15 Outdoor Event Signage Ideas to Enhance the Visitor Experience

The right types of Outdoor Event Signage can make any event stand out. They create a great atmosphere and enhance the overall experience. With event signage, you can help people find their way, learn more about different attractions, and even create unforgettable memories.

But there are many types of signage, each with its own unique aesthetic and use. To organize a successful event, you need to find the best signage. That means it’s easy to install, provides functional benefits, and fits the venue and theme of the event.

Why Outdoor Event Signage is So Important

Event signage helps create a great experience at outdoor events in a number of ways. It tells attendees where to be, where to go, and what to expect as the event unfolds. Here are some of the main reasons why you might want to invest in signage at your event venue.

Helps Attendees Navigate

Many outdoor events cover large areas and require clear signage to guide people throughout the space. Without proper directional signage, guests may miss important parts of the event area or waste time searching for specific locations.

Navigational or wayfinding signage can be displayed in a variety of ways, from wall-mounted or pole-mounted signs, to custom-designed banners, maps, floor markers and digital displays.

Signage enhances overall branding

Signage can also enhance the identity and theme of an event, making it more recognizable. This is also important because it means sponsors can gain a lot of visibility in return for their support.

You can use a variety of outdoor event signage for this purpose, from static display boards and banners or flags, to digital displays and video walls. Any of these can be customized with logos, colors and sponsor information, and distributed throughout the event venue.

Easily share information with event signage

Event visitors often need access to important information such as schedules, safety instructions and event highlights. Well-placed signage helps communicate this information clearly and efficiently.

Static signage and digital signage are great ways to spread the word across your event site.

The best way to do this is through large, high-definition displays, such as bulletin boards in strategic locations. Welcome signs, schedule listings, and safety information are often best displayed on large digital displays because they are highly visible and can be updated on the fly, as needed.

Signage at an outdoor event venue is used to direct and guide attendees

Better Safety and Compliance

Signage at outdoor venues is also useful for informing guests of safety procedures or any rules and regulations pertaining to the venue. It can also be used to provide direction and guidance in the event of an emergency.

Pole-mounted signs are often the best way to display this type of information. By being mounted above head level, this information remains visible at all times. Safety information can also be displayed as part of digital displays, making them more eye-catching and memorable.

A Greater Visual Experience

Signage can often take the visual experience at an event to the next level, especially when you find sign designs and styles that fit the theme of the event.

Neon lights are a great example here. They can highlight key areas like food courts and VIP sections, creating a vibrant and visually appealing atmosphere. Likewise, anything from whimsical vintage metal signs to inflatables or dazzling video walls can really add to the overall ambiance of everything from music festivals or sporting events, to weddings or business conferences.

Some Outdoor Event Signage Ideas

Digital Display Boards

Digital signage is a versatile medium, and outdoor signage tends to rely on high-definition LED displays. LED displays are known for their vibrant colors and vibrant screens, and can be great for sharing information at your event when paired with eye-catching slides.

If you’re using digital signage outdoors, make sure to choose displays designed for outdoor use. Upload live updates, display sponsor messages, or direct attendees to different areas within the event space. You can even add your displays to a digital signage event network to make it easier to manage the flow of information.

Wood Signs

Wood signs have an old-school feel, contrasting with the sleek, modern look of digital signage. They’re perfect for rustic or natural events, add a touch of their own theme to events, and are environmentally friendly.

Wood signs can be single-sided or double-sided, and you can use them for directional information or to mark specific event areas.

Floor Graphics

While floor graphics for outdoor events aren’t always appropriate (for example on a lawn), they can be a creative way to use floor space for signage. They’re adhesive stickers that stick to surfaces such as wood, tile, vinyl, or even indoor concrete, depending on the type of sticker.

These will typically be colored or adhesive lines leading to a specific area or zone, and are often accompanied by phrases or slogans that point people in the right direction.

Use floor graphics in busy areas where eye-level signs might be easily missed. They can be used for functional purposes such as wayfinding and promoting event messages, or to add an aesthetic appeal to the area.

