Can a 5-year-old go to a concert? The answer is yes, however it largely depends on the type of concert, the performers present, the overall atmosphere, and what kind of amenities you have available for such a young crowd. With all of that in mind, planning for and putting on a concert for kindergartners is certainly possible with the following guide. Just be sure to keep the performer’s age appropriate!
Establish Goals
The best place to start when planning a concert is to establish what kind of goals you have for the show. For example, if you are planning for a concert and asking yourself the question, can a 5-year-old go to a concert, then you may want to start with age-related goals.
For example, are you planning a concert for a relative who is 5 years old? Are you planning a children’s concert to make money or is this for a group of kids or some non-profit or charity event? You may also want to consider what kind of outcome and theme the concert should have. For instance, since it’s a children’s concert you’ll likely want to keep the theme to something relatable to that age range. Often this means more imaginative or creative themes and plot points like dragons, dress-up characters, and so on. By starting here you can gain a clearer picture of what exactly the feeling or goal is. By doing this step first, you can better plan for the concert going forward.
Create a Budget
A common mistake people make when planning a concert is simply multiplying the number of seats/tickets available by the ticket price and setting a budget according to that. This is a mistake because ticket sales are never certain and even then other issues may arise that can throw off a budget quite a bit.
When creating a budget it’s a good idea to assume you’ll at most break even. Therefore, it’s important to only budget the most conservative amount of ticket sales. With this in mind, you’ll want to start with an overall number and as best you can, try to partition this number into categories. For example, what is the budget to get the performers? What is the budget to hire staff to serve beverages and what about hiring a catering service? What about the budget needed for security, effects, event coordinators, and so forth? It may even be a good idea to hire an accountant who is good at bookkeeping to stay realistic about your financial goals and properly keep track of all finances.
Make a Blueprint
The next step in planning a concert for the kindergarten crowd is making a blueprint of the space. For example, how many people are going to attend? You’ll need to plan at least for one adult to accompany each child. At the same time, you’ll need to plan for where the performers will be if there will be vendors and if so, where will they be.
When making a blueprint it’s also a good idea to measure the space and plan for any modifications that may be needed. For example, many venue spaces are on hard concrete. It may be a better idea to provide a more kid-friendly environment by hiring a contractor and getting a fake grass install. This will further prevent scrapes and bruises while offering a more inviting and comfortable environment for children. You may also want to consult with parents and child experts regarding how to make the space as safe and kid-friendly as possible. Also, keep in mind that your blueprint needs to account for how many people will attend the concert as well. So, be sure to follow proper guidelines when it comes to capacity rules and laws in your area.
Find Talent
This is perhaps the most important part of any concert. The performer you end up hiring will shape and craft the entire feeling and outcome of the show so think carefully about the performer you decide on. This is why it was so important to set goals first. Since you already understand what kind of theme you want for the concert, you should at least have a good idea of which genre of music to go for. Since you’re planning a concert for 5-year-olds however your options are likely pretty limited to the wiggles and others like them. Either way, be sure to select a performer that you feel will highlight and support your goals/vision for the concert.
Another thing to keep in mind and budget for, if you hire talent from outside of town, you’ll likely also need to pay their travel expenses. So, be prepared to not only pay the booking fee, but also for bus fairs, gas, plane tickets, hotel rooms, meals, and more for the performers and their entire staff/crew. Meanwhile asking for referrals from your local community will save you a lot of money.
Get a Venue
Finding a venue for live music shouldn’t be too difficult given that just about every town or city has had live music events before yours. The issue however is securing a venue that is available for your date, and open to the price you’re willing to pay. This is why it will be important to first secure a venue by calling a few months in advance. Generally, it’s best to call a venue at least 3 months in advance to make a reservation. However, in more in-demand venues you could even have to call up to a year in advance to secure your spot. Most venues will also require an upfront deposit so be ready to spend some money on the venue well before the event takes place. Also, be sure to pay attention to what the venue has to offer such as storage. You will also need to consider portable restroom options. Lastly, take into consideration the size of the venue as well. Although bigger is usually better, a venue with lots of space can also cause a crowd to feel more reserved and held back. Meanwhile, a smaller venue that is packed with people will typically feel more lively and fun.
