Material required to protect the grass?

A show that I have been doing for some time just added a requirement to protect the grass. The requirement came down from the park. They want us to use breathable outdoor mats along the sides of our tent or inside the tent for walk-in booths. Basically the traffic areas. Have any of you run into this? I have never encountered this requirement and am wondering if it is the new thing. The closest that I have seen is requiring pvc pipes to keep boxes off the grass.

They said that plastic mats are ok if they are not solid. Carpet ok if there is no plastic backing. The promoter also wrote on there that muslin sheeting and burlap is ok. I found muslin sheets listed at Kmart. I figure they can be packing material. A set is $20 and should handle whichever configuration that I decide to use for that show. If this becomes a more frequent requirement, I might need something more durable since I will be nailing through the material to keep it from tripping people. They actually require this! I figure the nails (max 4") would do more damage than peoples feet.

So, is this something that you are seeing out there in the world of festivals or just located in this particular park in Flagstaff, Arizona?

Amy

They actually require that we use nails to alleviate this issue- up to 4" and enough to avoid tripping. As a large portion of my art is on glassware, I certainly do not want anyone falling into it. And of course do not want anyone hurt. This was not even in the initial paperwork, but it is a show that I really like doing and is quite worth it financially. Will roll with it for now.

Chris Hoyt said:

I see one potential problem with mats or rugs at outdoor shows. Unless they are somehow fastened down, a customer could trip on an edge and fall. And if that customer is injured, you are at fault for not providing a safe walkway.

If I got an app with requirements such as these, I would toss it. It ain't worth the potential exposure to a lawsuit.

Replies

Ruth Bolles October 30, 2010 at 7:24pm

I have never run in to this as a requirement but I use a plastic mat at all shows, street and park.
I use a plastic mat which I purchased from an RV Awning company. I LOVE it. My booth looks neat and clean and if I am in a location where it is more dirt than grass it keeps the dust down. ( I have glass and the dust shows). Never had a problem with tripping, even when the grass is long or thick. My rug fits under both front posts of my tent which helps keep it in place.
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- Chris King > Ruth Bolles November 4, 2010 at 10:17am
  
  Although I camp and have a mat I never thought of it for the display - really gives a finished gallery look.
Amy Schulz June 16, 2010 at 1:35pm

They actually require that we use nails to alleviate this issue- up to 4" and enough to avoid tripping. As a large portion of my art is on glassware, I certainly do not want anyone falling into it. And of course do not want anyone hurt. This was not even in the initial paperwork, but it is a show that I really like doing and is quite worth it financially. Will roll with it for now.

Chris Hoyt said:
I see one potential problem with mats or rugs at outdoor shows. Unless they are somehow fastened down, a customer could trip on an edge and fall. And if that customer is injured, you are at fault for not providing a safe walkway.

If I got an app with requirements such as these, I would toss it. It ain't worth the potential exposure to a lawsuit.
Chris Hoyt June 16, 2010 at 7:31am

I see one potential problem with mats or rugs at outdoor shows. Unless they are somehow fastened down, a customer could trip on an edge and fall. And if that customer is injured, you are at fault for not providing a safe walkway.

If I got an app with requirements such as these, I would toss it. It ain't worth the potential exposure to a lawsuit.
Lindsay Pless June 16, 2010 at 5:33am

You can pick up an inexpensive outdoor rug at Lowe's or Home Depot and other places......they're great cause you can spray them down outside to keep them clean. I use one in my outdoor set up just to complete the color theme and look of my tent area.
Amy Schulz June 15, 2010 at 1:13pm

I found woven grass mats meant for sunbathing for $1 each at Wal-Mart. They are perfect for my walk-around set-up with 2 sides. I purchased 4. I like the look of them and might get a large one or sew them together to have a walk-in booth rug.
Larry Berman June 13, 2010 at 3:53pm

Sounds like something the show will need to provide. But I'll bet that they still have to re seed the area after the show is over if they get a decent amount of traffic.

I'll bet the show is moved to a new location for next year, or onto the street around the park.

Larry Berman
Digital Jury Services
http://BermanGraphics.com
412-401-8100

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