Give Me the Elevator Pitch — Quick Snapshot

• In one sentence, how would you describe this festival or event today?
• Which best describes your role or relationship to the festival? Options: Founder / Brand Owner, Municipal leader / Tourism director, Event investor, Sponsor or activation manager, Production partner, Other
• What is your target total attendance for the coming edition? Options: Under 5,000, 5,000–20,000, 20,000–50,000, 50,000–100,000, 100,000+
• What are the top three objectives you most need this production to deliver? Options: Safe operations (zero incidents), Hit attendance targets, Sponsor ROI and activation delivery, Economic impact / community goodwill, High-quality guest experience, On-budget delivery
• What is your current planned timeline from kickoff to event day? Options: Less than 3 months, 3–6 months, 6–9 months, 9–12 months, 12+ months
• Who are the primary stakeholders we should know about (names/titles/organizations)?

Are You Comfortable With How Decisions Actually Get Made?

• If your current decision-makers were unavailable a week before the event, what would fall apart?
• Who holds final authority on go/no-go decisions (select all that apply)? Options: Festival owner/founder, Municipal official, Primary sponsor, Lead investor, Production director, Insurer or permitting authority
• How committed are your top sponsors or funders to covering contingency costs if a major issue occurs? Options: Fully committed, Partially committed, Unclear / undecided, Not committed
• Are there trusted individuals who can act on behalf of decision-makers during crises? If yes, who and what authority do they have?
• How do you typically document and confirm sponsor or stakeholder commitments (contracts, MOU, emails)? Options: Signed contract, MOU or letter, Email confirmations, Verbal commitments, Not documented / ad hoc
• What would make you feel confident that all decision roles are aligned and unlikely to cause last-minute friction?

What's Haunted You Since Your Last Event?

• When you think about past problems or near-misses, which single issue still keeps you up at night? Options: Severe weather, Security incident, Infrastructure failure (power/water), Artist cancellation, Ticketing or ingress gridlock, Sponsor underdelivery, Other
• Which of these problems have you actually experienced in past events? (select all that apply) Options: Major weather disruption, Medical/safety incident, Stage or structural failure, Traffic/parking collapse, Vendor no-shows, Permit disputes, Community complaints
• How often have these issues materially affected your event outcomes? Options: Every edition, Often, Occasionally, Rarely, Never
• Tell us about one event where an issue changed how you thought about producing festivals—what happened and why did it stick with you?
• How long have you been putting up with persistent operational problems before deciding you needed outside production help? Options: This is the first time, Less than 1 year, 1–3 years, 3–5 years, 5+ years

When Things Go Wrong, What's the Story?

• If a worst-case scenario happens (severe storm, mass cancellation, major security incident), what is your default plan right now? Options: Cancel the event, Pause/evacuate and resume later, Proceed with mitigations, Unsure / no plan
• Who is responsible for activating emergency plans, and how would that activation actually happen (phone tree, on-site command, app)?
• What critical systems or suppliers do you consider single points of failure? Options: Main stage rigging, Power provider, Water/ritual infrastructure, Ticketing system, Artist transport/logistics, Security provider, Permitting authority
• How confident are you in your insurance coverage to protect the festival and stakeholders against cancellations, claims, or liabilities? Options: Fully confident, Partially confident, Unclear on coverage, Not confident
• Describe a contingency you currently have that you believe is inadequate—and why it feels risky.
• If we were to stress-test your plans, which scenario would you most want us to validate first? Options: Severe weather/evacuation, Artist cancellation & replacement, Mass ingress/egress failure, Medical surge, Sponsor activation failure

Imagine That Day — What Would Make You Proud?

