Hosting a live music event in Texas is one of the most exciting prospects for any professional site host. No matter whether your event is a small local Dallas park festival or a large concert in Houston, there’s no question that outdoor concerts are an incredible opportunity for impressive turnouts.
And along with that opportunity comes great responsibility. Site infrastructure, logistics, and high-density site management are crucial to understand when preparing for your Texas outdoor show. Let’s take a look at some of the best practices for concert event planning.
Selecting Entertainment
It goes without saying that your talent is the biggest attraction of your event. And whenever you add talent to the equation, there are logistical steps you need to take to ensure the show is ready for their riders.
Some items to think through include:
- Electrical and sound equipment
- Stage lighting
- Stage size
- Backstage hospitality
Outdoor concerts pose one threat when it comes to your talent, and that’s mother nature. Have a rain-or-shine plan in place for your talent, and make sure their stage is grounded and covered.
Some other items to consider when blocking your site:
- Face stages away from residential zones, when possible, to maximize natural amplification and minimize noise pollution.
- Sound check early in the day. No artist wants to perform for a large crowd before they’ve had the opportunity to adjust their levels.
- Secure a comfortable private area for talent backstage. Block off an area of one or more portable toilets for artist use only.
Food & Drink
While music is the main attraction, concertgoers love to indulge in delicious food and drinks. Offering a variety of food trucks and beverages is key to keeping your crowd fed and hydrated during lengthy concerts.
Try to incorporate local favorites as well as fast food classics. One advantage of having food trucks at your event is that they usually come equipped with their own kitchen facilities. The last thing you want is for all of your generators being used for food prep!
Serving alcohol requires you to apply for a temporary permit through TABC (the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission). Guests consuming alcohol will also use the restroom 15-20% more often, so you’ll have to put additional units in your budget.
Quick Check | Serving Food & Alcohol
- Do all the food trucks possess the proper city permits?
- Will you need a holding tank for greywater?
Be sure to block off an area of grass where trucks can drain without affecting the lawn. - Are there handwashing stations located within 20 feet of all food vendors?
Vendor Relations & Selling Merchandise
But food trucks aren’t the only vendor you should consider working with. Vending fair booths is a great way to add a festive, “festival” vibe to any event. Communication and planning are key when working with multiple vendors. They’ll each need to know:
- Their “footprint” on the grounds
- Where they are allowed to park during load-in
- Access to power capabilities
Try to cluster similar vendors near each other. Line a row of merchandise tents up near the entrance of the venue or along a high-traffic path. Most food trucks will take care of their own breakrooms, but you should still allocate a section of the venue for vendor employees to take a load off and rest up. Make sure they have their own set of portable toilets away from guest lines.
Manage The Crowds
Crowd control and temporary fencing are essential for keeping outdoor concerts safe, organized, and enjoyable for attendees. Temporary fencing helps guide foot traffic, separate restricted areas, protect stages and equipment, and ensure emergency access routes remain clear.
By using professional-grade barricades and fencing, event organizers can improve crowd flow, reduce safety risks, and maintain compliance with local regulations—creating a smoother experience for both guests and staff from entry to exit.
Portable Toilet Rental & Sanitation Solutions
When guests aren’t listening to your music, looking at art, or eating food, they will be using the restroom. The cleanliness and availability of restrooms is one of the most impactful decisions you can make in preparation for your outdoor event.
Insufficient toilet capacity is the number one reason guests leave festivals early, and one of the leading causes for littering on venue grounds. Not only will you upset your guests, but you could damage the landscaping of your park and be liable for thousands to rehabilitate the area.
A good rule of thumb for concerts is 1 unit per 50-100 guests. Keep in mind, most concert events last longer than 4 hours. People also drink at concerts. When in doubt, provide closer to 1 unit for every 30-45 guests.
Types of Portable Restrooms & Support
- Standard Units: The standard porta-potty rentals are the go-to for General Admission grounds.
- ADA-Approved Restrooms: Providing accessible restrooms is not optional. You need one ADA unit for every 20 standard restroom rentals.
- Luxury Trailers: Reserve these impressive trailers for VIP ticket holders or creating a talent green room. Most luxury models feature air conditioning and flushing toilets.
- Handwashing Stations: A standalone restroom that allows guests to clean up after using the facilities or before consuming food — great for event hygiene.
Partner with Texas Johns — we’ll deliver exhaustively cleaned portable toilet rentals straight to your location. Our units are all serviced on a rotating schedule throughout the week so you can be sure your rentals are always ready for your guests.
Waste Management
While venue hosts are typically forced to clean up after their event, many forget to plan for it ahead of time. The city and most private venues require you to leave the grounds as you found them.
- Place large trash and recycling bins near food trucks and near exits and restroom areas.
- Clearly mark recycling bins. Guests are more likely to sort their trash if it’s convenient.
- Have roaming “clean up” teams during the concert.
That last one is key. Throughout large festivals, there will be tons of litter on the ground. If you have staff picking up trash during the event, you won’t face a giant pile of litter once the show ends.
Hiring Staff | Who’s Going to Do What?
You need a team. Ticket takers, security, sanitation areas, stage managers, traffic control, first-aid… The list goes on. For large outdoor concerts and music festivals, you should begin your search for support at least six months in advance.
Establish leadership within each department. Split your team up into groups to monitor specific zones of the venue. Stage Problems? Vendor crisis? Lines at the restroom? Your teams should be able to communicate directly with supervisors and quickly remedy any obstacles.
Hold a training meeting with all staff in the days before the event. Be sure every staff member knows basic emergency procedures and where the nearest medical tent is located. Inform them of the daily schedule so they know what to expect. Having competent, courteous staff will make all the difference if a disaster strikes.
Texas Johns Loves Large Events
We pride ourselves on being a one-stop shop for project managers and event coordinators. We offer full-service portable restroom rentals, deluxe luxury trailers, temporary fencing, dumpsters, and everything in between.
Our convenient delivery and pick-up options allow you to focus on staffing and show flow while we worry about the site. From standard porta-potties to elite flushable toilets, we can offer you everything you need to keep restroom lines low — and your guests happy.
Reach out today and get your restroom problems solved and squared away. It’s never too early to start preparing!
