90 Days to Event Day
Planning an event can feel manageable at first. You choose a date, find a venue and start telling people about it.
Then the details multiply.
You need a budget, permits, vendors, ticket prices, a marketing schedule, staff, check-in procedures and contingency plans. Many of these tasks depend on one another. You cannot calculate capacity until you understand the venue. You cannot set ticket prices until you know your costs. You cannot launch your marketing campaign until people have somewhere to buy tickets.
A written event planning checklist keeps these decisions in the correct order.
This guide covers the 90 days leading up to an event, event-day operations and the work that should happen afterward. It is designed for independent organizers planning festivals, workshops, comedy nights, fundraisers, community events, conferences, fairs and other ticketed experiences.
Quick Event Planning Checklist
Before getting into the full timeline, confirm that your plan covers these core areas:
Event purpose and measurable goals
Target audience
Event date and schedule
Venue and capacity
Budget and break-even point
Permits, licenses and insurance
Vendors, performers and suppliers
Ticket types and prices
Online ticketing setup
Marketing plan
Sponsors and partners
Staffing and volunteers
Accessibility
Security and emergency procedures
Weather or cancellation plan
Attendee communications
Check-in and walk-up sales
Post-event surveys and reporting
If any of these areas is still uncertain, identify the person responsible and the date by which a decision must be made.
90 Days Before the Event
Define the purpose of the event
Start by writing one clear sentence explaining why the event exists.
Examples include:
Raise $20,000 for a local nonprofit
Sell 500 tickets to a food and wine festival
Introduce a new workshop to 75 prospective customers
Bring 300 local residents to a community celebration
Generate qualified leads for a professional conference
A precise purpose will guide decisions about the venue, programming, ticket prices and marketing. It also gives you a practical definition of success.
Set measurable goals
Choose a small number of metrics that reflect the event’s purpose. Useful goals include:
Tickets sold
Gross ticket revenue
Net profit
Funds raised
Registrations completed
Attendance rate
Sponsor revenue
Email subscribers collected
Returning attendees
Customer satisfaction score
Avoid relying only on attendance. A sold-out event can still lose money, disappoint sponsors or create a poor attendee experience.
Identify the target audience
Describe the people most likely to attend.
Consider:
Age range
Location
Interests
Typical spending
Preferred social platforms
Reasons for attending
Barriers that could stop them from buying
The answer affects everything from ticket pricing to the time of day you schedule the event.
Create a preliminary budget
List your expected fixed and variable costs.
Fixed costs stay relatively stable regardless of attendance. They can include:
Venue rental
Entertainment and speaker fees
Equipment rental
Permits
Insurance
Security
Design and photography
Marketing
Staff
Transportation
Variable costs rise as attendance increases. They can include:
Food and beverages
Wristbands or badges
Printed programs
Payment-processing fees
Merchandise
Cleaning
Seating
Attendee gifts
Add a contingency reserve of approximately 10 to 15 percent for unexpected costs. The appropriate amount will depend on the event and its risk level.
Calculate the break-even point
Your break-even point is the number of tickets you need to sell before the event covers its costs.
Use this basic formula:
Break-even ticket quantity = total event costs divided by net revenue per ticket
For example, imagine the event will cost $12,000. A ticket costs $40, and ticketing plus payment costs equal $2 per ticket.
Your net revenue is $38 per ticket.
$12,000 divided by $38 equals approximately 316 tickets.
You would need to sell about 316 tickets to break even, assuming there is no revenue from sponsors, vendors, merchandise or food sales.
Choose the date
Before confirming the date, check:
Major public holidays
School calendars
Local festivals and competing events
Sporting events
Religious observances
Typical weather
Venue availability
Performer or speaker availability
Public transportation schedules
Select a backup date when practical, particularly for outdoor events.
Find and evaluate the venue
Your venue should support the expected attendance and the actual operating requirements of the event.
