Event logistics checklist: from load-in to load-out

The best-attended event can still feel chaotic if load-in is a mess, power isn't where vendors expected, or the pack-down turns into a free-for-all. Logistics are the invisible backbone that determines whether vendors want to come back next year.

Confirm site access and vehicle routing

Map the exact vehicle route from the nearest public road to each vendor pitch. Note height limits, turning circles, soft ground, loading-bay times and any pedestrian-only zones. Share this with vendors before they arrive.

Publish a staggered load-in schedule

Letting every vendor arrive at once creates queues, arguments and unsafe reversing. Stagger arrivals by zone or category and give each vendor a realistic window. Factor in that some will be early and some late regardless of what you say.

Check power and water allocations

Confirm how many amps each vendor can draw, where distribution boards are located, and whether water is available or vendors need to bring their own supply. Publish this in the vendor brief so nobody turns up expecting mains they can't have.

Plan waste and recycling

Vendors will produce cardboard, food waste, general rubbish and recyclables. Without designated bins and a clear removal plan, rubbish accumulates around stalls and becomes a safety and presentation issue.

Set up a control point

A single operations hub with a printed site plan, radio or phone, first-aid kit, vendor contact list and emergency numbers keeps decision-making fast. Make sure at least one responsible person is there from the start of load-in until the last vendor leaves.

Brief marshals and volunteers

People directing traffic or answering questions need to know the basics: where toilets are, where the first-aid point is, how to contact control, and what to do if a vendor is in the wrong pitch. A 10-minute briefing prevents a day of misinformation.

Protect pedestrian routes

During bump-in, vehicles and pedestrians often share the same space. Use barriers, cones or marshals to keep them apart, especially when forklifts, trailers and heavy gazebos are moving.

Plan pack-down before the music stops

Announce a clear pack-down time and order. Vehicles should not enter pedestrian areas until it is safe. A rushed pack-down is when most damage happens — to the site, to vendor gear, and to your relationship with the venue.

How CartFlow helps

CartFlow's event site planner gives every vendor their exact pitch, dimensions, power and water notes, while the organiser dashboard tracks applications, fees and staff rosters so the logistics checklist has a single source of truth.