“It” Happens: Real Stories of Events Gone Wrong

Carnival oh Carnival! The time of year when most of you look forward to the sweet sounds of pan, soca and calypso.  You also look forward to going to fetes, closing your eyes, throwing your hands up, and singing along with your favourite soca artistes. While you may be enjoying the food, the drink and everything else the event has to offer, event managers and fete promoters are dotting every “i” and crossing every “t” to ensure  that you not only have an unforgettable experience, but that you are safe for the duration of the event. However, there are those occasions when Murphy’s Law comes into play and something happens to ruin your good time. Whether it’s the bar running out of your favourite drink or the partial collapse of a stage on patrons (yes, we remember the first alternative concept), there is always a story to tell about a fete. So we spoke to some fete promoters and they shared some of their most “memorable” events and how they managed to come out of “it”.

The Falling Chandelier

The year was 2012 and the Trini Crew was hosting “Inside Out”, an outdoor party with an indoor feel. This is how Joel Bayley, event manager at “As You Like It Events” and former member of the Trini Crew, tells the story. “We wanted a different concept so we decided to create an indoor experience outside and part of that was hanging a huge chandelier over the dancefloor. We built a scaffolding structure all around the centre of the party and hoisted the chandelier onto the scaffolding, but someone forgot to secure the scaffolding to ensure it could support the weight of the chandelier. Just a few people had arrived when the chandelier came crashing down in middle of the party. Fortunately for the patrons, it was just the beginning, so no one was in the area at the time of the incident and we were able to get the chandelier back up. We were sure to secure the entire structure properly once we did.  It was only after the event it hit us how serious that incident could have been. Believe me, people would have probably been in the hospital had they been below that chandelier. ”

The Waist Collision

In a 2018 interview on the web series “The Business of Carnival”, head of the popular entertainment and events management company Caesar’s Army, Jules Sobian, was speaking with host Carla Paris describing the importance of doing everything professionally. Notorious for our informal culture, this too could impact the way we do business and plan events and how seriously we take it. He said “I remember in Barbados, a girl fell on a man while wining and his foot broke and he wanted to sue Caesar’s Army. I never thought that could happen or I could be held liable. Things like that will make you think, so event insurance, for me, is a must. We want to start promoting this, let the up and coming brands know that this is important in the event industry.”

Rumble in the Jungle

The year was 2013 and “A.M. Premium” was one of the most anticipated breakfast inclusive parties to be held during the year. Gleeson Job, who had been a supplier for the first 2 years, decided to attend the event as a patron for its third year. He said “the turnout was great, the infrastructure was sound and that food was sumptuous. There were eggs, sausages, bake, saltfish and a number of other options and I fully participated. I especially like eggs so I took full advantage of the opportunity to indulge.  After the event, I left and went home to prepare for another event when something didn’t feel right with my stomach. I figured it was nothing serious as I had eaten a lot at the party. However, after drinking an antacid I realised that one Andrews wasn’t big enough for this job. I still tried to make it to my second event but I had to leave earlier than planned. It was only in the days after the event when I heard of other people being affected, I realised it wasn’t just me.  Several patrons even ended up in the hospital as a result of food poisoning. It was serious enough to be covered by the media.”

Find Your Own Way!

It was 2015 and the House of Siete was hosting its signature summer event called “Grilled” at North Deck. Patrons were expecting to be shuttled from Maraval up to the venue. This time, in the role of event manager, Gleeson Job said “we hired maxi taxis to take patrons up to North Deck. We made all the arrangements with the maxi taxi drivers, and were sure to test drive the route because we know getting up to the North Deck location is a challenge. On the day of the event a few people arrived and we were expecting more when I began receiving calls that the patrons were stuck at the bottom of the hill. It was at that point we realised that maxi taxis couldn’t climb the hill once people and coolers were inside the vehicles. Upon realising this, instead of risking the damage to their vehicles, 4 of the 6 maxi drivers immediately quit, leaving us and the patrons stranded to get up the hill on our own. We eventually had to allow patrons to drive their own cars up the hill which in itself was another risk. A “Good Samaritan” who was passing by came to help and earned himself some extra cash that day. Needless to say we changed venue the following year to flatter ground so we eliminated the expense and the risk.”

We can all agree that the main thing we think about when planning an event is for everyone to have a great time. No one wants to deal with falling props, spoiled food or broken bones. However, as with everything in life, things happen and we have to recover and move on. Now while we can’t predict every occurrence, it’s good to prepare yourself so that you reduce your risk  and should there be an accident, have contingencies to ensure the recovery process can be as quick and as painless as possible. Precautionary measures could include:

• Having all major structures inspected to ensure they meet OSH standards.
• Having the proper auxiliary support like TTPS, Ambulance and Fire Services at your event.
• If you’re serving food, work with a professional who can advise you on the best menu and storage options for your event
• And of course, secure your event insurance from TRINRE to cover other potential liabilities

As your brand and event business grows, managing your risk isn’t just a “nice-to-have” but it’s a requirement by many event venues and an expected standard for any reputable business. Around Carnival time in particular, we welcome countless foreigners to Trinidad & Tobago, many of whom expect a high standard of planning and organisation. They are also not afraid to seek legal redress if they believe they were put at risk or damaged as a result of your poorly planned or inadequately covered event. We’re not trying to scare you, but to help you to be a more risk-conscious event planner. Just remember while life happens, “it” doesn’t have to happen to you.