My Big Day Events Blog: Weddings, Events, Deals, Ideas, Planning, Colorado in the Know!

Masks are Officially Back in Larimer County - What Does This Mean for Events?

10/15/2021

Masks are back and mandatory indoors beginning October 20, 2021 as issued by the Health Dept for Larimer County. With rising cases and full hospitals, it was only a matter of time before the announcement was made.

The new public health order, released Friday afternoon by the Larimer County Department of Health and Environment (LCDPHE), calls on everyone aged 3 and up to wear face masks in all indoor public spaces starting at 12 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 20, regardless of vaccination status.

As reported by Denver 7 News:

County health officials said Friday local hospital ICUs have been operating at or above 100% capacity for the past month. Currently, 40% of patients in the ICU have COVID-19 and 90% of those are unvaccinated. Their hope is that universal mask wearing will help slow transmission of the highly virulent delta variant until more people get vaccinated.

“Larimer County hospitals are being overburdened and we cannot allow this to continue indefinitely,” said Larimer County Public Health Director Tom Gonzales in a prepared statement. “Our hospitals need relief so they can swiftly and adequately treat all urgent medical needs in our community. Universal mask-wearing is the next best prevention tool we have to reduce the strain on our hospitals.”

Data from the Larimer County COVID-19 dashboard shows 35% of the county has yet to receive their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. The data also shows the county reported an average of 250+ cases per 100,000 people over the past month.

LCDPHE officials said the public health order will remain in place until the county has met the following metrics for 21 consecutive days:
1. Less than 65 COVID-19 patients in Larimer County hospitals
2. ICU capacity at less than 90% of usual and customary levels
3. A 7-day case rate of less than 300 cases per 100,000 people.
4. A 7-day positivity rate of less than 10%.

Larimer County will become the fifth Colorado county to reinstate mask mandates as cases of the novel virus continue to increase across the state due to the highly transmissible delta variant.

read the entire health order HERE

What does this mean for your theater tickets or holiday party?

If you are gathering indoors, you will need to wear a mask. This order is in effect until numbers go down.
Social distnacing and sanitizing is still recommended.

Recent research has also shown us recommendations on types of masks in order of effectiveness.

Quality mask reminders
Especially in higher risk situations, use the best-quality and best-fitting mask you can get. The highest quality masks are designed and tested to ensure they meet a standard. That means they perform at a consistent level to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The highest quality, in order, are:

N95 and KN95 (as well as KF94) are the most effective, provided they are genuine and have been tested to meet a standard. Luckily, the supply of high-quality N95 and KN95 masks has improved. These are better at filtering the virus and now are more widely available for the public. Beware of counterfeits (more on this below). These are disposable, so you will need to replace them (depending on how much you wear it). These are not available in children’s sizes and are more expensive.
Surgical masks that have been tested to meet a national standard (ASTM 2/3). These are also disposable.
Cloth masks that have a double layer (more on this below). These can be washed and re-used.

Contact MBD Marketing & Events

Small Business. Big Impact.

Phone: 970-613-1455 or 303-886-3068

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We serve the entire Front Range; Denver, Southern Wyoming, the CO Mountains, and Northern Colorado: Loveland, Fort Collins, Greeley, Windsor, Berthoud, Estes Park, Lyons, Longmont, Boulder, Wellington, Johnstown, Evans, Severance, Timnath, Mead, Frederick, Firestone, Milliken

Covid Response - Events during the Delta Variant

9/9/2021

Covid Response - Events during the Delta Variant

After a year of virtual and hybrid events, we thought our industry had turned the corner. We were ready and we were confident with in-person events. We began advising clients that it was safe to gather together once again. Our calendar was bursting at the seams. Events were back, and they were back BIG.

And then, just as we were getting used to our new “new normal”, this pesky rumor started circulating around industry bulletins -- a new, more dangerous variant of the coronavirus was making its rounds. The Delta variant was here. Not an announcement worth celebrating.

Events during a global pandemic

This past year and a half, the events industry has had to learn to adapt quickly. Shifting on the fly from fully in-person to full cancellations to hybrids to covid safe events has been a metamorphosis to behold. The change in dynamics within our company alone has been amazing to witness. And while we can all agree it has been one of the most challenging periods, the growth that we have seen - both personally and professionally - has been life and business-changing.

