When event professionals need to be flexible - that's when we shine!
When one of our directors, Jonathan Flearmoy, flew out to Athens to run a major academic conference in early September, he had no idea he would be caught up in an unprecedented, deadly storm that made international headlines and broke weather records in the region.
Jonathan was running the main annual KES International academic conference with over 300 delegates and staff present in Athens and hundreds more joining online via the virtual platform.
When the unexpected happens
It was totally unexpected as the forecast for 30 degree heat was changed with less than 48 hours notice, which meant many of our international delegates were totally unprepared for rain, let alone storms and flash flooding.
After a wet first day the rain eased and the team took the delegates off on their scheduled walking tour with a local tour company. We had ordered hundreds of ponchos and paid for buses to be on standby just in case the rain returned.
Less than 20 minutes after their walk started the group was hit with torrential rain and extreme thunderstorms directly overhead. The Greek authorities sent out a push alert ordering everyone to remain where they were and forbidding travel due to what they called the current ‘weather phenomenon’ that had hit the country.
Many of us remember the recent test by the UK government to send a push alert to everyone’s mobile phone, but our team and delegates saw these emergency mobile alerts in action when everyone’s mobile phone started sounding an alarm and they all had to shelter in a nearby bar as water rushed through the streets. It was an intense couple of hours, but they were all relatively safe there and the safety of our delegates and staff is always our main priority.
Making the best of the situation
Despite the deafening thunder overhead and torrential rain, people took it all in their stride and cooperated with instructions while remaining in good spirits. A traditional Greek dancer, who had been booked to entertain the guests at one of the points along the walking tour, came to find everyone in the bar, and what followed was an impromptu Greek dance lesson, as seen below!
Back at the Royal Olympic Hotel, which we chose due to the stunning views over Athens for the conference gala dinner, the guests witnessed the extreme weather continue, with multiple lightening strikes hitting the nearby Acropolis and The Temple of Zeus.
The image below shows the view during the gala dinner the next evening, which was, thankfully, a bit calmer.
Credit where it's due
Reflecting on the challenges of the conference in Athens, Jonathan and Faye were quick to post to social media to praise their team and the conference staff for their professionalism and willingness to go above and beyond to ensure the event continues despite the conditions.
Live events are notorious for throwing challenges at us but every event professional knows you have to stay positive and find solutions to problems. It took planning and extra expense to ensure the delegates were kept comfortable by providing ponchos, booking busesas a precaution and treating everyone to a glass of wine while we waited for the rain to pass, but the effort was appreciated by the delegates. The feedback from delegates in attendance has been extremely positive and we know it has helped to build in even more loyalty for an annual event that so many people look forward to.
While we are hoping for a slightly less dramatic conference in 2024, we will be ready for whatever challenges we have to face to ensure every event is a triumph.
Get in touch
If you have an event you are planning and want a team with great experience and attention to detail get in touch with us via our Contact page today for an informal chat about your ideas and requirements.
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