Evaluate:
Legal capacity
Rental cost
Accessibility
Parking
Public transportation
Restrooms
Power
Internet access
Loading and unloading
Sound restrictions
Catering restrictions
Alcohol rules
Security requirements
Available furniture
Weather protection
Cancellation terms
Visit the venue in person before signing the agreement. Walk through the experience from the attendee’s perspective, starting with arrival and ending with departure.
Review permits and insurance
Permit and insurance requirements depend on the location and event type. You may need approval for:
Alcohol sales
Food service
Temporary structures
Street closures
Amplified sound
Fire safety
Occupancy
Public gatherings
Raffles
Merchandise sales
Temporary signs
Contact the relevant city, county, venue or licensing authority early. Do not assume the venue’s existing permissions cover your event.
You may also need general liability, event cancellation, liquor liability, equipment or workers’ compensation insurance. Consult a qualified local insurance professional when coverage requirements are unclear.
75 Days Before the Event
Confirm the event format
Document what attendees will experience from arrival to departure.
Your event format should identify:
Opening and closing times
Entry times
Sessions or performances
Breaks
Food and beverage periods
VIP activities
Competitions or demonstrations
Sponsor appearances
Final announcements
Departure procedures
Create a draft run of show. It does not need to be perfect yet, but it should reveal scheduling conflicts and missing responsibilities.
Book vendors and performers
Depending on the event, suppliers may include:
Caterers
Food vendors
Bars
Performers
Speakers
Audio and lighting providers
Rental companies
Photographers
Videographers
Decorators
Security teams
Cleaning services
Transportation providers
Medical staff
Every agreement should clearly state:
Services being provided
Arrival and departure times
Payment schedule
Cancellation terms
Equipment requirements
Insurance requirements
Setup responsibilities
On-site contact information
Avoid relying on verbal agreements.
Create a site plan
Map the major parts of the venue, including:
Entrances
Exits
Ticket scanning
Walk-up ticket sales
Stages
Seating
Vendor booths
Food and beverage areas
Restrooms
First aid
Emergency exits
Accessible routes
Staff-only areas
Waste stations
Use the plan to identify possible bottlenecks. A wide venue entrance will not prevent queues if ticket scanning happens at one narrow table.
Build the event brand
Prepare consistent visual and written materials for:
Event logo
Colors and fonts
Event description
Social media graphics
Sponsor materials
Signage
Email campaigns
Ticketing page
Your event description should quickly answer five questions:
What is the event?
Who is it for?
When and where does it happen?
What does the ticket include?
Why should someone attend?
60 Days Before the Event
Set the ticket strategy
Create ticket types that match meaningful differences in the attendee experience.
Common options include:
Early-bird tickets
General admission
VIP tickets
Single-day tickets
Weekend passes
Family tickets
Group bundles
Student or senior tickets
Member tickets
Timed-entry tickets
Avoid creating too many choices. Every ticket type should have an obvious purpose.
If you offer VIP admission, explain exactly what the buyer receives. Possible benefits include priority entry, reserved seating, private sessions, merchandise, food packages or access to a separate area.
Set ticket quantities and sales periods
Decide:
The number of tickets available
The quantity reserved for sponsors or guests
When sales open
When each ticket tier ends
Whether prices rise automatically
Whether sales continue at the door
Whether free tickets count against capacity
Real scarcity can motivate buyers. Artificial scarcity can damage trust. Only use messages such as “10 tickets remaining” when the number is accurate.
Build the ticketing page
Your event page should include:
Event name
Date and time
Venue and full address
Clear event description
Ticket types and prices
Schedule
Age restrictions
Accessibility information
Parking and transportation
Refund policy
Weather policy
Contact details
Strong images
Visible purchase button
Review the checkout experience on a phone. Most buyers should be able to understand the offer and complete their purchase without needing to contact the organizer.
