Fair season brings funnel cakes, ferris wheels, and thousands of people walking around. It also results in a huge amount of rubbish if people don’t take notice. Maintaining the fair in a clean condition is not merely a matter of appearance; it helps to protect public health, ensures that the vendors are satisfied, and encourages people to return the following year. The good news is that there’s no need for a major change, just a few simple habits from all those involved, whether they are the families walking past the livestock barn or the staff working on the ground staff.
Because of the number of fairs, festivals, and community events that we’ve been involved with, we know that keeping clean is something that everyone in the team has to contribute to. Visitors have a part to play, and staff have a more important one. Only when both groups take responsibility does the entire event go more smoothly.
What Individuals Can Do To Help Keep The Fair Clean
People usually aren’t trying to create a mess. It occurs in little instances, such as a napkin being dropped here or a soda cup being left on a bench there. But soon after, those little incidents add up when you take them and multiply them by a few thousand visitors.
A few habits go a long way:
- Get rid of your own waste. It may seem obvious, but it is the most important factor. So, if you have something that you no longer need, look for a bin before you put it down.
- Take the rubbish you see on the ground. Of course you didn’t drop it, but if it’s in your way and there’s a bin nearby, throwing it in takes only two seconds and makes a real difference over the course of a day.
- Do not fill the bins overboard. If a bin is already full, do not stack more on it or place the bags next to it; instead, find the next one. Filling bins beyond capacity attracts vermin and causes the entire area to appear neglected, even if the rest of the ground is clean.
No extra effort is involved beyond a certain level of awareness. When visitors look after the grounds as they would look after their own backyard, they end up contributing more to the event than any one cleaning crew could.
Keeping The Fairgrounds Clean as a Staff Member
No matter how good attendees’ habits are, they can’t make up for the lack of proper infrastructure; it is the responsibility of the staff and the organizers to deal with this, and some prior planning will go a long way towards avoiding problems later on.
Stretch out the trash cans and put in a greater number than you actually think is necessary. People discard things when it suits them. Whenever the closest bin is a five-minute walk from the funnel cake stand, you can expect to find litter. Position bins at all major intersections, near food vendors, and at the exits. What matters most is the density.
Make sure that the dumpsters are available and easy to access when loading is needed. Throughout the day, vendors produce a continuous amount of cardboard, food waste, and packaging. When the dumpsters are difficult to reach or have already been filled by mid-afternoon, the waste ends up being piled up next to the stalls, which presents both a health risk and is a visual nuisance.
Adhere to a regular pickup schedule since dumpsters that remain in place for too long will overflow regardless of how well they are positioned. By establishing a schedule that takes into account the real foot traffic at the fair and the number of vendors, you can avoid overflow before it occurs. Larger fairs may require several pickups each day, particularly during peak hours or following major events such as concerts or fireworks.
Combine different sizes of dumpster. Since not all sections of a fair produce the same amount of waste, larger containers are needed in food courts where there is frequent service, while craft vendor sections can do with smaller bins. Setting the size of the container to match the actual requirement makes things more efficient and prevents the grounds from appearing messy because of unnecessarily large dumpsters being placed in areas where they aren’t needed.
Teach the staff to carry out rapid visual checks. Carrying out a quick walk-around every hour or so, and particularly in high-traffic areas, enables any problems to be spotted before they worsen. It’s much easier to pick up a few loose cups than it is to cope with a corner that has become a dumping ground by the evening.
You should also make sure that your vendors understand the cleanliness requirements. Since the vendors are responsible for their own areas of the stall, a brief reminder when setting up, such as keeping your area clean, taking down the boxes, and using the dumpster provided, should be given so as to establish the right atmosphere before the gates open.
Bringing It All Together
A fair staying clean isn’t a chance; it is the outcome of visitors taking a bit of personal responsibility together with staff who put in place the appropriate systems to back it. If there are plenty of trash cans, the dumpsters are operated according to a real schedule, and everyone makes small, ongoing contributions, then the entire event seems to improve. It becomes safer, more welcoming, and more likely to gain a good reputation from year to year.
If you are organizing a fair, festival, or some kind of large community event and are looking for a company that has a thorough understanding of waste management, then get in touch with us. First Light Services collaborates with event planners to prepare cleanup plans, handle dumpster arrangements, and ensure that the premises remain in excellent condition from the first day through to the last night of the event. Contact us for a consultation, and let’s turn your next event into one that people will remember for the right reasons.
