, it will be wise to choose a venue that has an indoor facility. For ceremonies like weddings where an outdoor garden ceremony would be done before an indoor, it will be advisable to consider an indoor venue due to unexpected rains.
In choosing your venue, choose a venue that is not located in or near a known flood-prone part of town and provides parking space and easy access to public transportation. Your guests should not have to park their cars and walk several meters to reach the main auditorium. Also, it’s proximity to the residences of your guest is imperative since most guests will not want to travel long distances for an event.
Furthermore, consider venues that have structures such as roofed corridors from the parking area to the main building, and services like umbrella escorts to pick up guests from the parking lot. It is also important to consider a venue that has the capacity to respond to emergencies, should the rains fall for several hours causing the unexpected like floods, fire, among others.
LOGISTICS
More often than not, we barely pay attention to the logistics we use during events. For events in an outdoor space, the type of furniture should be considered. It will be prudent to anticipate rainfall and as such plans have to be made towards providing logistics that are water suitable and water resistant. Gadgets and equipment that are essential for the production of the event must be water resistant and resilient, should it encounter the worst water penetration; these may include Tents, PA systems, cameras and their respective lenses, chairs, tables and linen, heavy glassware, among others.
The choice of flooring must be water workable to further minimize slipperiness. Structures like trusses, panels, polls and the lot must have secure wiring stations and channels to prevent electric shocks should a downpour begin. If possible, electric resistant materials should be most deployed in planning and managing of the event.
(Note: The power supply mostly goes off during a downpour, and as such the provision of standby power generators should be made for power outages. Eden Events Ghana invests time and resources into gathering experienced vendors with workable logistics to produce exquisite events.)
TIMING
Time planning and management becomes a very essential factor to consider when planning or executing your dream event around this season. With due diligence and research on weather forecasts for the day, you can schedule your event accordingly, timing the activities for each phase of the ceremony. All persons playing major roles in the event must be strictly timed and informed when it’s up. The slightest delay of activities can prolong and distort the entire event management process, affecting the quality of the event and at worse curtail other activities to be executed due to rains among others.
Having dealt with the logistics, the most vital personalities for the event who need to adhere to the time management schedule for social events like weddings include the couple, bridal party, clergy or officiating person, master of ceremony, performers and if necessary the marriage registrar or the legal appointees responsible for endorsing and issuing of certificates. For corporate events, the host(s), master of ceremony, guests of honour, and any persons playing a role in the production of the event must all hold the time management of the event in utmost regard.
I believe there are numerous factors to consider when planning an event in this season. However, with these three (3) things that have been expanciated on, you should be able to have the event of your dreams, factoring in all the necessary beauty and style elements, to deliver an outstanding and premium event.
Columnist: Kwasi Hanson
CEO, Eden Events GH ׀ Luxury Event Meister ׀ Facilities Manager ׀ Entrepreneur ׀ Lover of Art
Contact: [email protected]