TixFox lets organizers build a branded event page, create multiple ticket types, accept mobile payments and send QR tickets immediately after purchase. Ticket revenue goes directly to the organizer’s connected Stripe account rather than being held until after the event.
Create the refund and cancellation policy
State what happens if:
The buyer can no longer attend
The event is postponed
The event is canceled
Severe weather affects the event
A performer withdraws
The buyer purchases the wrong ticket
The ticket is transferred to another person
Display the policy before checkout. Clear terms reduce disputes, chargebacks and last-minute confusion.
Launch ticket sales
Before announcing the event publicly:
Complete a test purchase
Confirm the ticket email arrives
Test the QR code
Check the page on desktop and mobile
Verify all links
Confirm the correct bank or Stripe account
Review taxes and fees
Test discount codes
Confirm sales limits
Ask a person who was not involved in setup to perform the final test. They are more likely to notice unclear instructions.
45 Days Before the Event
Launch the marketing campaign
Use a simple campaign structure:
Launch period: Announce the event, explain its value and introduce the main attractions.
Education period: Show what attendees will experience. Publish behind-the-scenes content, vendor profiles, speaker interviews and useful information.
Proof period: Share testimonials, past-event photos, partner endorsements and ticket-sale milestones.
Urgency period: Communicate genuine deadlines, limited inventory and final logistical information.
Choose marketing channels based on the audience rather than trying to use every available platform.
Build an email campaign
A basic event email sequence can include:
Event announcement
Early-bird reminder
Performer, vendor or speaker spotlight
Social proof or testimonial
Ticket deadline
Final availability reminder
Attendee information email
Email past attendees first. They already understand the experience and will often convert more efficiently than a cold advertising audience.
Set up campaign tracking
Create separate tracked links for:
Email
Facebook
Instagram
Paid advertisements
Sponsors
Vendors
Performers
Influencers
Community partners
Printed QR codes
UTM tracking helps identify which promotions generate sales rather than clicks alone. Use a consistent naming structure from the beginning because campaign data cannot be reconstructed accurately after the event.
TixFox provides campaign, referral, location and device reporting so organizers can compare traffic with completed ticket sales.
Secure sponsors and partners
Potential sponsors will want to know:
Who attends
Expected attendance
What the event represents
What exposure they receive
How results will be measured
What each sponsorship level costs
Offer specific benefits rather than vague promises of “brand visibility.”
Possible benefits include:
Logo placement
Email inclusion
Social media mentions
On-site signage
Booth space
Stage acknowledgments
Branded activities
Complimentary tickets
Category exclusivity
Post-event reporting
Give sponsors tracked links or unique discount codes so you can measure their contribution.
30 Days Before the Event
Confirm staffing requirements
List every role needed before, during and after the event.
Roles may include:
Event manager
Venue contact
Check-in staff
Box-office staff
Security
Volunteer coordinator
Stage manager
Vendor coordinator
Technical support
Photographer
Medical contact
Runner
Cleanup crew
Assign one owner to every task. Shared responsibility often becomes no responsibility when the event gets busy.
Recruit and train volunteers
Provide volunteers with:
Written role descriptions
Shift times
Arrival instructions
Dress requirements
Venue map
Emergency contacts
Break schedule
Escalation procedures
Ticket-scanning instructions
Avoid giving financial dashboard access to volunteers who only need to scan tickets. TixFox check-in assistants can scan attendees without receiving access to the organizer’s financial information.
Plan the entry process
Estimate when most attendees will arrive and how quickly each person can be processed.
Prepare separate procedures for:
Prepaid ticket holders
VIP guests
Complimentary guests
Attendees without their QR code
Walk-up buyers
People requiring accessibility support
Re-entry
Invalid or previously used tickets
Use multiple scanning positions when a large portion of the audience will arrive within a short period.
Test the internet connection, but also prepare for degraded connectivity. Make sure staff know what to do if a device stops working.
