As part of our work delivering the Boiler Room, Jazz Café and Maiden Voyage Festivals at Burgess Park (pictured below), this year marked the launch of the first-ever Burgess Park Community Day. It was a completely free, unticketed event designed to celebrate creativity, connection, and community. Held in the heart of Burgess Park, the event welcomed people of all ages and abilities to enjoy a wide range of inclusive, hands-on activities including DJ workshops, dance classes, sports sessions, arts and crafts, street art, and even a kids’ disco to close out the day.
We Are OPS led on planning, operations, and delivery, ensuring the event was safe, welcoming, and accessible for all, with a focus on meaningful local engagement.
Unpredictable Attendance for a First-Time Event:
As this was the first ever Community Day held in the park, there was no prior benchmark for expected attendance. This made capacity planning and resource allocation more challenging. We developed scalable operational plans to ensure the event remained safe regardless of turnout.
Workshop Demand and Participant Numbers:
With multiple workshops scheduled across different disciplines, we had to carefully consider how many sessions and facilitators were needed, without clear pre-registration data. We planned conservatively but provided contingency resources to support increased demand where needed.
Delivering a Fully Free and Accessible Experience:
Ensuring that every aspect of the day, from activities to amenities, remained truly accessible and inclusive required considered planning. We integrated this goal into every decision, from site layout to workshop design, ensuring a welcoming environment for all attendees.
