When choosing a good location for your event, consider the following site specifications which will help ensure the logistics of your event run smoothly. Every event site is different and has its own set of circumstances and limits to contend with.

Please don’t hesitate to contact your Regional Director if you have any questions about a particular site that you have in mind. They have seen many events in a variety of locations and will be glad to help share with you ideas that will help make your specific event site work for your event.

• Pavilion : This is an ideal location for sign in, lunch and awards, and a shelter during rain showers. The best scenario for an event site is to have a pavilion reserved that is as close to the boat ramp or docks as possible. Some locations do not have a pavilion available.  A large tent can also be rented or donated.  Car dealerships have donated the use of these types of tents for events in the past.

• Launch Access: A good boat ramp and dock with plenty of parking near the pavilion is a big plus for an event. Some events that have a greater distance between the ramp and pavilion will require volunteers and golf carts to help get the children and their families to and from the loading/unloading launch area.

• Docks: Docks can be used for loading and unloading of participants and their families.  Keep in mind that some lakes have low water conditions at certain times of the year and floating docks will be more useful while piling docks or piers may be useless depending on the date of your event.  Some boating events will have few or no docks available, you may consider loading the children and their parents in boats while the boat is still on the trailer in the parking lot before launching.  Site location will determine if this method needs to be implemented. A step ladder and a volunteer loading/unloading crew will need to be available.  The perfect scenario for docks would be dock space for 8-10 boats to be tied up at one time for loading and unloading.  Remember that every location is different and that there are a number of safe ways to help load children and their families.

• Restrooms: Restrooms near the event site are a must. Some events that are more secluded bring in port-a-potty for the event day.

• Handicap Access: Keep in mind that you may have a number of children who will be in a wheelchair or using a walker. If you are planning a shore event, make sure that the event site has areas that these children are able to access the water to fish.

• Power Outlets and Lighting: You will need some electricity for your event site.  A PA system for the awards and any lunch preparations may require some electricity.

• Parking: A good location will have plenty of parking for the children and their families and volunteers.  Try and reserve the closest parking lot to the registration tables for participant parking.

• Early Site Reservation: Be sure to make a reservation as soon as possible and check with the event site management regularly to avoid a scheduling conflict.

• Correct Address and Directions– Make sure to have the proper address and directions for use on your event registration ad-hoc reminder emails.  Some parks are larger than others and any confusion can be eliminated with good directions.  Directional signs can be placed on the day of the event as well.

• Registration Tables and Pairings Area: Whenever possible, consider having the registration tables as close to the area where you will be pairing boaters and the children. The job of pairing the children and their parents with the boaters is probably the most difficult of the entire event and having the person or persons in charge of this task within sight of or very near all children, boaters and the loading area helps tremendously. This is also typically the best area to place life jackets and do the event photographs for the awards plaques.

If you are loading children on the boats in the parking lot before the boats are launched, find an area for pairings near or in the parking lot.

If you are loading children on boats that have been launched and are dockside, an area near the dock entrance would be good for pairings.  Some events have more room and volunteers than others, and some have more distance between these different access points but as a general rule of thumb, the closer that you have the registration tables to the loading area, the easier it is to find boaters and children and get them paired and loaded into their boats.

Following these examples will help make the pairing process run a lot more smoothly, gets the kids out fishing sooner and make room for others as they arrive.