Finalize accessibility arrangements
Review both physical and communication accessibility.
Consider:
Step-free access
Accessible restrooms
Seating options
Viewing areas
Clear paths
Accessible parking
Service animals
Captioning
Sign-language interpretation
Hearing assistance
Lighting and sound sensitivity
Large-print materials
Dietary requirements
A clear method for requesting accommodations
Publish accessibility information before the event. Do not make attendees contact you for basic facts that can be provided on the event page.
Develop the safety plan
Your plan should identify:
Emergency exits
Evacuation routes
Shelter locations
First-aid resources
Emergency contacts
Staff communication methods
Lost-child procedures
Crowd-capacity controls
Severe weather thresholds
Incident-reporting procedures
Share the relevant sections with staff, vendors and venue management.
14 Days Before the Event
Confirm every supplier
Contact each vendor, performer and supplier to verify:
Arrival time
Contact person
Final payment
Equipment
Parking
Loading access
Power requirements
Insurance documents
Special requests
Create one master contact sheet that the event manager can access quickly.
Finalize the run of show
The final run of show should include:
Exact times
Activity
Location
Person responsible
Equipment required
Dependencies
Backup action
Distribute the latest version and clearly label it with the revision date.
Send attendee reminders
The first attendee reminder should include:
Date
Opening time
Recommended arrival time
Address
Parking
Public transportation
What to bring
Prohibited items
Accessibility information
Weather expectations
Ticket instructions
Support contact
Automated reminders reduce forgotten tickets and repeated customer-service questions.
Review sales performance
Compare current sales with:
Capacity
Break-even quantity
Previous events
Campaign targets
Remaining marketing budget
Do not react to slow sales with an immediate blanket discount. First determine which audiences and campaigns are producing conversions.
7 Days Before the Event
Complete a full operational review
Confirm:
Venue access
Final attendee count
Ticket inventory
Staffing
Vendor attendance
Security
Insurance
Permits
Signage
Equipment
Payment devices
Internet access
Extension cables
Lighting
First aid
Cleaning
Waste collection
Weather plan
Charge every device and prepare backup batteries or power banks.
Print essential information
Digital systems are useful, but key documents should also be available offline.
Print:
Run of show
Staff schedule
Contact sheet
Venue map
Emergency plan
Vendor list
Guest list
Incident forms
Backup attendee list when appropriate
Avoid printing or distributing more attendee data than the team genuinely needs.
Prepare event signage
Common signs include:
Entrance
Tickets
Check-in
VIP
Restrooms
Accessibility
Schedule
First aid
Food and drinks
Exits
Information
Staff only
Check that signs are readable from a distance and positioned where attendees must make decisions.
The Day Before the Event
Perform the final test
Test:
QR scanning
Duplicate-ticket detection
Staff logins
Tap-to-pay or point-of-sale equipment
Discount codes
Walk-up purchases
Receipt delivery
Radios or messaging systems
Sound
Lighting
Presentations
Internet access
Do not assume that a system working several weeks ago will work under the final configuration.
Brief the team
Keep the briefing focused on what staff need to do.
Cover:
Event goal
Schedule
Individual assignments
Entry process
Accessibility
Customer-service standards
Emergency procedures
Escalation contacts
Breaks
Closing responsibilities
Make it clear who has the authority to make operational decisions.