• If this edition were a clear success, what three measurable signals would prove it to you?
• What guest experience moments are non-negotiable for your brand (sound quality, sightlines, food options, family zones, VIP experience)? Options: Sound/production quality, Clear sightlines, Food & beverage variety, Sanitation & shade, Family/kids areas, Accessibility services, VIP/sponsor experiences
• What sponsor deliverables must be met to preserve future funding and reputation? Options: Impressions/footfall metrics, Lead capture & sales, Brand placements, Hospitality experiences, Custom activations
• How would you prioritize between a flawless safety record and exceeding attendance targets if those goals conflicted? Options: Safety over attendance, Attendance over safety, Neither — unacceptable tradeoff, Depends on the scenario
• What small detail—if executed perfectly—would make attendees rave and ensure strong word-of-mouth?

Where Our Work Must Be Bulletproof

• You’ve mentioned constraints—what site-specific issues are already known to limit design or operations? Options: Limited access roads, Floodplain / drainage, Noise restrictions, Neighboring property objections, Limited power capacity, Terrain/soil limitations, Other
• What is the current permitting status and what permits remain outstanding? Options: All permits secured, Most permits secured, some pending, Major permits pending, Permit timeline uncertain
• Which municipal or community stakeholders will influence your permit outcomes and how has engagement with them gone so far?
• What insurance limits and coverage types does your insurer require or expect (select all that apply)? Options: General liability, Event cancellation, Participant liability, Workers' comp, Equipment insurance, Other
• How would you rank the site's top three technical must-haves for operations (lighting, power redundancy, comms, fencing, water supply)? Options: Lighting, Power redundancy, Radio comms, Perimeter fencing, Water & sanitation, Backstage infrastructure
• Is there anything in the community that would immediately block a proposed solution (historic preservation, curfew, noise ordinance)? If yes, explain.

How Sponsors and Revenue Need to Show Up

• If a sponsor could walk away tomorrow, which sponsor loss would do the most damage and why?
• What KPIs do your sponsors care about most (select up to three)? Options: Footfall/visitors, Dwell time at activation, Leads captured, Sales uplift, Brand impressions, Hospitality experiences
• How are sponsor deliverables currently documented and enforced? Options: Detailed SOW/contract, Activation briefs only, Email agreements, Informal/handshake
• Have sponsors ever publicly complained about activation performance? If yes, what happened and what did you learn?
• What would a credible remediation plan look like if an activation underperformed on the day?
• How flexible are your revenue assumptions—do you have contingency plans if ticket or sponsor revenue is 10–30% lower than forecast? Options: Yes — detailed contingencies, Some contingencies planned, No contingencies, Unsure

What's the Smallest Testable Step That Proves Readiness?

• What is your current go/no-go milestone cadence and which dates are fixed? Options: Weekly checkpoints, Monthly milestones, Three formal go/no-go dates, No formal milestones yet
• Which three dependencies must be confirmed before we commit to full production (permits, insurance, headliner, funding, site remediation)? Options: Permits, Insurance, Headliner/artist contract, Anchor sponsors/funding, Site remediation/engineering
• If we propose a phased validation (small-scale test activation or dry run), what would success look like for you?
• Who needs to sign off at each milestone and how quickly can they make decisions?
• What are your top three concerns about handing operational control to an external production partner?
• What immediate next step would make you feel we’re moving toward alignment—an on-site walk, a draft SOW, a risk register, or something else? Options: On-site walk, Draft SOW and budget, Detailed risk register, Sponsor alignment call, Other

Quick Site Snapshot — Getting Oriented Together

• What is the official name and physical address of the proposed site (or the best short description if address is informal)?
• What are the planned event dates and total number of festival days (including load-in/out windows)? Options: Single day, 2 days, 3 days, 4+ days
• How many attendees do you expect per day and at peak moment (give a realistic range if uncertain)?
• Has this exact site hosted similar events before? Options: Yes, frequently (annual/regular), Occasionally (one-offs in last 5 years), Never hosted events like this
• Who is our primary contact for site logistics and permitting on your side (name and role)?
• Do you already have a basic site map or aerial/layout we can review? Options: Yes—detailed CAD/site plan, Yes—simple diagram or satellite image, No, not yet

What Hidden Site Problems Are You Pretending Don’t Exist?

