As the Pandemic Wears on, Event Organizers Rally to Meet Demand for In-Person Connection and Safety

We've been keeping a pulse on how event organizers and event attendees are reacting and adapting in response to the evolving pandemic risk. At the beginning of summer, the expectation was by fall there would be comfort with and (by proxy) more availability of in-person event options. We were seeing more in-person events posted to GovEvents for September onward and were expecting that in-person number to continue to grow into the new year. With the Delta variant and the spike in infections we wondered if and how these planned in-person events would again adapt. With help from our friends at Carahsoft, we spoke with several event organizers to see if their plans for and outlook on in-person events had changed.

No Need to Zoom Back to Zoom

Unlike 2020, there does not seem to be a quick pivot to moving events online. Rather, in-person events are continuing on as planned. Even when infection numbers were low, these events were already being planned with social distancing measures, increased cleaning protocols, sanitization stations, low touch interactions, and more. Event organizers are posting and updating their guidelines and processes on their website to ensure everyone is clear on expectations (both on the attendee and the host side).

Mandates Drive Requirements

What is changing is the need for masks or proof of vaccination. With cities defining mask mandates, the decision "to mask or not to mask" is made for many events. In cities or facilities (including government facilities) with mandates, event organizers are abiding by those protocols. Now that there will be a vaccine mandate for federal employees, extending mandates to events may become even more commonplace.

When You're In You're In

With so many factors to consider when attending events, the people that come are committed to and engaged in being there. This may perhaps be the most engaged audience many organizations will ever have at their events. In-person event organizers have reported minimal cancellations as a result of public health concerns. The reaction of attendees has been overwhelmingly positive, with people excited to be back to in-person gatherings and able to conduct meaningful conversations and make new connections.

We'll continue to monitor the event environment through the types of events we see posted on GovEvents and the conversations we have with our partners. We're pleased to be able to provide perspective on event trends and best practices and look forward to seeing the innovation and creativity of event organizers as they balance the need for safety and the desire for in-person connection.

View the infographic on GovWhitePapers.