We (My Big Day Marketing & Events) have learned a lot during the pandemic. We have discovered how to creatively manage and pivot live, in-person events, into exciting and engaging virtual and hybrid events. We have figured out ways to deliver points of connection for our communities and clients in covid-safe events when it hasn’t been safe to gather together. And while we are more than ready to be back together, celebrating weddings, anniversaries, business milestones, and community accomplishments live and in-person, we know that we can continue to do so in creative ways until it is safe to do so together in one place.

Our Covid-Safe Practices

Event planning begins months and sometimes over a year out. We have been living and workin moment by moment, day by day, following every recommendation and order by our counties, our state and the CDC. Our clients are counting on us to help them decide what events to keep and how to 'get creative.'

We are making sure that we are keeping our clients and our employees safe by implementing and following all CDC recommended guidelines and best practices for events that take place in person. This means we are:

Recommending social distancing and masks at all in-person events, regardless if they are planned for indoors or outdoors. We post signage and reminders at every event that we host and manage.
Proposing that all of our clients only plan for pre-registration or RSVP events only. This is extremely helpful in the event of potential exposure and a subsequent notification trail. Thorough records and signed guest waivers -- where guests indicate that they are not experiencing any covid symptoms or have not knowingly been exposed -- are helpful tools.
Providing multiple PPE stations throughout the event venue. We always come prepared with plenty of hand sanitizer, wipes, extra masks, and gloves for our employees and guests.
Implement symptom monitoring protocols upon request. Clients may request that we provide waivers for guests to sign, stating that they are symptom-free. We also can check for temperatures and provide screening questions.
Strongly encouraging unvaccinated individuals to wear masks.
Providing touchless points of service during the event. This means we recommend shifting from buffet service to plated, full service, or boxed meals. This also means online or live auctions for fundraising events instead of hand-written bids for silent auctions.

How We Are Planning for the Fall and Beyond

Typically during this time of year, our workload consists of venue tours and vendor meetings for the busy upcoming holiday party season. And while our calendars are still filling up with community events, non-profit fundraisers and weddings, many of these are hopeful events for later, reaching further into 2022.

Unfortunately, we are feeling the effects of this latest surge in hospitalizations due to the Delta Covid Variant. With the new CDC recommendations that everyone - regardless of vaccination status wear masks indoors, businesses and corporations are rethinking their holiday parties and celebrations. Many are canceling. Our own MBD team is even considering hosting a virtual holiday party happy hour instead of gathering together, just to play it safe.

Moving Forward

As we move forward, we will continue to create events with multiple scenarios in mind. We aim to have a plan A, B, and sometimes a C in place -- just in case lockdowns, restrictions, and other regulations are put in place by the government and local agencies.

Part of being an event planner means being prepared for anything and everything. This is the nature of the job. We must say, however, that it is getting somewhat tiresome, trying to keep up with all of the constant changes that this pandemic has thrust upon our society and industry as a whole. We have had to add the title of “community health expert” to our role, and that is a hefty expectation to fill. We are learning on the fly - and we’re just as scared and confused as the next person. That is why we rely on experts to lead and guide our decisions.

We have learned a lot over the last year - a lot of new, exciting, and somewhat scary stuff. We hope that if we can continue to apply what we have learned, listen to each other, and follow guidelines with each other’s health and safety in mind - we’ll find that normal we are all so desperately wanting again.

The New “Normal” Back to School Edition

8/16/2021

Colorado is Back to School in person! After the 2020-2021 school year there have been a lot of questions about what the new “normal” will be this upcoming year for students.

Many of your MBD team members are parents - and we all work with clients who serve and support children and students. Safety and health are very important to us.

Below are a few things that the CDC has recommended to ensure the student and staff safety this 2021 school year.

Masks for ages 2+ if not vaccinated.
KKTV 11 News wrote that the CDC guidelines say that “Consistent and correct mask use by people who are not fully vaccinated is especially important indoors and in crowded settings, when physical distancing cannot be maintained.” If vaccinated, schools are asking for proof and then a mask is not required.

Staff, Teachers and Students should stay home if they have any infectious disease.
This rule refers to any infectious disease, not just COVID. Colds and flus are on the list for being a required reason to stay at home and they recommend going to see a physician as well.

Teachers and staff will continue to have disinfect.
Staff and teachers will be supplied with disinfecting spray, to clean high-touch areas regularly.

