A big event can't function without bathrooms! In most cases, unless the facility you're renting already has plenty of bathrooms, your best bet is going to be renting a few portable bathrooms from a local rental company. Here are some tips to ensure this endeavor goes off without a hitch.
1. Put the bathrooms somewhere dry.
You don't want the bathrooms to be placed on land that gets at all wet and muddy. Otherwise, the mud will get tracked into the bathrooms, making a terrible mess. People don't want to stand in the mud while waiting to use a bathroom, either. If the event location has a hill, placing the bathrooms at the top of the hill is a smart choice.
2. Rent more if alcohol is being served.
If there won't be alcohol at the party, renting one restroom per 20 guests is a good starting point. But if you will be serving alcohol, you should increase that ratio to one restroom per 15 guests or so. It's no secret that alcohol makes people have to urinate more often!
3. Choose the restroom style most suitable for your event.
If the event is just an outdoor concert, a music festival, or a food tasting festival, standard porta potties should be just fine. But if there is anything more upscale about your event — such as if it is an awards ceremony or the like — then you might want to consider a fancier type of portable restroom, such as bathroom trailers. (These trailers typically have full-blown bathrooms with sinks and maybe even showers inside of them.)
4. Rent a handicap-accessible restroom or two.
Make sure at least one of the bathrooms you rent is accessible to those with special needs. Some rental companies only rent larger restrooms that can accommodate those with disabilities, whereas others have you rent these units separately in addition to their normal-sized units.
5. Put up lots of signs.
When you lay out your event, make sure you place plenty of signs showing where the portable restrooms are. This will keep people from continually asking your event organizers where the bathrooms are, and it will also deter people from designating their own bathroom space because they can't find the porta-potties. (Yes this is gross, but people do it!)
With the tips above, at least the restroom rental portion of your event planning should go smoothly. Contact a company like Afford A Potty in order to learn more.
