Nine Questions to Ask a Downtown Chandler Venue Before You Book It

The ones about getting in

Where does a vendor actually load in, and how far is it to the room? Most downtown blocks have no loading dock. The honest answer is sometimes a hundred feet of sidewalk and a flight of stairs, which changes both cost and what is possible.

Is there a service entrance, or does everything come through the front? If catering and guests share a door, that has to be designed around.

What time can vendors access the space? Shared buildings often restrict this to an hour before, which rules out anything requiring real setup.

The ones about power and water

How many circuits are available, and what else is on them? Old buildings and modern cook lines are a bad match. A caterer needs to know before, not when the lights go out.

Is there a prep sink, hot water, and somewhere to wash up? Many downtown spaces have one sink in a bathroom. Workable, but only if it is known in advance.

The ones about the calendar

What is happening on the square that weekend? Downtown Chandler runs the busiest event calendar in the city — the Multicultural Festival in January, the Barbeque Festival in March, the Jazz Festival in April, the Saturday farmers market through summer, and the Tumbleweed Tree in December. Each brings closures and parking pressure.

Where do guests park, and what does it cost them? Free downtown parking exists but fills during events. Guests will decide how they feel about your evening partly on how long they circled.

The ones nobody asks

What does the room sound like with sixty people in it? Hard floors, brick and high ceilings are photogenic and acoustically brutal. Visit during another event if you possibly can.

What is the actual end time, and who enforces it? Residential neighbours and shared buildings mean the stated end time is usually a real one. Better to know before the band is booked.

Booked a downtown space? We'll walk it with you.

More on catering in Downtown Chandler, or see the full journal.