plan b PLAN A: As a seasoned event professional, I’m used to thinking on the fly and can usually “stand the heat.” But while arranging a customer-appreciation event for Becton, Dickinson and Co. (BD), the heat proved unbearable, even for me. BD’s request was pretty straightforward: an intimate, indoor cocktail event for 75 people. I suggested hosting the event at the Artists for Humanity Epicenter in Boston, where guests could mingle in the art gallery while one of the center’s artists created a painting inspired by BD’s new diagnostic machine. Not only did BD love my idea, but the fact that the gallery was a Green building was icing on the event-marketing cake. The day of the event was a sunny June afternoon. As the caterers, florists, and other event vendors bustled about, the venue got increasingly warmer. I asked a member of the gallery’s staff to turn up the air conditioning. Unfortunately, I was told, as a Green building, the gallery didn’t have an air conditioner. Already unbearably stuffy, the venue would be downright sweltering with 75 guests packed inside. I needed a hot flash of brilliance if I was going to keep my cool — and keep the event from overheating. Plan B: I knew that one wall of the gallery rolled up garage-door style to reveal an outdoor patio area along the street. Granted, my client wanted an indoor event, but I figured raising the wall a bit would help cool off the space. However, when we raised the wall just a few feet, we were greeted with a violent rush of air. I tried to tame those gale-force winds by moving a couple of tables to block the blustery breeze, but that only resulted in billowing table skirts that resembled the masts of a soon-to-be-capsized sailboat. With time running out, I decided to open the wall all the way and let our indoor event spill out onto the outdoor patio. Much to my surprise, the more open the wall, the less harsh the wind-tunnel effect, and a cool breeze flowed gently through the venue. When my client arrived, I explained the situation. Thankfully, she preferred the indoor/outdoor feel of the space with the wall removed. Now I live by the new adage: If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the gallery.E   Eryn Ballard, event specialist, MG Design Associates, Pleasant Prairie, WI