Get Permits and Insurance
Perhaps the most time-consuming and frustrating part of planning a concert for children is the permitting and insurance required. Both of these aspects will vary greatly depending on the region you are in. It’s best to call your closest town or city council office and ask how you should go about getting permits and insurance for a live music event. Odds are you will likely need to purchase an umbrella policy that will cover liability. For example, if someone trips and falls over a loose cord and hurts themselves, that liability will likely fall on you, not the performers or the venue. Most venues will require proof of insurance before they will even allow you to book with them.
You’ll also want to think about permits if the venue or concert is large enough. If the venue or your party is going to serve food or beverages then you will need permits to do so. Again, these typically vary from location to location.
Finalize a Date and Time
Now it’s time to come up with a final date and time for the event. Since you planning a music event for children it may be best to hold this event on the weekend during the daytime. Typically weekend events will book better because fewer people are working. That is especially important since each child will need an adult to supervise them during the event. It’s also important to ensure the event does not go too late into the day to avoid potential scheduling issues. Also, be sure to think about how the weather may affect the venue. If you are planning for an outside venue it will be important to pay very close attention to the weather for that time of year and have a backup plan in case the weather does not cooperate.
Decide Which Equipment You’ll Need
After you’ve found the venue, hired a performer, and paid for insurance, it’s time to rent or buy the equipment needed for the event. Say for example you have a VIP space for high-paying customers, you may want to build a temporary structure by hiring a deck contractor. At the same time, you may need to think about it in terms of the materials that are needed. For instance, if you need to build a temporary ramp for ADA compliance you may need metal, in which case a welder may be needed to put together a ramp. This is also when you’ll want to think about the amenities provided.
It will be very important to provide portable restrooms, snacks or food, and beverages that are kid friendly. Therefore, you’ll need to make sure you get the correct equipment to allow kids to navigate the space safely with their parents.
Hire Vendors
On top of amenities, one of the best solutions is simply hiring vendors. Although the upfront cost may be less to do it yourself, you likely won’t have the time nor the experience to pull off the services needed. For example, if you want to sell a t shirt, you likely won’t have time to do that and manage the concert at the same time. This is why you may want to consider hiring a few vendors you have experience in serving food or beverages, selling merch, and other services.
Create a Comfortable Environment
This step is more so meant for the performers. You want to ensure that your talent is kept comfortable and happy so they can perform as well as possible. Make sure to have lots of food and beverage options on hand for performers. Also, make sure the talent has a separate and calm space to hang out in before and after the show. Most performers will want a space to be in before the show to get mentally prepared and ready. It may also be important to make sure the talent has any other amenities taken care of by dedicated staff as well. Lastly, pay attention to any special requests or needs that the talent has. If the talent wants something done a certain way, it’s because they need it done that way to perform correctly. So, overall be willing to support the talent and keep them happy so they perform the show very well.
Promote the Event
Finally, depending on your goals it’s time to promote the event. One of the most straightforward and foolproof ways to promote live music events is through an online ticket-selling platform. Oftentimes people already receive alerts and ads from ticket platforms since they want to know what kind of shows and concerts are coming to their town. Ticket-selling platforms also take care of managing ticket sales like checking out, making sure you don’t oversell, and even offering features like discounts, VIP access, event reminders, and more.
Aside from using a ticket-selling platform, you can also get the word out via radio stations, word of mouth, and local ads through billboards. Radio shows may be the best option since each audience for a radio show is already specific to that niche. For example, if you hire a performer who does hip hop then placing an ad on a hip-hop radio station means you’re putting your message in front of people already interested in hip-hop.
In conclusion, when throwing a concert for kids of kindergarten age, be sure to make it as age appropriate as possible. It will be important to begin the process with an idea of your goals first and then find the talent second. After that make sure to secure a venue, plan for the space needed, find a concrete date and time, then hire staff and vendors as needed to throw the best possible concert for your audience!
