Ildhafn's council generally requires a written proposal before putting an event on the calendar. Some are very simple - a couple of sentences - and some are very detailed.
Typically, more complicated events and those that will require larger financial risk to the group will need more detailed proposals.
The beauty of preparing this information as part of your bid is that it means you've done much of the event planning - it's all stuff you'll need to know anyway. It also means that you've set things out clearly and easily, so that Council has everything they need to know in front of them.
There are numerous past event proposals on the website: feel free to re-use all or part.
An event proposal will typically include
- event name
- date
- location
- steward (and often other staff)
- budget (if there's a cost)
- description
Location
Name, address, and summary of facilities.
Cost, and terms of hire (bond, cancellation policy, restrictions on use of alcohol, candles, etc.) if relevant.
Keep contact details for the site somewhere accessible, and pass them on to your deputy.
Date
It may be worth checking for conflicting events: major events around the Kingdom, any events in the Crescent Isles, another local event on a nearby weekend, popular non-SCA events in Auckland.
Some clashes are unavoidable, but it's worth considering their likely effect on attendance.
If there are particular reasons for a given date - your schedule, site availability, weather - it's worth passing them on to council (in your proposal, or verbally).
Stewarding Team
Every event needs a designated steward, who is a subscribing member of SCANZ. That's the minimum for an event proposal. Stewards must be members, because they act on behalf of the club (for instance, in signing contracts with sites, or collecting money from people who attend).
Event proposals often include other "staff". E.g.
- deputy steward
- cook or cooks
- herald
- marshal
- A&S wrangler
- someone to manage bookings
- someone to manage billeting
- royal liaison
- someone to run entertainments
- set-up crew
- pack-up crew
- ?
Most events don't need all these and you don't need to have all the slots filled in advance. Including a list of the roles you think will be needed can be useful - if only because you may find volunteers at council meeting.
On deputies
There are two distinct reasons to have a deputy steward (or deputy cook):
- to share the work
- to take over entirely if necessary
The first is optional - it depends on steward, deputy, and the nature of the event.
The second - a drop-dead deputy - is a really good idea for most events, and may be required by council if your event would be difficult or expensive to cancel.
For bigger events, we will sometimes require a drop-dead deputy for any essential role: a person who can take over if you get hit by a bus, or get gastro, or have a family crisis. It's preferable for stewards and cooks to choose deputies who don't live with them, as infectious diseases are a common reason for last-minute cancellations.
Budget
How much are you going to charge people, and how did you settle on this figure? There are detailed articles on budgeting on the steward's page. Budgets from past events are also useful.
Event Description
What's the purpose of your event? What are people going to do at it?
This could be a simple statement, such as "an evening of playing games" or "heavy tourney", or it might include a timetable and detailed list of activities.