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Run of show template
A run of show is the event's timeline: what happens, when, and who owns it. It's the page your manager reads out at pre-shift and the one the host asks about most. Print the blank version, or start from the example and change the times.
Blank run of show
Event:
Date:
Room / area:
Guest count:
Host and phone:
Manager on duty:
| Time | What happens | Owner | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
Example: four-hour birthday party
A fictional party of 40 in a private room, guests arriving at 6:30 PM. Notice that the sheet starts two hours before the first guest and ends after the last one leaves.
| Time | What happens | Owner | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4:30 PM | Room reset and setup begins | Floor lead | 5 rounds of 8, gift table by the door |
| 5:30 PM | Bar stocked, glassware polished | Bartender | Beer, wine, 2 signature cocktails |
| 6:00 PM | Pre-shift: walk through this sheet | Manager | Flag the shellfish allergy at table 3 |
| 6:15 PM | Host arrives, confirm final count and timing | Manager | Ask who cuts the cake |
| 6:30 PM | Guests arrive, bar opens | Bartender | |
| 6:45 PM | Passed appetizers | Kitchen / servers | Two rounds, 15 minutes apart |
| 7:30 PM | Dinner served | Kitchen / servers | Buffet opens table by table |
| 8:15 PM | Toast | Host | Mic check at 8:10 |
| 8:30 PM | Cake cut and served | Servers | Cake is in the walk-in |
| 10:00 PM | Last call | Bartender | Tell the host first |
| 10:30 PM | Event ends, present the final bill | Manager | Deposit already applied |
| 11:00 PM | Teardown complete, room back in service | Floor lead |
What makes a run of show work
- Work backward from guest arrival. Setup, bar stocking, and pre-shift each need a start time, not just “before the event.”
- One owner per line. “Staff” means nobody. Name a role for every step, even the obvious ones.
- Include the moments the host cares about. Toast, cake, a slideshow, a surprise entrance - confirm the times with the host when they arrive.
- Write down last call and the hard end time. Tell the host about last call before you announce it to the room.
- End with teardown. If the room goes back into service or another party follows, that time belongs on the sheet.
The run of show is the timeline section of a Banquet Event Order. If you want the rest of the document - menu, bar, setup, staffing, allergies - use the BEO template. In VenueSprocket, the BEO includes a timeline section and a print-ready view.