• Which on-site constraints do you think are being underestimated right now (pick all that feel like a risk even if not confirmed)? Options: Drainage/flood risk, Underground utilities, Soil/substrate instability, Tree/root protection areas, Noise/curfew limits, Limited vehicle access, Nearby hazardous operations (rail/highway), Other
• Tell a recent example where a seemingly small site issue caused a big problem—what happened and why did it surprise you?
• Have you had geotechnical or soils reports for this footprint? If yes, what were the key findings or red flags? Options: Yes—stable with recommendations, Yes—some concerns noted, No, not done yet
• Are there known seasonal weather patterns, tides, or groundwater conditions that have previously affected this site? Options: Severe seasonality (flooding/high winds), Moderate seasonality, Minimal/none known
• If we needed to shift the festival footprint by 50–150 meters to mitigate a constraint, how flexible is the site ownership or landlord on changes? Options: Very flexible, Somewhat flexible, Not flexible/locked-in, Unsure

Permits, Politics, and Paperwork — Are We Assuming a Smooth Path?

• Which specific permits do you believe are required for this event (select everything you think applies)? Options: Special event permit, Temporary structure/rigging permits, Noise/curfew variance, Fire marshal approvals, Food/vendor permits, Alcohol service permit, Road/traffic closure permits, Environmental/land-use approvals, Other
• What’s the current status of each required permit (list permit type and status—approved/pending/not applied)?
• Has the municipality or permitting authority ever denied or significantly modified a permit for you (or for a similar event) before? If so, what was the sticking point? Options: Yes—major modification/denial, Yes—minor conditions added, No
• Which local departments will sign off on our permits (e.g., public works, fire, parks, planning), and which of those tend to be the most conservative?
• Are there formal permit decision deadlines we must meet to proceed (dates or lead times)? If yes, please specify.

Insurance & Liability — Who Will Be Comfortable With the Risk Envelope?

• Which insurance coverages and policy limits are currently being assumed (choose all you expect will be required)? Options: Commercial General Liability, Excess/umbrella, Workers’ compensation, Liquor liability, Cancellation/Non-appearance, Weather/Storm cover, Automobile, Cyber
• Do you already have insurer pre-approvals for this site or event type, or will we need to source an insurer willing to underwrite it? Options: Insurer pre-approved for site/type, Need to source insurer, Unsure—haven't discussed with insurer
• Have there been any insurance claims in the last five years related to events on this site or run by your organization (briefly describe)? Options: Yes—major claim(s), Yes—minor claim(s), No claims in last 5 years, Unsure
• Do municipal or sponsor contracts require additional insured endorsements, certificates, or specific policy language we should know about now? Options: Yes—specific endorsements required, General certificate only, No special requirements, Unsure
• How comfortable are you with pursuing specialized policies (e.g., severe-weather cancellation) if standard coverage won't protect anticipated revenue risks? Options: Very comfortable—let’s get it, Open but concerned about cost, Prefer to avoid unless necessary, Unsure

Neighbors, Noise, and Local Feel — Do People Actually Want This Here?

• How would you describe the community’s current attitude toward the festival (pick the best match)? Options: Enthusiastic/supportive, Neutral/indifferent, Concerned about impacts, Hostile/opposed, Mixed—varies by stakeholder
• Have there been organized community objections, petitions, or formal complaints tied to prior events at this site or nearby? If so, what were the main themes?
• What community benefits or mitigation commitments have been promised or are being considered (e.g., parking mitigation, noise monitoring, local hiring)? Options: Noise monitoring and limits, Traffic management funding, Community ticket program, Local vendor priority, None agreed yet, Other
• Who are the key community influencers or groups whose support would make permitting simpler (names/roles)?
• If we needed to launch a last-minute outreach campaign to calm neighbors, what tactics have worked for you before or would you trust? Options: Town hall meetings, Direct mailers/door-knocking, Local media PR, Compensation/benefit programs, Onsite noise mitigation tech, Other

Load-In, Load-Out, and Construction Nightmares — What Are We Overlooking?