The circulation of outdoor air inside will continue to be increased.
“Screening testing, ventilation, handwashing and respiratory etiquette, staying home when sick and getting tested, contact tracing in combination with quarantine and isolation, and cleaning and disinfection are also important layers of prevention to keep schools safe.”[1]

[1] https://www.kktv.com/2021/07/21/colorado-health-officials-release-back-to-school-guidance-covid-19/

Schools will continue to “Encouraging frequent hand washing and providing access to hand sanitation stations.”[1]

[1] https://www.dcsdk12.org/about/leadership/superintendent/looking_forward_back_to_school_2021-2022

Physical Distancing 3 feet or more.
“CDC recommends schools maintain at least 3 feet of physical distance between students within classrooms, combined with indoor mask wearing by people who are not fully vaccinated, to reduce transmission risk. When it is not possible to maintain a physical distance of at least 3 feet, such as when schools cannot fully re-open while maintaining these distances, it is especially important to layer multiple other prevention strategies, such as indoor masking.”1

We must all work together to keep our schools safe!
If we can all follow these guidelines we can prevent the spread of most illnesses throughout our schools and homes. Back to school is here and everyone is excited to return to the classrooms! Check out our Pinterest board for Back to School ideas and tips!

https://www.pinterest.com/MyBigDayEvents/education-k-12/back-to-school-ideas/

https://www.denverpost.com/2021/07/20/colorado-school-guidance-covid-masks-vaccines-2021-school-year/
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/index.html

NO DUI Larimer Collaboration with Thompson Valley EMS

5/19/2021

MBD Marketing & Events continues to support Partners and assist with marketing outreach of the No DUI Larimer Campaign.
In recent months we have formed a partnership with the Thompson Valley EMS.

No DUI Larimer is pleased to announce our latest collaboration, this time with Thompson Valley Emergency Medical Services (TVEMS). The emergency medical personnel at TVEMS see firsthand the effects of impaired driving on Northern Colorado’s roadways.

Thompson Valley EMS was founded in 1983 and is Loveland’s leading provider of emergency medical services, EMS education, and EMS training. The organization’s 80 employees and 12 ambulances respond to over 15,000 TVEMS seeks to promote and facilitate the responsible provision of medical services within the Thompson Valley Health Services District.

As part of its vision for compassionate care, TVEMS became a registered CARES program in 2017, providing community outreach and health education to people to prevent illness and injury. In the coming weeks, you can expect to see No DUI Larimer and Thompson Valley EMS promoting each other’s messaging as part of our community health education mission.

EMS Training through Thompson Valley Emergency Medical Services
Photo credit: Thompson Valley EMS Facebook

At No DUI Larimer, we believe the issue of impaired driving is best addressed through community collaboration, and we are proud of our partnerships with the Colorado Department of Transportation and TVEMS, two organizations tasked with improving the safety of Colorado’s roads. Together, we can combat impaired driving in Northern Colorado. Follow Thompson Valley EMS and No DUI Larimer on Facebook for updates on our collaboration. Make the Call.

Event Consent during COVID-19 Pandemic

7/12/2020

Like every small business, we are working on being as creative as possible to still keep ourselves busy working and supporting other businesses and Big dreams our clients have... but we need to be as safe as possible for ourselves, our families, and our clients. As such, the following policy will be posted at every event My Big Day is associate with - and must be signed by all participants.

Event Consent during COVID-19 Pandemic

Due to the global pandemic outbreak of COVID-19 and for the safety and protection of the health of our staff, clients and event attendees, we are implementing safety measures in compliance with the safety precautions published by the CDC and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

I confirm that I have NOT tested positive for Coronavirus in the last 14 days.
I confirm that I am NOT waiting for the results of a laboratory test for Coronavirus.
I verify that I have not been identified as a contact of someone who has tested positive for Coronavirus or been asked to self-isolate by The Colorado Department of Health or any other government agency.
I confirm that I do not currently have any of the following symptoms of COVID-19 identified by the CDC:

Fever of 100 degrees or higher, chills or body aches, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, flu-like symptoms, bloody or green diarrhea (we are just making sure you are reading this), runny nose, or loss of smell or taste.

I confirm that I am not in the high risk category for increased illness or death from COVID-19, including: diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, lung disease including moderate to severe asthma, being immune-compromised, having active malignancy.

I understand the I must wash and sanitize my hands regularly, and I must wear a mask that covers my nose and mouth when in a public place, and when in 6ft of a stranger.

I understand that for the health and safety for myself and others, I will have my temperature checked prior to participating.

I understand that the My Big Day team and all participating vendors will do everything possible to minimize the spread of COVID-19 and I will not hold them responsible should I contract COVID-19.

