Planning an event can be an overwhelming experience. This is especially true when the hydration of attendees is a concern. Ensuring people at an event have access to clean drinking water is essential to a successful experience.
Why is hydration so important at events? Here are five things you need to know.
1. Hydration Is Important (Really!)
Staying hydrated is important for several reasons.
Water is an essential part of every bodily function. Proper hydration ensures:
- Body temperature regulation
- Healthy blood pressure
- Proper organ function
- Sufficient joint lubrication
- Proper digestion
Water transports nutrients and oxygen throughout the human body. It helps with the removal of waste products. Proper hydration keeps you feeling your best.
2. Hydration Is Especially Important at Events
Staying hydrated is especially important when attending special events. The last thing you want when at a special event is to feel tired or develop a headache that interferes with your enjoyment of the event.
And you especially don’t want to deal with any dehydration-related health emergencies. Keeping event attendees properly hydrated is a priority for event organizers, as well as the attendees.
Event planners must ensure that attendees stay hydrated properly because dehydration can negatively affect their health and overall experience.
When attendees are dehydrated, they may experience a variety of unpleasant symptoms. This hinders their ability to participate and enjoy the event fully.
Proper hydration is also crucial for maintaining focus and concentration. Providing adequate options for hydrating shows that the event planner cares about the well-being of the attendees.
It also reduces the risk of legal problems if someone is injured or becomes ill while at the event.
But one thing event organizers should keep in mind: it doesn’t matter how many options you provide to people to stay properly hydrated; they are the ones who ultimately need to drink.
Encourage people to stay hydrated by giving them options and, if possible, getting attendees on board with an understanding of how important it is to stay hydrated.
You might even consider assembling a team of event attendees to promote hydration through their actions and enthusiasm. Creating a “team spirit” when it comes to hydration is often the best option for accomplishing your goals.
3. Dehydration Brings Serious Risks
There are several risks associated with dehydration. From not feeling 100 percent to experiencing a medical emergency, these are all things you need to consider when planning an event.
When the human body does not have enough water, it cannot function properly. Some of the risks of dehydration include:
- Confusion
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Fuzzy thinking
- Damage to the kidneys
- Increased risk of UTIs
- Increased risk of kidney stones
- Constipation
- Digestive issues
- Seizures
- Heat stroke
In most cases, mild dehydration is treated before it becomes serious, but left untreated, severe dehydration is fatal.
4. You Can Help Keep Event Attendees Hydrated
There are several things event organizers can do to make sure that event attendees stay properly hydrated. For example:
- Provide easy access to water stations throughout the event venue. You can do this by setting up water dispensers, water coolers, and other ways to access water.
- Offer alternative beverages for those who don’t like plain water, including infused water, sports drinks, fruit juice, and more.
- Remind attendees to drink water throughout the event. You can do this with signs, video reminders, texts, and more.
- Provide refillable water bottles to event attendees. This is also a great way to market your cause, company, or organization. If you prefer not to invest in refillable bottles, offer disposable cups and/or encourage attendees to bring bottles from their homes.
- Schedule hydration breaks into the event schedule if it’s an event that dictates this need. In some cases, attendees can come and go as they please and get water when needed. But if there are scheduled events with required attendance, you’ll want to have breaks specifically designed to help maintain good hydration.
The best way to ensure event attendees stay hydrated is to provide convenient water access throughout the event. You can also:
- Encourage event organizers to prioritize hydration by providing ample water stations and access to beverages
- Share tips for attendees to stay hydrated, such as carrying a refillable water bottle, consuming electrolyte-sports drinks, and taking regular water breaks
- Discuss the importance of educating event staff and volunteers about the signs of dehydration and how to assist attendees in need
5. It Pays to Stay Hydrated at Events
People attending events are at risk of increased water loss. This is due to their exposure to the hot weather and other elements when an event is outdoors.
People also tend to be more active at events, whether it’s a lot of walking or hours spent dancing.
Finally, many events are centered around physical activity where people exercise and sweat. This includes marathons and other races, where proper hydration becomes a matter of life and death.
There are several reasons why event attendees should make hydration a priority. For example:
- Being properly hydrated improves your physical performance and how you feel
- Hydration improves cognitive function – you’ll think more clearly
- Proper hydration affects your appearance – drinking enough water makes your healthy skin glow!
- Drinking enough water when you’re also consuming alcohol reduces your risk of drunkenness/hangover symptoms
- Reduces your risk of health emergencies at a very inopportune time
One of the best ways to avoid dehydration at festivals and other events is to set up water stations onsite. This way, attendees have access to water any time they need it.
Our mobile stations feature stainless steel fixtures, stainless steel skirting, and hot-dipped galvanized frames. We aim to ensure everyone attending your event stays hydrated and in good health with access to clean, potable drinking water.
If you’d like to learn more or are interested in renting or buying one of our mobile water stations, book a quick call.