• Which of the following logistic restrictions apply to the site that could complicate build/strike (select all that apply)? Options: Single access road, Weight limits on bridges/roads, Time-of-day work restrictions, No heavy equipment on grass, Noise curfews at night, Limited laydown/marshalling space, No on-site parking for vendors/crew
• Describe the preferred load-in route(s) and any known pinch points or permitted access times we must honor.
• Are there utility capacity constraints we should plan around (power, potable water, sewer/drainage)? If yes, how are these currently addressed? Options: Sufficient existing utilities, Needs temporary utilities (generators/water trucks), Significant upgrades required, Unknown—needs assessment
• Would night work be possible for critical build tasks, or are there noise/permit rules that prohibit it? Options: Night work allowed with restrictions, Allowed without restriction, Prohibited
• How much secure storage or covered staging area exists on-site for critical gear and would theft/weather be a concern? Options: Ample secure storage, Some options but limited, No secure storage on-site, Unsure

Emergency Access & Life-Safety — Would First Responders Be Able to Do Their Job?

• If there were a major medical or fire incident, how confident are you that emergency vehicles can reach any point in the footprint within accepted response times? Options: Confident—clear access, Some areas are tight but manageable, Not confident—access concerns, Unsure
• Do we have pre-existing mutual aid or EMS/fire agreements for this site, or will those need to be negotiated? Options: Agreements in place, Need to negotiate, No agreements expected/required, Unsure
• What evacuation or egress routes do you imagine attendees would use—are there natural bottlenecks we must plan for?
• Are there permanent obstacles (fences, retaining walls, water bodies) inside or bordering the site that limit safe evacuation or crowd movement? Options: Yes—significant obstacles, Some obstacles but solvable, No major obstacles, Unsure
• Would you be open to a third-party crowd flow simulation if egress capacity is a potential concern? Options: Yes—strongly recommend it, Maybe—if flagged as risk, No—prefer simpler assessment, Unsure

Design Tradeoffs — If We Could Remove One Constraint, Which Would You Choose?

• What single site constraint would most improve safety, guest experience, and commercial return if it could be removed or fixed? Options: Improved vehicle access, Stronger utilities (power/water), More laydown/marshalling space, Reduced community restrictions (noise/curfew), Lower insurance requirements, Other
• If we solved that constraint, what would success look like on site—describe the tangible changes to operations and guest experience?
• What tradeoffs would you accept to fix that constraint (higher cost, longer lead time, community concessions)? Options: Higher cost, Longer timeline, Community concessions, Reduced capacity, Other
• Are there non-negotiable site requirements we cannot change even if they improve outcomes (e.g., protected areas, historic structures)? Please list.
• If we recommend a different nearby site as a contingency, how many alternate sites would you be willing to consider? Options: 1 alternative, 2–3 alternatives, Open to many, Prefer to stay at this site only

Timeline, Milestones, and Go/No-Go Pressure Points

• What are the non-negotiable external deadlines (municipal permit decisions, sponsor confirmations, funding transfers) that create true go/no-go moments?
• Which of those deadlines are most at risk of slipping and why?
• How much runway do we have for remediation if a permit is delayed—days, weeks, or months? Options: Days, 1–3 weeks, 1–3 months, Longer than 3 months
• What would be the immediate commercial consequences of a late or denied permit (lost sponsors, ticket refunds, increased costs)?
• Who holds final sign-off authority on your side for a go/no-go decision, and what approval process do they follow?

Action Ownership — Who Does What and By When?

