Commencement Event Updates for 2020 and beyond

It's been one heck of a year for Texas educators, from online learning to social distancing and all of the changes in-between. As we move forward through the COVID landscape, you might be wondering how commencement events will look for the coming year and beyond.

If you are planning and preparing for this year's commencement events, we are happy to help. The good news is we have plenty of time to plan and design a fantastic commencement event for your students and parents. We are closely monitoring Governor Abbott's updates on Texas commencements so you can stay informed and keep your students safe.

Social distancing is still in place for commencement ceremonies

How will commencement events look for 2021?

That's a good question. So far, the recommendations and guidelines require that commencement ceremonies be held outside. This allows for social distancing, but we see some schools allow for pods. Pods are just groups with the student and family members in them only.

There will most likely be limits on the number of tickets available to allow for enough space and ensure that social distancing best practices are followed.

To have a successful outdoor event, you will; want to consider adding these rentals to your event.

Our team has prepared for these changes, so we are ready to help you with your commencement event. We suggest you book early to get a head start and secure your rentals and our technicians for your next commencement event.

Live streaming is here to stay

Live streaming is one element of commencement events that is here to stay. Live streaming is a great way to allow family members and friends from other states or who cannot travel to be at the ceremony virtually. There is no downside to live streaming as long as you have the right team ensuring there are no unwanted comments or technical difficulties while streaming. This is an excellent way to social distance but still allow other family members to feel involved.

Why should you hire In Depth Events?

Look, we know that not every school has the right set up to live stream or run an outdoor event. We have experience with complicated connectivity and can get you up and running with high-quality equipment rentals and an experienced team to run it all for you. We even handle the social media component for you. We want you to focus on the graduates and not the technical setups.

What are the next steps?

Whether you have the latest audio system or need a full set up, we are here to help you. Contact our team today to schedule a no-cost call. We know there is still a lot of uncertainty around 2021 events.

We are watching developments closely to see how COVID and the calls for social distancing will affect indoor and outdoor commencements. We are dedicated to our clients and ensuring schools comply and provide safe events for their students!

: Social distancing graduation ceremony

: Outdoor commencement ceremonies

: Seating and stage set up

: Commencement ceremony seating and stage set up

: Social distancing

: Stage set up at commencement ceremony

How Virtual Events are Changing the Live Event Landscape

It’s no secret that the world has gone virtual. Everything from working, to distance learning, and even graduations are being held virtually. As you know, the Spring of 2020 made us all reevaluate how adaptable our businesses are. Since then, we have seen a steady increase of video streaming needs, so this is the perfect time to get you connected. Virtual and hybrid events are becoming the new normal and having the proper equipment and set up is crucial to keeping up with all of these changes. At in Depth Events we have heavily focused on cloud-based live streaming for years. We also have full video production services, video equipment rentals, and mobile/permanent studios. We understand the importance of high-quality video streaming and we would love to help get you set up.

So who is video streaming for?

This is a great question with an easy answer, ANYONE! Everyone from small business owners, to musicians, and even yoga instructors can take their business online and still create a steady stream of revenue. This is also a perfect option for educators, virtual events, and concerts. We have also seen a major increase in the need to take commencement ceremonies virtual and even family gatherings. Whatever the reason may be, here are some ways to get started.

What are the benefits to hybrid and virtual events?

There are several benefits to taking your business or event online. Whether you are a small business owner or even a musician, you can easily monetize your live streams. We have also found that educators and even fitness instructors are finding ways to teach online. This is a great option to reach a larger audience and potentially double your revenue. Think about it, if there is no in-person requirement you can open your business to the entire WORLD. This model is being successfully implemented in most industries. Currently there are several ways to to stream including, YouTube, Twitch, and even Facebook. There are several ways to monetize your live stream. You can raise money, sell e-tickets, and donation based, or use a membership platform.

So how does this all work?

There are several ways to get started. First you need high-quality equipment, then a platform to stream on, and also the ability to market your live stream. While there are many moving parts to cloud-based live streaming, our team at In Depth Events have several years of experience and would love to help you get your business or event online. Contact us today, we look forward to working with you! Feel free to reach out if you want to learn more. For our latest post on distance learning and digital events- go here.

Confetti Blower at a Graduation Ceremony

Graduation Stage Rentals – An Event Planners Guide

Commencement and Graduation Stage Rentals – Identifying Specific Needs

Whether it’s for a community college, a high school, a four year university or even a vocational school, commencements are an important transition for students, instructors and attendees. Identifying specific needs for your graduation stage rentals is the first step in making sure the graduation ceremonies go smoothly for everyone.

There are several questions to ask that will determine stage size and height. How many people will be on stage? Is the event outdoors or indoors? Will you require seating risers on the rear of the stage for professors and administrators? How many graduates will you have? Additionally, you need to consider the venue. For example, many high schools will use the football stadium on campus for commencement. A stage that would look huge in a small room may look tiny in this environment. Is there a game the night before or the night of? Has anyone else reserved the stadium? How will vendors get staging and chairs onto the field?

Graduation stage rentals, the ADA and vendor selection

The ADA, or Americans with Disabilities Act, was signed into law in 1990. For staging vendors, it mandates on a federal level the use of handrails and ramps on temporary and permanent stages. In addition to compliance with the ADA, graduation stages must also comply with municipal building codes for staging and structure builds. Some municipalities will also require review by the county Fire Marshall for safety and accessibility.

It’s incredibly important that your stage meets or exceeds local building codes as well as ADA requirements. The most successful staging vendors will verify building codes, ADA requirements and fire code requirements long before they arrive to setup your stage. Look for staging vendors who are Certified Building Contractors within your local municipality, or the nearest large city if you are in a suburban or rural area.

The shameless sales pitch for graduation stage rentals

We have been providing graduation stage rentals for many years as well as other production and rental services. Chair rentals, sound system rentals, press risers and audience risers are all within our range of services to our clients.

Ask Us a Question today and find out why our clients return to In Depth Events event experts year after year. We look forward to hearing from you and working with you!

Tag: graduation