Outdoor activities are healthy. You get to spend some time under the sun, thus satiating your need for vitamin D. People engaging in outdoor activities get to burn some calories, breathe in some fresh air which is always healthy and they tend to have fun. Outdoor activities are always more adventurous than indoor events. Even the adventurous cerebral exercises you can do inside can be shifted outside. There is no doubt that outdoor activities are healthy and fun. But we are talking about outdoor activities in the context of an event. Should you include them, are there enough benefits or should you just go about planning another typical event?

You should consider outdoor activities at your events. Here are some pragmatic reasons why.

• Outdoor events are not more challenging than indoor events. In some cases, outdoor events are easier to organize. You don’t need to deck up the indoors. Nature would be an ideal setting. If you are lucky and get a picturesque landscape and if you are hosting an event during the good times of the year, then you don’t really need any major installations, such as canopies or pergolas. You don’t have to spend on endless lights. You save energy that would have been consumed by the HVAC units. You would have more space for people to move around and even managing a crowd outside is easier than doing it in a confined auditorium or convention centre.

• An event has a specific purpose. Regardless of the type of event, the objective, the audience and the subject or contexts being shed light upon; there is an inherent need for an event to be a congregation of people. Every event needs the guests to mingle, socialize and interact with one another, either for business or at a personal level. Nothing brings together people as effectively as outdoor activities. Playing a popular game will easily bring dozens of people at one place. They would play and laugh, share stories or memories and have a good time. Even if they don’t become friends, they would surely leave the game as acquaintances. Fishing will allow guests to bond. Exploring the landscape can allow two people to talk. Outdoor activities like cycling, swimming, simple jogs or walking, kite flying and even bird watching can go a long way in getting people introduced to one another, to spend some time networking or just discussing a few things that are relevant for them.

From cookouts to just hosting a gala under a large tent, outdoor events are a treat.