• Thinking through the next 30 days, what are the top three actions that would materially reduce site and permitting risk?
• For each action above, who on your team owns it and who needs to support or approve it?
• How confident are you in your team’s capacity to meet those action commitments without external help? Options: Very confident, Somewhat confident, Not confident—need support, Unsure
• What documentation or site surveys would you like us to prioritize (e.g., topo, geotech, utility locates, community impact memo)? Options: Topographic survey, Geotechnical report, Utility locate/confirmation, Traffic study, Noise study, Environmental assessment, Other
• If we were to schedule a single on-site assessment next week, what day/time windows and on-site contacts work best?

Tell Me About Your Festival — the Story You Want Us to Hear First

• How would you briefly describe your festival’s mission, tone, and where you are in its lifecycle?
• What is the attendance target for the next edition? Options: Under 5,000, 5,000–15,000, 15,000–50,000, 50,000–100,000, 100,000+
• Who are the primary audience segments you rely on to fill those tickets? Options: Local residents, Regional travelers, Tourists (out-of-state), Industry guests/press, Sponsors/partners, Other
• How many days and stages/activations do you typically run? Options: Single-day, single stage, Single-day, multiple stages, Multi-day, single stage, Multi-day, multi-stage
• What revenue mix do you expect to hit (approximate): tickets, sponsorship, F&B, other? Options: Mostly ticket revenue, Even split ticket/sponsorship, Sponsorship-driven, F&B and activations-driven, Other
• Thinking of your last successful edition—what single element do you most want to preserve going forward?

If This Goes Sideways, What Breaks First?

• When you picture a problem that could seriously damage the festival’s brand, what does that scenario look like?
• Which of these failure modes concerns you most right now? Options: Major safety incident, Stage or infrastructure collapse, Severe weather cancellation, Traffic/ingress gridlock, Sponsor underdelivery, Ticketing platform failure
• Have you experienced an incident (safety, permit, or reputational) in the past three editions? If yes, briefly describe what happened and the consequences. Options: No incidents in past three editions, Minor incidents with no lasting impact, Moderate incident that required operational changes, Severe incident with public/regulatory fallout
• How long did it take you to recover trust or operational normalcy after that incident? Options: Days, Weeks, Months, Over a year, Not applicable
• Which of these would you say is weakest in your current setup and most likely to fail under stress? Options: Vendor reliability, Crew coordination, Traffic/ingress plans, Insurance/permits, On-site medical/security capacity

What Are You Really Betting On?

• If everything goes to plan, what three measurable outcomes will tell you this festival was a success?
• Which single KPI carries the most weight for your stakeholders? Options: Net ticket revenue, Attendance vs. capacity, Sponsor ROI/activation metrics, Safety incident rate (zero incidents), Local economic impact
• What sponsor commitments are non-negotiable in terms of deliverables or metrics? Options: Brand impressions, On-site activations completed, Hospitality access/guest lists, Exclusive categories, Reporting/attribution
• What financial runway or contingency do you have if ticket sales fall short of target? Options: We have ≥20% contingency, We have 10–20% contingency, We have <10% contingency, No contingency—must hit target
• Which stakeholders will view a missed target as a deal-breaker versus a learning opportunity? Please name roles.

Where the Crowd Lives in Your Vision — Experience, Flow, and Memory

• If an attendee left a 5-star review, what three moments would they describe?
• Which aspects of guest experience are absolute priorities for you? Options: Safety & security, Sound/production quality, Food & beverage variety, Ease of entry/egress, Sanitation & services, Accessibility
• How tolerant are you of queueing or wait times for high-demand activations? Options: Under 5 minutes, 5–15 minutes, 15–30 minutes, 30+ minutes
• What accessibility and inclusion features must be baked into the guest journey? Options: ADA access points, Sensory-friendly zones, Language/translation services, Family/child-friendly amenities, None specified
• Describe one guest experience tradeoff you’re willing to accept to improve safety or reliability (e.g., fewer activations, longer load-in windows).