By signing below, I agree to the above statements and release My Big Day, it’s staff and participating vendors and businesses from any liability for the unintentional exposure of the Coronavirus.

COVID-19 RISK ASSESSMENT FOR FAMILY ACTIVITIES

6/24/2020

With COVID-19 numbers increasing in parts of the country, many of us with kids (My Big Day and “Loveland Drive-In” employees included) are wondering what we can do to keep our families entertained outside of the house and how safe those activities really are. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has updated information about the risk level of various activities. We are pleased that drive-in shows continue to be listed as one of the safest activities for families this summer.

See our COVID-19 risk assessment for family activities list below!

High-Risk Activities
(from “Covid 19 Risk Calculator ,” ABC News, updated June 19, 2020)

Yoga/workout classes/gym

Why:“Lots of sweaty strangers in an enclosed environment, what could go wrong? You’ll also be tempted to wipe sweat off your face, potentially touching your eyes and mouth area, making the risk even higher.”

Vacation

Why: Even if you “wear a mask and gloves in the airport and on the airplane, you take the first flight of the morning to avoid crowds and take advantage of overnight cleaning on the airplane, the airport isn’t crowded, and passengers on the plane are seated with empty seats between them,” the risk is high according to the article’s doctors. “You could do everything right, but at the end of the day you’re at the mercy of your fellow passengers’ health and hygiene.” There is also a risk that, if cases suddenly increase in your area of travel, you will not be able to return home for weeks or months.

Visiting grandparents

Why: It doesn’t matter if case numbers are low in your area, if you avoid staying in hotels, or if you have your entire family tested before the visit, “Grandparents are always going to be a higher risk population. And remember, you can test negative one day and contract the virus the next.”

Graduation/Independence Day/birthday party with 20 friends and family members

Why: The highest-risk activity on this list, it doesn’t matter if your invitees have been mostly staying home or come wearing masks – no one can wear a mask while eating or drinking, and adding alcohol into the mix makes people less likely to be vigilant. And, unless you have 40 bowls on hand and the time to individually dish out chips and salsa to each of your guests, there will be shared food handling involved.

Medium-Risk Activities

Dinner party with 3 or fewer friends

Why: Even if everyone washes their hands and has been following social distancing advice, your attendees won’t be able to wear masks while eating. You can make this activity slightly safer by eating outside, 6 feet apart, and using disposable (biodegradable, please!) dishes and cutlery.

Kids’ Summer Camp

Why: Campers should be kept in groups of 10 or less with no intermixing and as much outdoor time as possible. However, during hot summer months it is usually impossible to keep children outside at all times.

Low-Risk Activities

Camping

Why: If you maintain social distancing, eat only food you brought from home, wear masks whenever you are around other people and use hand sanitizer regularly, camping is a low risk activity.

Drive-in Movies/Concerts

Why: As long as cars are parked 6 feet apart, employees wear masks when interacting with customers, and you maintain your distance from others when outside of your car, drive-in shows are one of the safest out-of-the-house activities this summer. At the Loveland Drive-In, we go the extra mile with even more precautions:

By staggering our cars in a checkerboard pattern, we keep vehicles 10 feet apart rather than the required 6
Our employees monitor bathroom lines to be sure people are maintaining their distance from each other and that there are no more than 3 people in line at a time
We also regularly disinfect our restrooms with an aerosol spray for airborne germs and a bleach spray for solid surfaces like faucets and toilet handles

The Loveland Drive-In abides by the CDC’s advice on their latest “Deciding to Go Out” information page (updated June 15, 2020):

Choose places where there is limited sharing of items and where any items that are shared are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected between uses. You can also choose to visit places that share, post, or announce that they have increased cleaning and disinfection to protect others from COVID-19.

Can you keep 6 feet of space between you and others? Will you be outdoors or indoors? Indoor spaces are more risky than outdoor spaces where it might be harder to keep people apart and there’s less ventilation. Choose outdoor activities and places where it’s easy to stay 6 feet apart, like parks and open-air facilities.

Use visual reminders—like signs, chair arrangements, markings on the floor, or arrows—to help remind you to keep your distance from others. (At the Loveland Drive-In, we have “X”s spray-painted on parking spaces in a checkerboard pattern to remind attendees not to park too close to others.)

Will I need to take public transportation to get to the activity? Public transit can put you in close contact with others. By nature, at a drive-in, you BYOV (bring your own vehicle)!