Banners and Flags

Banners and flags add color and variety to your outdoor event banners. Teardrop and feather banners and flags are also a classic staple for outdoor events, and for good reason: They’re affordable and easily customizable for a variety of purposes. They’re also extremely versatile, so you don’t have to worry about providing specific structures to hold them up.

Banners can be hung between trees, across stages, or over entrances. While feather flags can line walkways or mark specific areas. Both are highly visible and can be customized with vibrant colors and logos to enhance the event’s branding or promote sponsors.

Tents

Companies can use custom tents with branded logos for outdoor events. Event tents provide shelter for attendees, but they also have a lot of vertical space, which means great opportunity for branding and signage. Print logos, events, or even sponsor messages on the sides of tents to turn them into large, visible banners.

See also: Common Types of Tents for Commercial and Private Events

In general, tents are essential for outdoor events where weather conditions can be unpredictable, and they can also help define different areas within an event.

Murals

Murals are another versatile way to decorate your space and provide useful information. They can transform large blank walls into vibrant canvases that showcase the theme or message of your event. These murals can be hand-painted, printed, or created using stickers, and they provide a unique way to visually engage attendees.

Murals are particularly effective in urban settings or events with an artistic focus.

When setting up these murals, it’s important to see how they contrast with the overall theme or atmosphere of your event.

Walkthrough Signs

There are many ways to implement walkthrough signs at an outdoor event. Such as simple printed signs that point to important locations or digital displays that provide directions and important information about the event.

Walkthrough signs are an important component of any outdoor event (indoor events too) because they help attendees find why they’re there and also identify exits, restrooms, and other important locations when needed.

Hanging Signs

Use hanging signs to advertise sponsors at an outdoor event. Hanging signs are similar to acrylic floating signs and are ideal for branding or drawing attention to specific areas within your event. Hanging signs work well in spaces with high ceilings or open areas where ground-level event signs may be less effective.

Window Decals

These adhesive decals can be placed on windows, glass doors, or any transparent surface, and can display any message you can put on them, including event logos, schedules, or promotional messages.

Window decals can also be placed on vehicles, pop-up store windows, or to repurpose exterior walls with your brand logo or message.

One reason to consider window decals is that they are easy to install and remove, making them great for temporary events.

Digital Menu Boards

You’ve likely seen TV screens displaying food options at your local fast food restaurant or coffee shop. Digital menu boards are often used in restaurants and similar retail establishments. But if your outdoor event includes a dining area, installing a digital menu board display is often a simple process.

Digital menu boards are an eye-catching alternative to static menu boards, and they’re also easy to update. If there’s a menu change or for different menus (lunchtime, breakfast, etc.).

Inflatable Banners

If done right, inflatable banners are a fun and eye-catching option for outdoor events. The great thing is that you can create them in a variety of shapes, from branded arches to giant versions of a product, logo, or mascot.

Use these banners at festivals, sporting events, or any event where you want to create a fun and memorable atmosphere.

Giant Letter Displays

Giant letter displays are used as event signs. The Giant letter displays are a bold and impactful option for signs. They’re very clear – the large letters spell out the name of the event, the hashtag, or the main message and are placed in a visible area. You can even use giant letter displays as photo opportunities for attendees.

Backlit Signs

Backlit signs provide an exciting and engaging way to display information. As the name suggests, they are backlit, making them stand out, especially in low light conditions. Backlit signs are ideal for evening events, as they can highlight key areas such as entrances, stages, or VIP sections.

Chalkboard Signs

Chalkboard signs can add a personal and nostalgic touch to outdoor events primarily because they require handwriting. While it’s tempting to use a chalkboard to display any type of message. It’s important to remember that they may not attract as much attention as an LED display board.

Vehicle Signs

What could be cooler than wrapping a car with event signs? It could be a few stickers or a full body wrap with your company logo printed on the side of the car. It’s a great way to catch the eye and get people interested in what your company has to offer, if for nothing else because the car stands out.

You can also opt for magnetic signs instead of a full car wrap. Stick them to any metal surface of the event and remove them when you’re done.

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