Who Must Say Yes — People, Permits, and Political Realities

• Who are the decision-makers that must approve the festival moving forward, and what are their top concerns?
• Which municipal or regulatory approvals are most uncertain right now? Options: Site permits, Noise variances, Alcohol permits, Temporary structure approvals, Emergency services sign-off
• Who internally owns safety and who owns commercial delivery (names or roles)? Options: Festival Director/Owner, Operations Director, Head of Production, External Safety Consultant, Other
• How long does your internal approval cycle typically take for major contract/signature decisions? Options: Under 1 week, 1–2 weeks, 3–4 weeks, Over a month
• Are there political or community stakeholders whose support is essential? If so, what are their main sticking points?

What Keeps You Up at Night — Risk, Contingency, and What You’d Rather Avoid

• When you imagine the worst plausible week before the festival, what sequence of events worries you most?
• What’s your tolerance for weather-driven schedule changes versus outright cancellation? Options: Operate in most conditions with contingencies, Delay start times as needed, Cancel on significant weather, Unsure
• Do you have contractual clauses in place for artist cancellations and force majeure, and do they sufficiently protect you? Options: Yes—comprehensive, Yes—partial protection, No—need counsel, Unsure
• How confident are you in your current vendor roster to deliver under compressed lead times? Options: Very confident, Somewhat confident, Not confident, We need backups
• If a key supplier failed within 72 hours of load-in, what immediate steps would you expect the production partner to take?

If We Could Guarantee One Thing — Priorities, Trade-offs, and the Single North Star

• If you had to pick one non-negotiable guarantee from a production partner, what would it be (safety, on-time delivery, sponsor metrics, guest experience, or financial protection)? Options: Zero major safety incidents, On-time opening of gates, Sponsor KPI guarantees, Target attendance, Minimum net revenue guarantee
• Which of the following trade-offs would you accept to secure that guarantee? Options: Higher production fee, Reduced artist fee budget, Smaller footprint (fewer stages), More conservative attendance cap, Other
• How will you measure whether the guarantee was met—what data, reports, or signals do you need? Options: Attendance counts, Safety incident logs, Sponsor performance reports, Guest satisfaction survey, Economic impact estimate
• After the festival, who will own the post-mortem and what timeline do you expect for delivering learnings and remediation plans? Options: Client-led within 2 weeks, Joint review within 2–4 weeks, Production partner delivers full report within a month, Other
• What would you consider a realistic timeline for implementing changes based on post-event learnings? Options: Immediate (next edition), Within 6 months, 12 months or longer, Undecided

What Small Change Would Make a Big Difference — Practical Next Steps and Readiness

• If we focused on fixing one bottleneck before build week, which should it be? Options: Crew & shift schedules, Vendor contracts and SLAs, Ingress/egress & traffic plan, Medical & security staffing, Sponsor activation readiness
• How soon are you looking to finalize a production partner and lock major contracts? Options: Immediately, In 2–4 weeks, Within 1–3 months, Longer horizon
• What documentation would you like from us first (site plan, risk register, budget scenario, references)? Options: Preliminary site plan, Sample risk register, Tiered budget scenarios, Sponsor case studies/references, Other
• What cadence of check-ins do you prefer during planning (weekly, biweekly, monthly, milestone-based)? Options: Weekly, Biweekly, Monthly, Milestone-driven
• Who should be included in an initial kickoff meeting from your side (roles or names) and who will be our single point of contact?

Quick Check — Where Are We Today?

• Which best describes your current stage of pre-deployment readiness? Options: Initial planning, Vendor contracting, Partial systems tests completed, Full systems test complete, Permits/insurance pending, Final signoff pending
• When was the last full systems test (safety systems, power, comms, ingress/egress) and what were the key outcomes?
• Do you have a single, shared acceptance-criteria document that covers safety, operations, sponsor activations, and infrastructure? Options: Yes, complete and shared, Yes, draft in progress, No formal document, We use multiple disconnected documents
• Who is the day-of single point of contact for operational signoff (name, role, best contact) and are they empowered to make binding decisions?
• What is the single thing that would change your risk assessment overnight (e.g., weather forecast, permit condition, vendor failure)?

