How to build an event site plan that actually works on the day

A site plan is more than a pretty map. It's the document that tells vendors where to set up, tells staff where the problems are likely to be, and tells emergency services how the space is organised. The best plans are drawn at scale and updated as the event changes.

Measure from known points

Use permanent features — building corners, drain covers, fence lines, trees — as your reference points. Estimating distances by eye leads to stalls that don't fit, aisles that are too narrow, and vehicles that can't turn.

Design zones before individual pitches

Group the site into food, retail, bar, stage, entry, toilets, staff and back-of-house zones first. Only then split zones into individual pitches. This stops you ending up with a scattered, hard-to-navigate layout.

Allow for circulation, not just occupation

A common mistake is filling every square metre with stalls and leaving nowhere for people to move. Aim for clear primary aisles wide enough for wheelchairs and prams, plus secondary routes that let visitors escape queues.

Mark infrastructure clearly

Show power distribution, water points, waste points, first-aid posts, fire extinguishers, entrances, exits and accessible toilets. If infrastructure isn't on the plan, it will be forgotten during setup.

Allocate pitches with vendor needs in mind

Food vendors needing power should be near distribution boards. Heavy vehicles need hardstanding or protective matting. Noisy generators should sit away from quiet retail areas. A pitch that looks fine on paper can be unusable in reality if the practical needs are ignored.

Create a version history

Site plans change constantly as vendors drop out, weather forecasts shift or new sponsors come on board. Save dated versions and communicate which version is current. Conflicting plans create chaos on bump-in day.

Share with vendors and staff

Vendors should see their own pitch number and nearest infrastructure before they arrive. Staff should see the full plan with control points, zones and emergency routes. The public can see a simplified version that helps them navigate.

How CartFlow helps

CartFlow's event site planner lets organisers draw pitches to scale over satellite imagery, rotate and dimension stalls, mark power and water, save versions, and publish the final map to vendors and the public — so the plan everyone sees is the plan you actually built.