Just when we finally get excited that In-person events are coming back…Omicron is on the move. With Covid-19 regulations rising again, several In-person events are either being canceled or going all Virtual for the start of the new year. The latest article by Variety stated that “the rising omicron variant has forced a wave of new cancellations and postponements of events heading into 2022.” Where are 2022 Events going? Is 2022 turning into 2020 too?

So how do we keep up with the constant change of plans? As event planners, quickly adapting to change is one of our MANY talents. From rearranging the speaker order last minute to a new schedule arrangement. Luckily, we all learned together how to create a virtual event without any prior experience before 2020. Now we can use that knowledge and turn canceled In-person events into Virtual events.

Here are a couple of tips to prepare for your upcoming 2022 events:

-Set up your In-person event to already have a live stream page in case you need to switch to Virtual for an emergency. That way, you are not stressed about creating a last-minute page when you already are limited on time.

-Offer only Hybrid events if you do not want to worry about switching everyone to Virtual in a timely manner. With the Hybrid option, you already have your Virtual aspect set up and ready to go!

-Collaborate with your team on what is most comfortable for your organization such as only offering Virtual events for a while until the pandemic slows down. You and your team know more about your company and its culture, so decide what the best decision is for the time being.

-Make sure to always keep your speakers comfortable and aware of your decisions so they can proactively adjust to either an In-person or Virtual event. The last thing you want to do is keep your speakers out of the loop and have them all stressed out if their computer isn’t set up for a video streaming service.

-Ask other event managers in your community and see what their plans are for the new year! Being involved in your event industry community can not only benefit yourself but others who are seeking advice.

Let’s stop canceling those events you worked so hard to create, but rather switch to Virtual for the time being. In-person events are coming back soon, we just need to be patient and adapt at the moment. Together, we can all help each other out during these changing times for our 2022 events. 😊

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