Event Setup and Pack-Down Checklist

Who this is for

The day itself, in four tick lists. Before the doors open, during, pack down, and what still has to go back or be sent afterwards.

The person holding the clipboard at a fete, a hall party, a conference, a market or a club night — usually the one who will be blamed for the missing urn.

What this helps you track

• What must be in place before the first person walks in
• What to keep an eye on while it is running
• What has to happen before the hall is locked, in a sensible order
• What is borrowed, hired or owed and still to be dealt with afterwards

How to use it

1. Write the event, the date, the venue and who is in charge of setup and of pack-down at the top.
2. Go through the before-doors list as things are done, not from memory at the end. Add your own items in the browser version or in the margin — every event has a thing only it needs.
3. During the event, one person owns the during list: bins, toilets, the door, the money.
4. At the end, work down the pack-down list before anyone leaves; the last item is walking the room.
5. Take the returns and follow-up list home. It is the one that gets forgotten, and it is the one with other people's property on it.
6. The browser version lets you add and remove items and keeps the list for the next event.

Formats

• Printable PDF (A4 and US Letter)
• Fillable PDF with form fields
• Fill in online, saved in your browser

The printable is laid out inside a box that fits both A4 and US Letter, so the two files are identical and neither one is scaled. The fillable PDF has real form fields. The online version keeps what you enter in your own browser and builds the completed PDF on your device.

How to print

Download the A4 or US Letter file to match the paper in your printer, open it in a PDF reader and print at 100% — not "fit to page", which shrinks the writing space. Both files leave a 14 mm margin, which clears the unprintable edge on home printers. To print the online version with your entries in it, use the Print this sheet button, which prints only the sheet and none of the page around it. More on printing.

Questions

The list does not match my event.

It is a starting point. Tick what applies, ignore the rest, and write your own items in the margin — or edit the lists in the browser version, where they are saved for next time.

What about fire exits, first aid and licences?

There are lines for checking exits are clear and the first aid kit is there, since both are quick to tick. What is legally required of your event — capacity, alcohol, food, insurance, permits — is set where you are; check it with whoever issues it. This checklist does not say.

Is there a version with timings?

No. How long setup takes depends on the room and the helpers; write your own start time against each list if it helps. The wedding day timeline is the timed version for that one event.

Can two people use it at once?

On paper, print one per person and split the lists. The browser version saves in one browser, so each person's copy is separate.