Event Contingency Planning : 6 Strategies Every Live Event Producer Needs
- schlegelb
- Jul 19
- 2 min read

No matter how much you prepare, being a live event producer is unpredictable.
Sound fails. Vendors don’t show. A client changes direction at the last minute. If you produce live events, you already know: it’s not a matter of if something goes wrong, it’s when. The real test of an event producer isn’t whether the plan works. It’s what happens when it doesn’t.
Here’s how we approach live events at B-Side:
1. Accept That Event Problems Will Happen
You’re not in control. That’s not defeatist. That’s reality. The sooner you accept that things will go wrong, the faster you stop reacting and start responding. The best event producers don’t panic. They adapt, fix, and move. Most importantly, they learn. If something failed this time, it’s your job to make sure it doesn’t next time.
2. Build Contingency Plans: C, D, and E
Contingency planning is not optional in event production. It’s essential.
Anticipate what might break. Rank the risks. Then prepare multiple backup plans. If your event hinges on a single point of failure, that point better be bulletproof or have a solid fallback.
3. Create Flexible Event Structures
A rigid timeline snaps under pressure. A flexible one bends and keeps moving.
Leave margin in your event schedule. Train your team to troubleshoot in real time. Empower people to make smart decisions. You can hold a high standard and still create space for adjustments when things shift.
4. Identify Your Event Non-Negotiables
We should put this down twice for every live event producer. When things start falling apart, you can’t fix everything. That’s why you need to know what matters most. What are the non-negotiables that define your event’s success? Set those early and protect them. Let the rest be flexible.
5. Understand the Law of Unintended Consequences
Not every surprise is a disaster. Some are hidden opportunities. Sociologist Robert K. Merton defined the Law of Unintended Consequences as the idea that even well-planned actions can create surprising outcomes good, bad, or completely opposite of your intent.
In live events, this shows up constantly. A delay leads to an unplanned artist moment that becomes the highlight. A last-minute vendor switch ends up outperforming the original. These moments aren’t random. They’re part of the job. The best event producers don’t just react to surprises. They’re ready to spot the opportunity inside them.
6. Stay Calm. Lead the Room.
Your audience doesn’t know what’s going wrong behind the scenes. They only remember the experience. As a live event producer stay grounded. Make the next right call. Keep your team focused. And never let a single mistake define the entire show.
Build Events That Hold Up
At B-Side, we build events for the real world where plans shift, problems happen, and the experience still has to deliver. Let’s build something resilient. Contact us here
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