When planning an event, a vital but often overlooked aspect is parking capacity. This is especially true when converting a space that is not normally used for parking into a temporary parking lot. The following steps will help you organize the parking situation to be orderly and safe.

• Determine where the parking area will be. The parking area must be easily accessible from the event venue. Have a clear estimate of the number of attendees expected. Your parking lot should be able to hold at least half that number. If you have a long event, such as an all-day street festival, where people will come and go on their own schedule, a third will suffice, although more is better than less.
• Clearly mark the parking area. If it is very large, number a few “zones” so that people can easily locate your car when exiting. Determine and label one or more disabled parking areas. Make sure the area is wheelchair friendly and clearly marked.
• Designate a loading zone. Most events have professional delivery trucks and special teams. Designate the best area to download. Lock down this area so event attendees don’t park there. In an emergency, this can also serve as a parking space for emergency workers, such as firefighters or EMTs. Be sure to clearly mark the loading zone and communicate your location to delivery personnel, so that caterers and delivery vans don’t create congestion in other parts of the parking lot.
• Determine the best way to get traffic flowing. Will the parking lot have one-way alleys or will they be wide enough to accommodate two vehicles? Again, clearly mark the direction in which the traffic should flow, as well as the exits and entrances. Designate areas where pedestrians will be allowed to walk. The key to a neat lot is clearly telling drivers and pedestrians what to expect.
• Hire parking attendants. Each attendee must wear a