All you need to know about hosting a #play14 event
How to become a #play14 event host?
To become a #play14 host, you must have attended at least one #play14 event as a participant. This experience allows you to gain insight into our community and understand the mindset we aim to cultivate among hosts.
As a host, you’ll be responsible for upholding the spirit of the original event and ensuring a memorable experience for your attendees.
Your responsibilities as a host
As a host, your primary responsibilities include:
- Securing a venue
- Selecting a date
- Providing food and beverages
- Gathering game materials
- Bringing a positive attitude
The rest is in the hands of the players!
To make hosting manageable, we recommend forming a team of at least three local organizers, particularly for venue selection.
Choosing the right venue
When selecting a venue, ensure it can accommodate 30 to 70 participants, depending on your expected turnout. Ideally, venues should have a unique charm or character.
Key venue requirements include:
- Common Area
- Space for icebreakers and group activities
- Marketplace displayed visibly on the wall
- Food Corner
- Access to snacks and meals
- Drinks available throughout the event
- Gaming Areas
- At least three separate zones equipped with tables and chairs
- A whiteboard or flip chart in each area
- Ample space for participants to move around the tables
The capacity of your venue will dictate how many attendees you can accommodate.
Planning materials and supplies
Here’s a basic list of items you should consider to organize a successful #play14 event:
- Tables and chairs (to be provided by the venue)
- Whiteboards and flip charts
- Plenty of sticky notes
- XL stickies for the marketplace
- Square (yellow & colors)
- Long (yellow & colors)
- Markers
- At least one Sharpie for each player
- Paperboard markers
- Whiteboard markers
- A large paper roll for the marketplace
- Masking tape
- Tape, scissors, and measuring tape
- Various paper types (plain and colored)
- Game materials
- Plastic play balls
- Poker chips
- Card decks
- Happy Salmon
- Any other games you think might be fun
Food and drinks
To maintain high energy levels throughout the event, it's essential to provide meals and beverages, which fall under your hosting duties.
Meals
Typically, we provide two lunches and two dinners.
- First Dinner: A festive welcome dinner, usually catered.
- First Lunch: A light yet substantial lunch to sustain participants through the afternoon.
- Second Dinner: Casual pizza and beer.
- Second Lunch: Another light lunch, varying from the previous day’s meal.
Ensuring a diverse menu is crucial, especially considering dietary restrictions like vegan and gluten-free options.
Drinks
Always have a supply of hot beverages and refreshments available at any time. Options typically include:
- Coffee
- Tea
- Water
- Soft drinks (Coke, orange juice)
- Alcohol (beer, wine), depending on your preference as the host.
Snacks
Offer snacks throughout the day for additional energy
- Pastries for breakfast
- Fresh fruit
- Cereal and chocolate bars
What about food and drinks?
If you want people to maintain a high level of energy throughout the event, you need to feed them and get them drinks. This is one of the major responsibilities of a host.
Lunch and dinner
We usually foresee 2 lunches and 2 dinners
- First dinner: Welcome dinner, should be festive, usually asking a caterer
- First lunch: Light lunch, but copious enough so people can last the whole afternoon playing
- Second dinner: Usually pizza and beer. No fuss.
- Lunch: Light lunch, if possible different from the day before to provide a variety
Diversity is good, also in food. Be sure you pay attention to specific diets, like vegan or gluten-free.
Snacks
It’s always a good thing to have snacks around, for breakfast and during the day, in case people need some energy
- Pasteries (for breakfast)
- Fresh fruits
- Cereal bars
- Chocolate bars
Support from the #play14 global organization
The #play14 global organization will provide you with shared resources, and co-founders/mentors will assist you in hosting your event, so you won’t be alone in this journey. We maintain a Slack channel and a WhatsApp Community for communication among local organizers and offer video conferencing for additional support.
At least one co-founder/mentor will attend your event to help with organization and ensure the essence of #play14 is honored.
Website and registration
You will be able to create a dedicated page for your event on the #play14 website, detailing the location, dates, and registration. For that, you will need to request access to the the CMS backend that powers the website. You can request that from the founders.
We can manage ticketing and financial aspects with the ticketing system and bank account of the central organization, however you are welcome to use your own registration system if you prefer.
Marketing and communication
We have several communication and marketing tools at your disposal, including:
- Youtube
- Newsletter (Mailchimp)
While you will primarily handle promoting your event and encouraging registration, feel free to reach out for assistance from co-founders or access the available tools and services.
Merchandising and welcome kit
Each participant receives a #play14 t-shirt, which has become part of our brand identity. Ideally, the t-shirts should be:
- Printed locally
- Black in color which makes the logo visible
- Made from organic cotton
Additional welcome kit items may include:
- #play14 stickers
- LEGO Serious Play kits
- Sticky notes
- Sharpie markers
- Story cubes
- Venue or sponsor merchandise
Budget and revenue
We aim to keep ticket prices as affordable as possible to maximize participation. Most expenses go toward food and drinks, welcome kits, materials, and venue costs (if applicable).
Tickets
Ticket sales are the primary funding source for #play14 events. Prices may vary based on location and local organizer decisions. Some organizers successfully secure free venues, reducing financial pressure, while others may need to increase ticket prices if they pay for the venue.
You can also consider varied ticket types, such as all-event passes, daily tickets, or tiered pricing (early bird, normal, late).
Sponsors
Finding sponsors can greatly enhance your event. Sponsorship can include monetary contributions, free venues, food, drinks, or materials. It’s your responsibility as a local host to seek sponsors.
Mentor participation
We encourage the presence of at least one #play14 mentor at each new event to provide support and ensure everything runs smoothly. A portion of your budget should be allocated for the mentor’s travel and accommodation expenses. Choosing a mentor who lives nearby can reduce travel costs and improve communication.
Profit and loss
#play14 is and always will be a non-profit. #play14 operates as a non-profit organization based in Luxembourg that supports some European events, but you are free to decide how to manage the finances locally.
Any profit from your event should be:
- reinvested into future events
- contributed back to the global organization to support others
- or used to purchase games and materials.
Conversely, should you incur financial losses, the #play14 global organization will assist you. Typically, events break even, and we've enjoyed stability without major financial issues.
Trust is fundamental to #play14, so we expect transparency regarding all financial dealings. The CMS backend of the website contains a section where you will have to provide financial details about your events.
Sustainability?
As a host, you have the opportunity to make your event environmentally friendly. We recommend:
- Using reusable glasses and tableware instead of single-use plastics
- Sorting waste appropriately
- Selecting eco-label products for supplies and stationery
Some teams even opt to make their events carbon-neutral by offsetting the carbon footprint.
By following these guidelines, you'll be well on your way to hosting a successful #play14 event!