If Something Goes Wrong, Who Is First to Feel It?

• If a major incident happened tomorrow, who would be accountable in the first 30 minutes — and are they prepared to make binding operational decisions? Options: Yes, ready and empowered, Yes, but needs backup support, No clear owner, Unsure
• List the escalation chain for major incidents (names, roles, primary and secondary contacts).
• Do all key vendors and staff understand and accept the incident command structure? Options: Yes, fully embedded, Partially shared, Planned but not trained, No
• When was your last tabletop or live drill for a major incident (crowd surge, stage failure, mass casualty) and what did it reveal? Options: Within 1 month, 1–3 months, 3–6 months, Over 6 months, Never
• Describe any recent near-misses or unresolved safety concerns and the steps taken to address them.

Are We Confident About Crowd Movement—or Just Hopeful?

• If peak attendance spiked unexpectedly for one hour, could the planned ingress and egress sustain it without compromising safety? Options: Yes, within designed margins, Would exceed planned capacity, We have mitigations but risk remains, Unsure
• Provide your expected peak hourly ingress and egress rates (numbers or ranges) and the data source for those estimates.
• How many operational public gates and clearly marked emergency evacuation routes will be staffed and open at peak? Options: 1–2, 3–4, 5–7, 8+
• Have you completed a timed flow test (or simulation) for main entry points to validate queue length and throughput? Options: Yes, with data, Yes, informal observations, Planned but not executed, No
• Which crowd-management tools and systems are in place (select all that apply)? Options: Physical barriers and pens, Turnstiles/controlled access, Real-time crowd analytics/CCTV, Radio comms for stewards, Mobile push notifications/alerts, Dynamic signage, Other

Sponsor Deliverables: Real ROI or Checkbox Promises?

• If a headline sponsor asked for verified proof of delivery right now, could you produce the agreed metrics and evidence? Options: Yes, granular metrics ready, High-level metrics only, No, metrics not tracked, Unsure
• List each sponsor activation and the explicit acceptance criteria (deliverables, minimum footfall, impressions, technical requirements).
• Which technical integrations are required for sponsor activations (power, water, network, staging) and which of those have been tested on-site? Options: All tested, Some tested, Planned, Not tested
• Who owns sponsor success during the event (name/role), and have activation teams completed dry-runs or rehearsals?
• What measurement tools will we use to validate sponsor KPIs (select all that apply)? Options: RFID/beacons/heatmaps, Gate scans/ticketing data, Footfall cameras with analytics, Surveys/QR follow-ups, Sponsor-provided tracking, POS/sales integration, Other
• Are any sponsor deliverables currently at risk? If yes, explain the risk, impact, and proposed mitigation.

Vendors and Crews — Ready, or Just Contracted?

• Which statement best describes our vendor-risk posture: would a late or failed vendor force major event changes and do we have tested backups? Options: Backups for all critical vendors, One high-risk vendor with backup, Multiple high-risk vendors without backups, Unsure
• Provide a status summary for critical vendors (security, power, staging, sanitation, medical, traffic, catering) — green/amber/red and comments.
• Which vendors have submitted current insurance certificates and permit-related documentation? Options: All required vendors, Most vendors, Few vendors, None
• Are key vendors scheduled for on-site sign-off (structural engineer, electrical inspector, fire safety) and on what dates?
• Have final crew call times and pre-deployment briefings been distributed and acknowledged by all crews? Options: Yes, all briefed and acknowledged, Some briefed, Planned, No
• Which single vendor failing would have the largest operational impact and what is the immediate mitigation plan?

If Weather Spins, Do We Have a Playbook or a Prayer?