Before you go somewhere, call and ask what extra prevention strategies they are using, like requiring staff to wear cloth face coverings. Visit our FAQ and Code of Conduct pages for the Loveland Drive-In to see some of the precautions we are taking to make sure your family stays safe!

There’s still time to join us for some low-risk family fun this summer! Tickets available HERE!

Coronavirus and Large Events - What Should I Do?

3/11/2020

My Big Day is no stranger to managing event emergencies, but this is a first!
COVID-19 is wiping out events large and small across the nation - and beyond.

As event planners, we feel that it is our responsibility to be on top of all potential event roadblocks, including Plan A, Plan B and Plan C for unbelievable things such as the Coronavirus.

For those responsible for putting on events that bring crowds of people together, the World Health Organization has published some key planning recommendations ....

Specific features of the event that should be considered include:

crowd density;
the nature of contact between participants (for example, a concert or religious event, indoors or outdoors, the layout of the venue);
whether the event will be attended by registered and non-registered participants;
the profession of the participants and their possible previous exposure;
the number of participants coming from countries or areas affected by the COVID-19 outbreak within 14 days prior to the event;
the age of participants; because elderly people who have co-morbid conditions appear to be more seriously affected, mass gatherings composed principally of this cohort may be associated with increased transmission;
the type or purpose of event (for example, sporting, festival, religious, political, cultural);
the duration and mode of travel of participants; if the duration of the mass gathering is longer than the incubation period for COVID-19 infection (14 days), then most event-associated cases would be expected to occur while the event is under way. In contrast, if the duration is shorter, most cases would likely occur after the event as people travel and return to their home communities.

Coming up with an action plan for any event is absolutely necessary.
Clear messaging is also a must.

As an event participant, what can you do?

Wash your hands frequently. Regularly and thoroughly clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water.

Why? Washing your hands with soap and water or using alcohol-based hand rub kills viruses that may be on your hands.

Maintain social distancing. Maintain at least 1 metre (3 feet) distance between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing.

Why? When someone coughs or sneezes they spray small liquid droplets from their nose or mouth which may contain virus. If you are too close, you can breathe in the droplets, including the COVID-19 virus if the person coughing has the disease.

Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth.

Why? Hands touch many surfaces and can pick up viruses. Once contaminated, hands can transfer the virus to your eyes, nose or mouth. From there, the virus can enter your body and can make you sick.
Practice respiratory hygiene.

Make sure you, and the people around you, follow good respiratory hygiene. This means covering your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or tissue when you cough or sneeze. Then dispose of the used tissue immediately.

Why? Droplets spread virus. By following good respiratory hygiene you protect the people around you from viruses such as cold, flu and COVID-19.

If you have fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical care early. Stay home if you feel unwell. If you have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical attention and call in advance. Follow the directions of your local health authority.

Why? National and local authorities will have the most up to date information on the situation in your area. Calling in advance will allow your health care provider to quickly direct you to the right health facility. This will also protect you and help prevent spread of viruses and other infections.

Stay informed and follow advice given by your healthcare provider. Stay informed on the latest developments about COVID-19. Follow advice given by your healthcare provider, your national and local public health authority or your employer on how to protect yourself and others from COVID-19.

Why? National and local authorities will have the most up to date information on whether COVID-19 is spreading in your area. They are best placed to advise on what people in your area should be doing to protect themselves.

Be Smart
Be Careful
Be Considerate of Others
Put Your Health First.

My Big Day Blog

Masks are Officially Back in Larimer County - What Does This Mean for Events?

Covid Response - Events during the Delta Variant

The New “Normal” Back to School Edition

NO DUI Larimer Collaboration with Thompson Valley EMS

Event Consent during COVID-19 Pandemic

Event Consent during COVID-19 Pandemic

COVID-19 RISK ASSESSMENT FOR FAMILY ACTIVITIES

Coronavirus and Large Events - What Should I Do?

About MBD

Search Categories

Monthly Archives

Where We Are & Where We've Been:

My Big Day Blog

Masks are Officially Back in Larimer County - What Does This Mean for Events?

Covid Response - Events during the Delta Variant

The New “Normal” Back to School Edition

NO DUI Larimer Collaboration with Thompson Valley EMS

Event Consent during COVID-19 Pandemic

Event Consent during COVID-19 Pandemic​

COVID-19 RISK ASSESSMENT FOR FAMILY ACTIVITIES

Coronavirus and Large Events - What Should I Do?

About MBD

Search Categories

Monthly Archives

Where We Are & Where We've Been:

Event Consent during COVID-19 Pandemic