18 Fun Ways to Keep Guests Cool at Outdoor Events

Misting stations—which spray a fine mist of water or air, cooling the surroundings and refreshing guests as they walk by—are a popular and effective way to provide instant relief from the heat. A fun example came from Bai's photo booth at Lollapalooza 2018: As the photo was snapped, a spurt of cool, cloudy air shrouded the booth. See more: Lollapalooza 2018: How Brands Such as Toyota and American Eagle Drew Guests In — And Kept Them Cool

At Coachella 2023, vegan haircare brand Love Beauty and Planet brought a series of deluxe “misting tents” and earth-friendly festival essentials to select luxury hotels throughout the festival. In keeping with LBP’s philosophy of “a little love for you, a little love for the planet,” the experience was designed to help guests beat the heat—while also highlighting the brand’s natural ingredients. MKG handled production. See more: Coachella 2023: 40+ Steal-Worthy Event Ideas From the Creativity-Packed Music Festival

In 2016, Pandora hosted a free invitation-only concert event in Los Angeles known as Summer Crush—in the middle of a 100-degree heat wave in August. Anticipating the weather, the team worked with AEG and city planners to secure the Los Angeles Convention Center West Hall for off-site check-in and holding out of the heat. Organizers also arranged for 18 self-contained misters, a water truck on standby, and a Chevron activation in the form of a mini gas station with custom-designed pumps that distributed water into branded bottles. See more: Interactive Sponsor Activations Add Summery Vibe to Pandora's Massive Concert

In 2019, Bustle's Rule Breakers Festival also leaned into misting stations to beat the Brooklyn heat: At a St. Ives activation, festivalgoers cooled down at the refreshing misting spots shaped like oversize products. See more: Bustle's Rule Breakers Festival Attracts Millennial-Minded Brands

Air-conditioned lounges are great—but bringing that AC feel outdoors can be even better. Here's a fun twist on a conventional fan: Kia Motors America and SiriusXM created a car wash-inspired party at New York's Electric Zoo music festival in 2019. The so-called “Kia Soul Station” took the form of a human car wash; guests walked through a 16-foot-wide misting arch to cool off before encountering a dance floor complete with foam cannons, spinning brushes, and drying fans. See more: Trend Spotted: Car Wash-Themed Brand Activations

At the Railbird Festival in Lexington, Ky., in 2021, evaporative cooling fans were wrapped to look like bourbon barrels. See more: How This Music Festival Doubled in Size From Its Inaugural Year

Another idea? Provide event-branded accessories like hats, sunglasses, and handheld fans to help guests stay cool and protected from the sun. (These items can also serve as stylish and functional souvenirs from the event!) We love this sleek swag wall from Twitter's Cannes Lions activation in 2019, which offered branded fans, baseball caps, and beach hats. See more: 10 Highlights From Twitter's Cannes Lions Beach Takeover

Dehydration is a major concern at summer events. Set up multiple hydration stations with a variety of water options, including flavored and infused waters—like this spa-water hydration station from Wolfgang Puck Catering. Fresh fruit and herbs can be added to water, and combinations include orange, mint, and lemon for an immunity boost; blueberry, apple, and raspberry for an antioxidant boost; and cinnamon and strawberry for a metabolism boost.

Another idea? Provide reusable water bottles as event swag, encouraging guests to stay hydrated throughout the day.

Beyond water, ice cream carts, popsicle stands, and frozen yogurt bars are crowd-pleasers that not only cool guests down but also add a fun element to the event. Take this recent example from the launch of Laneige's new summer lip mask flavor, Watermelon Pop: The brand tapped Food Truck Promotions to create a branded ice cream cart offering refreshing sorbet in three flavors: mango, blueberry, and watermelon.

At The BTC Show, a beauty event held in Orlando in 2022, Schwarzkopf Professional's booth was an appropriate choice for the 98-degree day. The space had an "icy" concept (a nod to the icy blond hair color that was having a moment); it featured an ice bar, a luge in the shape of the product, and snow machines and cooling cocktails. It was produced by Gladiator Productions. See more: All About Hair: How This Event Production Company Produced Three Activations at One Trade Show

Sometimes it's as simple as offering some shade. Invest in high-quality shade structures like tents, umbrellas, and canopies, and position them strategically around the venue—especially in areas where guests are likely to congregate, such as dining areas, stages, and seating zones.

A recent example we loved? Expedia's art installation at the 2024 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, a larger-than-life parasol in a nod to the event's logo. Created in partnership with local Colombian artist Basqo Bim (pictured), the activation also helped shade guests from the daytime sun. See more: See Inside Expedia’s Day-to-Night Activation at the 2024 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival

At Lollapalooza 2019, Pepsi offered shade under a giant prop rainbow. Guests could also swing under cloud-shaped balloons. See more: Lollapalooza 2019: Inside Guest-Focused Brand Activations from Brands Like Pepsi and Cupcake Winery

CityPlace Doral—a dining and entertainment destination in South Florida—hosted a seasonal Instagrammable art installation made entirely of sunflower-decorated umbrellas last month. Upon entering the center, guests were welcomed with 1,300 sunflower-decorated umbrellas floating overhead on the boulevard; the shade-providing umbrellas were arranged so the sunflowers were visible from both the top and bottom.

Consider distributing dampened cooling towels to guests upon arrival. They are an affordable and practical giveaway that guests will appreciate and use throughout the event—and, of course, an extra spot for branding!

At BizBash's own Cannes Lions activation in 2022, produced by BMF, guests were welcomed aboard a yacht with branded fans and a cool, lavender-scented towel to combat the over-80-degree days. See more: An Event Prof's Oasis: See Inside BizBash and Hubilo's Yacht Activation at Cannes Lions

Spotify's "Desert Kickback" event at Coachella 2022 was an airy, shade-filled space that used light-wood grain textures and bright blue and white florals to create a beachy feel. A wellness bar offered fresh juices and branded coconut water, and a refresh station offered sunscreen, portable chargers, and eucalyptus water-soaked towels for cooling. Coachella 2022: Peek Inside the Festival's Buzziest Parties & Brand Activations

At the 2019 US Open, InterContinental Hotels Group, a first-time hospitality partner of the tournament, opened a free spa-inspired experience for attendees on site. Produced by Momentum Worldwide, the indoor-outdoor wellness activation served guests samples of infused waters from a tennis-themed bar. Guests could also relax with massages and cooling towels with property-inspired scents while watching a video about a destination of their choice. See more: U.S. Open 2019: 22 Tennis-Theme Highlights From Sponsors and Satellite Events

Of course, you can never go wrong with a great water feature. At the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in 2013, a 20-foot lighted fountain—known informally as the "mushroom"—provided a cool break from the heat of the day. See more: How Bonnaroo Engaged 80,000 Attendees at This Year's Festival

And what beats the heat better than a pool guests actually want to get into? Take a cue from Engage!19's afternoon pool party in the Bahamas, where colorful pool floats and plenty of comfortable seating kept guests on site and engaged.