So, I was watching the Super Bowl, you know, the 2024 game. Had some friends over, chips, the usual setup. Then suddenly, there’s this commotion. Some guy runs onto the field. A streaker. My first thought wasn’t even about the dude himself, but more like, ‘Wow, look at the security guys scramble.’ It just throws everything off track for a few minutes.
It got me thinking about a time, years back, when I was helping organize our town’s summer fair. Not quite the Super Bowl, obviously, but still a big deal for us. We spent months planning everything.
The Setup Phase
I remember specifically being in charge of the main stage setup and the power distribution. My process went something like this:
- Checked all the vendor contracts for power needs.
- Mapped out the cable runs weeks in advance.
- Walked the field multiple times to visualize it.
- Ordered the main generator and backup units.
- Tested every single outlet point the day before.
Everything looked solid. I felt pretty good about it. Went home that night thinking, ‘Okay, tomorrow should be smooth sailing.’ Famous last words, right?
Game Day… Well, Fair Day
The fair opened, crowds started coming in. Music was playing on the main stage. Then, around lunchtime, right when the first big local band was supposed to go on, bam! Silence. The main generator just died. Not sputtered, just cut out completely.
Panic started setting in. People were looking around, the band was stuck on stage. My job was power, so all eyes turned to me pretty fast. First thing I did was run over to the generator area. Saw the main unit was dead quiet, no lights, nothing. Checked the fuel – plenty. Checked the main breaker – hadn’t tripped.
Okay, time for Plan B. I grabbed my radio, called over the two volunteers I had assigned as runners. Told one to head straight for the backup generator, check its fuel, and get ready to fire it up. Told the other to start locating the junction box where we could switch the main stage feed over.
Then I got on the phone with the generator rental company. Took forever to get through, naturally. Explained the situation. They said they’d try to get a tech out, but it could be hours. Not helpful.
Meanwhile, the volunteer got the backup generator running. Smaller unit, couldn’t power everything the main one did, but it was something. We had to make choices. I quickly decided: stage audio and basic stage lights first. Forget the bouncy castle power outlet for now, forget the extra vendor stalls at the far end. Just get the music back on.
We manually rerouted the main cables to the backup unit’s panel. Took maybe 20 sweaty minutes. Finally, sound flickered back on. The band could start, albeit delayed. It wasn’t perfect. We had power issues nagging us for the rest of the afternoon, juggling loads on the smaller generator. But we kept the main attraction going.
Seeing that Super Bowl thing, the streaker causing chaos, just reminded me you can plan all you want, but something unexpected always seems to happen. You just gotta react, figure out the next step, and keep moving. It’s never as clean as you map it out.
