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2020 Wrap-Up, Looking Ahead to 2021 in the Event Industry

Goodbye 2020, Hello 2021

At the end of each year we typically do a write up summarizing our year and where we brought our screens. While this year was completely different from all the others, we still wanted to give an idea what it’s been like for us, and what we’re looking forward to in 2021.

Of course, 2020 has been a tough year for just about everyone. And the event industry has been no different. As we rely on large gatherings of people for our business, we saw almost all of our booked events go away this year. Fortunately we were able to adapt, and picked up new events that we never would have done in a “normal” year. Drive-in events kept us going, and were something we hadn’t done much of before. We have brought our screens to the occasional drive-in movie night, but this year had all new types of drive-ins, including concerts, graduations, meetings, conferences, sports and tailgating, and more.

We were sad for all our partners and clients who had to make the difficult decision to shut down the event or totally adapt it to a new socially distanced style, and we hope to back with them again in 2021. We were also grateful for any clients who adapted their event to be COVID compliant or created new events to go with the current times. It was good to get out of the house and go to an event again, and everyone involved felt the same way. From the artists, performers, promoters, organizers, stage crews, staff, and of course the attendees, you could feel it was something that everyone needed. We all miss getting together with other people, so it was so good to see that happen, even if it was not the way we were used to before the pandemic.

2020 started off great for us, and our year ahead was filled in with tons of exciting events, new and old, that we were looking forward to. But just a few months in everything came to screeching halt, and no one new how long it would last. Events started cancelling and postponing, and eventually we were left with almost none of our original scheduled events for the year. Luckily we were able to work towards a new style of drive-in event that filled in nicely for all our missed work, as well as a few virtual events we were able to do. We talked with others in the industry and figured out the best ways to make these drive-in and virtual events work. We had to buy new equipment that fit these, and adapt how we ran shows, but with the help of others and just gaining the experience, we think we created a good product for drive-in events.

While we were doing these drive-up style and virtual events, we did still have a more open schedule than other years. So we took advantage of that extra time to accomplish some things we may not have gotten around to in other years. We researched and studied new gear, equipment, software, and other techniques, while purchasing some new stuff that we were able to play around with and figure out in our shop. We were also able to take care of some deep cleaning and extra repairs or fine-tuning on some our current equipment that doesn’t get the attention that often. We know we will be back to full capacity eventually, and we wanted to make sure our gear was ready and we were able to provide the best live show possible with our jumbotron screens and any other AV gear we bring to your event.

We also know we have been lucky to keep the business going through all of this. We have all seen the other businesses who unfortunately were not able to survive this pandemic and shutdown. We have been very fortunate to still be here, and looking forward to when we can return to these large public events again someday. And we are even more fortunate to be here at all, when we are fighting this terrible pandemic. That’s why, in addition to the drive-in events, and getting gear back in shape, we have also spent more time on the things that matter. Relaxing and spending time with families, because as much as we want to be working again, we also want to focus on what’s really important.

AS for 2021, no one really knows what to expect. We can guess, but the truth is we just need to see how it plays out. The good news is there is a vaccine that has started to get distributed. If things go well, we should be seeing events gradually come back, hopefully sooner than later if it is safe. Many contracts we have were pushed back to this year, but many are still unsure. We have all these potential events waiting, and new ones calling in, but it is still too early for many to commit until we know more. But we are still hopeful that we will get back to some level where we can safely hold events again. We expect that drive-in events will still be a thing for some time, but we also look forward to the day we can have full-scale events again, or at least transition to that point.

So even if you are considering an event and aren’t sure, please give us a call to discuss or answer any questions. We understand this year is completely different than others, and we will work with you to see what is right for your event. We look forward to seeing you all again soon, whenever that may be. Good luck, stay safe, and see you soon!

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