Here are some tips from Spin in Public on how to get your own public spinning event started. There is information on small events and large ones. We expect that most of the events will be small ones - allowing the public a glimpse into something they have never seen before. However, if you are up to organizing the next BIG spinning festival - we will do whatever you need to excitedly support you in that!
1. Contact us to let us know the details on your WWSIP day event. We will add it to the 'find a sip' section of the site so that people can find it.
2. Venue
- Ensure that the venue allows this kind of activity. You can choose local parks, local buildings, downtown areas, museums, galleries, churches, public gardens, etc. The main consideration is that this is public property or if private property, that permission is obtained. It is best to check with your local city/town office to ensure that there are no regulations in using public space. This usually only applies to vending licensing or other sales based festivities.
- Ensure that there is parking for all of your participants that are driving to the event.
- Ensure that there are washroom facilities, food and beverage facilities, and anything else that your participants could require.
- Try to keep your event family friendly; this will ensure a better turn-out!
3. Local Shops and Eatery Perks!
Contact local shop owners such as yarn shops, spinning and weaving shops, cafes, diners, and restaurants to see if they will offer a discount to your attendees of your event. Let them know how many people you are planning on having at your event. If you can get a discount coupon or something of this nature - this could be a fun gift to your spinning cohorts.
4. Participants and Communication
- Depending on who will be taking part in your event, organize an email list or mailing list so that you can send out information to your participants on items such as date, location, time, parking, lunch or dinner plans, etc.
- If you are organizing your event as part of a guild or spinning group, you will be able to organize meetings to discuss all items relating to your event. This is a good time to assign tasks to helpers.
5. Advertising and Promotion
- Create a poster in a digital copy for distribution on the internet
- Create a printed poster that can be distributed at local businesses, mailed to participants and interest groups, or postered around your locale. * Ensure to review your local city bylaws relating to postering poles and public areas. You can use the poster created by WWSIP Day for this purpose if you like.
- Good places to distribute posters are libraries, museums, art galleries, schools, restaurants, churches or other religious buildings, at the workplace, and among your guilds, participant groups and of course local yarn shops.
6. Volunteers and Helpers
- Depending on the size of your event, you may need some helpers to do items such as organizing food, postering, calling local knitting and crochet guilds, organizing a venue, vendors, permits, etc.
- Good people to lean on for support in this role are friends and family, guilds, volunteer organizations, 4H clubs, schools, kids' groups, charity groups, spinning groups, online communities, etc.
7. Back-up Plans and Rain Dates
Decide what will happen in the event of bad weather conditions and maybe note this on your poster or in all communications to your attendees. Organize a secondary indoor venue or a rain date.