Event Day Checklist
Before doors open
Arrive before vendors and staff
Walk the venue
Check entrances and emergency exits
Inspect accessible routes
Confirm room or area capacities
Test ticket scanning
Test walk-up payments
Position signs
Verify the schedule
Confirm staff attendance
Check vendor setup
Review weather conditions
Photograph the completed setup
Hold the final team briefing
During check-in
Keep scanners ready before guests arrive
Separate ticket problems from the main line
Monitor queue length
Add scanning positions when necessary
Track real-time attendance
Keep one supervisor available for exceptions
Protect attendee information
Record recurring problems
During the event
Follow the run of show
Monitor capacity
Check restrooms and waste areas
Communicate schedule changes
Support vendors and performers
Document incidents
Capture photos and video
Monitor attendee feedback
Thank sponsors publicly as agreed
At closing
Stop entry at the correct time
Communicate transportation information
Complete final vendor checks
Secure cash and equipment
Record damage or incidents
Remove temporary signs
Confirm cleanup
Photograph the venue
Check lost property
Thank staff and volunteers
After the Event
Reconcile finances
Calculate:
Gross ticket revenue
Ticketing and payment costs
Sponsor revenue
Vendor revenue
Merchandise revenue
Refunds
Final expenses
Net profit or loss
Compare the result with the original budget and explain significant differences.
Measure event performance
Review:
Tickets sold
Attendance
No-show rate
Revenue per attendee
Sales by ticket type
Sales by campaign
Check-in speed
Refunds
Customer-service requests
Sponsor results
Survey responses
Save the data while the details are still fresh.
Send the attendee survey
Keep the survey short enough to complete in a few minutes.
Useful questions include:
How satisfied were you with the event?
How did you hear about it?
What was the best part?
What should be improved?
Was the event good value for the ticket price?
How easy was entry?
Would you attend again?
Would you recommend the event?
What future events interest you?
Include one open-text question for feedback you did not anticipate.
Follow up with stakeholders
Within several days:
Thank attendees
Thank staff and volunteers
Pay outstanding invoices
Share photos
Send sponsor results
Address complaints
Process approved refunds
Return rental equipment
Document lessons learned
Give previous attendees early access when the next event launches. An established attendee list is one of an organizer’s most valuable marketing assets.
Hold a debrief
Ask the team:
What worked?
What created delays?
What did attendees ask repeatedly?
Which vendor relationships should continue?
Which costs were unexpected?
Which marketing channels sold tickets?
What should change next time?
Convert the answers into documented actions. Do not rely on memory when planning the next event.
Final Thoughts
A successful event does not depend on remembering everything at once. It depends on making the right decisions in the right order and assigning clear responsibility for each task.
Start with the event’s purpose and financial model. Confirm the venue and operating requirements before launching sales. Give yourself enough time to market the experience, train the team and test the attendee journey.
Your ticketing system should support that work without adding unnecessary complexity or taking a large percentage of your revenue.
TixFox gives independent organizers branded event pages, flexible ticket types, discount and BOGO offers, campaign tracking, automated reminders, mobile check-in, walk-up payments and direct Stripe payouts for a flat per-ticket platform fee.
Create your event with TixFox and put your first tickets on sale.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far in advance should you start planning an event?
Small workshops, classes and community events may require four to eight weeks. Larger festivals, conferences and public events often require three to twelve months. Venue demand, permits, performers, sponsors and event complexity should determine the schedule.
What is the first step in planning an event?
Define the purpose, target audience and measurable goal. These decisions guide the budget, venue, ticket strategy, programming and marketing plan.
What should an event planning checklist include?
It should cover goals, budget, venue, permits, insurance, suppliers, ticketing, marketing, sponsors, staff, accessibility, safety, attendee communications, event-day operations and post-event evaluation.
How do you calculate an event’s break-even point?
Divide total event costs by the net revenue earned from each ticket. Include ticketing and payment costs when calculating net ticket revenue.
When should event tickets go on sale?
Tickets should normally go on sale when the date, venue, main experience, price and refund policy are confirmed. Large destination events require a longer sales period than local workshops or recurring events.
How many check-in staff does an event need?
The answer depends on attendance, arrival concentration, scanning speed and the number of entrances. Run a timed scanning test and plan for the busiest arrival period rather than average attendance across the whole day.
What should organizers do after an event?
Reconcile revenue and expenses, survey attendees, report results to sponsors, pay vendors, review marketing performance, document operational lessons and begin building demand for the next event.
