Outdoor Events: Sound, Power and What to Plan For

Every outdoor event we've done has taught us something. Usually that lesson involves wind, power, or both. After years of running event production on farms, in parks, and at festival sites across Canterbury, here's the stuff that actually matters when you're planning something outside.

Power: Generators vs Mains

The first question for any outdoor event is where the power comes from. If you're in a park or a paddock, there probably isn't a power board nearby. Your options:

• Mains power: If the venue has a building within cable-run distance, you might be able to draw from existing circuits. This is quieter and cheaper, but you're limited by what the building's supply can handle. A standard domestic circuit gives you about 2.4kW per outlet. Sound, lighting, and catering can easily exceed that.
• Generator: The go-to for most outdoor events. A 30kVA generator covers a decent-sized sound rig, lighting, and some catering gear. Bigger events might need multiple generators on separate circuits. The trade-off is noise. Generators need to be positioned downwind and far enough away that they don't bleed into the sound mix.

We always bring more power capacity than we think we'll need. Running a generator at 80% is fine. Running one at 100% all night is asking for trouble.

Sound Outdoors

Sound behaves completely differently outside. There are no walls to contain it, reflect it, or help it build up. Bass carries further than mids and highs, which is why your neighbours a kilometre away can hear the kick drum but not the vocals.

Things we think about when setting up a PA outdoors:

• Wind: Canterbury nor'westers are no joke. A strong headwind pushing against the speakers can cut your effective throw distance in half. We orient the PA to work with the prevailing wind direction where possible, not against it.
• Noise limits: Most council resource consents for outdoor events come with decibel limits measured at the boundary. We carry SPL meters and keep an eye on levels throughout the event. It's better to manage this proactively than to get a noise complaint that shuts you down.
• Coverage: Without walls to bounce sound around, you need more speakers to cover the same area compared to indoors. Delay speakers further back in the crowd can help fill gaps without just cranking the mains louder.
• Ground reflections: Sound hitting flat ground (especially wet grass) behaves differently to sound in a room with carpet. We adjust EQ and sub positioning based on the actual site conditions.

Weather Backup

Canterbury weather changes fast. We've started load-in under blue skies and been battling sideways rain by sound check. If your event is outdoors, you need a weather plan, not just a hope-for-the-best attitude.

Marquees are the obvious answer for guest cover. For the tech side, we protect all electronics with weatherproof covers and tarpaulins. Mixing desks, amplifiers, and lighting controllers all need to stay dry. A stage roof or covered FOH position isn't optional for an outdoor show. It's a requirement.

We also factor in the nor'wester arch. That distinctive cloud formation that builds over the Southern Alps before hot, gusty winds hit the plains. If we see it forming during setup, we double-check all rigging, add extra ballast to marquees, and secure anything that could blow away.

Staging on Grass

Stage decks on soft ground need proper footing. We use base plates with spreader bars to stop legs sinking into the turf. After rain, even well-drained paddocks can be soft enough that a loaded stage deck sinks overnight. We've learned to check leg heights first thing in the morning and shim as needed.

Vehicle access for load-in matters too. A truck full of gear needs to get close to the stage. If the ground is soft, that means track mats or choosing a load-in route that avoids the worst spots. Planning this in advance saves a lot of stress on the day.

The Checklist

If you're planning an outdoor event, here's what to sort early:

• Power source and capacity (mains, generator, or both)
• Noise limits from your resource consent or venue agreement
• Weather backup for guests and gear
• Vehicle access for load-in and load-out
• Ground conditions and surface type
• Nearest neighbours and sound orientation
• Curfew time and how quickly you can pack down

We're happy to do a site visit before quoting. Seeing the actual space tells us more than any floor plan. Get in touch and we'll come have a look.