• Would your current weather plan protect attendees and critical infrastructure for weather scenarios we have seen locally in the past five years? Options: Yes, proven and tested, Partially, with residual risk, No, plan insufficient, Unsure
• What specific weather thresholds (wind speed, lightning distance, rainfall rate) trigger delay, evacuation, or full takedown?
• Do we have mapped shelter locations and staffed sheltered routes for vulnerable populations (medical cases, VIPs, families)? Options: Yes, mapped and staffed, Shelter identified but not staffed, No, Unsure
• Is ground protection (matting, temporary roadways) in place or scheduled to prevent infrastructure failure and accessibility issues? Options: Installed, Scheduled, Planned but not scheduled, Not planned
• Who is authorized to call a weather-driven evacuation or takedown and what is the pre-approved communication script to attendees and stakeholders?
• Are local emergency services looped into the weather contingency plan and able to access the site under severe conditions? Options: Yes, fully coordinated, Contacted but arrangements incomplete, No, Unsure

Can Your Team Run This Without Us — And Would You Want Them To?

• If our on-site leads were suddenly unavailable, could your team manage operations and keep the event safe and on schedule? Options: Yes, fully capable, Partially, with remote guidance, No, would struggle, Unsure
• How many staff and volunteers have completed role-specific training (first aid, crowd management, gate operations) and when was this training completed?
• Have emergency roles (medical lead, evacuation coordinator, crowd manager) been assigned with identified backups? Options: Assigned with backups, Assigned without backups, Partially assigned, Not assigned
• Are training records, certifications, and licenses stored centrally and available for inspection by municipal or insurance representatives? Options: Yes, centrally stored and accessible, Partial records available, No, Unsure
• Have you run a full dress rehearsal that includes communications, ingress/egress, sponsor activations, and emergency scenarios? Options: Yes, full dress rehearsal completed, Partial rehearsal completed, Planned, No
• Where do you feel your team needs the most external support in the final days before build (operations, safety, sponsor ops, communications, logistics)? Options: Operations/staging, Safety/medical, Sponsor activations, Communications/PR, Traffic/transport, Other

Acceptance Criteria — Precise, Measurable, and Non-Negotiable?

• If a system passes visual inspection but fails instrumentation or sensor data, which takes priority for acceptance decisions? Options: Measured sensor data, Visual and functional check, Depends on the system, Undecided — need to define
• Provide the pass/fail thresholds for safety-critical systems that we must test (electrical load tests, stage structural loads, comms latency, emergency lighting coverage).
• Who will sign the acceptance checklist for each domain (safety, production, sponsor, municipal), and what authority does each signer hold? Options: Named individuals identified, Roles identified, names pending, Only general roles defined, Not defined
• What is the acceptable remediation window after a failed acceptance check (same day, 24 hours, 48–72 hours, longer) before escalation or rescheduling? Options: Same day (hours), Within 24 hours, 48–72 hours, Longer / case-by-case
• Is an independent final inspection (engineer, fire marshal, municipal inspector) scheduled and if so, provide name, agency, and date.

Locking the Go/No-Go — Who is Comfortable Making the Call?

• Who has the final authority to declare ‘go’ or ‘no-go’ and are all decision-makers aligned on the decision criteria? Options: Aligned and documented, Aligned informally, Not aligned, Unsure
• Define the final go/no-go milestone times (by day/hour) and the communication cascade triggered at each milestone.
• What documentation and evidence must be presented at final signoff (test reports, vendor confirmations, staffing rosters, equipment certifications)? Options: All listed documents required, Subset acceptable (predefined), Not defined, Other
• How are payment milestones tied to acceptance and what is the preferred remediation/holdback approach if acceptance is delayed?
• Would you like a pre-scheduled joint final walkthrough with all stakeholders within a specific window before event start? If yes, select preferred timing. Options: Yes, 7 days prior, Yes, 3 days prior, Yes, 24–48 hours prior, No, prefer ad-hoc
• On a scale from 1–10, how confident are you that final acceptance will be achieved on schedule? Please explain the main factor influencing your rating. Options: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10