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Guide to hosting a Party for the Planet

Thanks so much for hosting a Party for the Planet! In living rooms and back yards around the country, MoveOn members will gather to watch presidential candidates answering our climate questions, and then -- along with 2 billion people around the world -- we'll tune into the historic Live Earth concerts. It should be a fantastic night.

Please read through this entire guide for step-by-step instructions on how to host a great party. If you have questions, check out our Frequently Asked Questions page. If your question isn't answered there, you can contact our Support Corps here.

Here's a quick summary of what to expect at your party:

Useful Links for the Party for the Planet

The rest of this guide walks you through what it takes to host. It's divided into guidelines for BEFORE, DURING, and AFTER the Party.

BEFORE THE PARTY

If You Only Do 3 Things Before the Party

  • Get the Town Hall DVD by registering your party online.
  • Make sure you have a working DVD player, a television tuned to NBC, and enough copies of the host materials for all your guests. If you don't receive the DVD by Friday, July 6th, download the Town Hall video onto a laptop or computer and make sure it plays smoothly.
  • Invite friends, family, and colleagues to attend.

To set up your Party for the Planet, you should do a couple simple things. Choose a location and register your event (you've probably already done so -- if not, click here). Then plan your set-up, and invite other folks to attend.

Here's what you'll need to host a Party for the Planet:

1. DVD player and the Town Hall DVD.

We'll ship you the DVD around July 2nd. (Your event must be registered in our online tool to receive a DVD. Please register your party here if you haven't already.)

NOTE: If you don't receive the Town Hall DVD, you can also download and play the video file on your computer. You don't need to be connected to the internet during the party in order to play it. Download the Town Hall video here.

2. Television tuned to NBC.

The Live Earth concert is being broadcast on NBC starting at 8pm Eastern, 7pm Central, 7pm Mountain, 8pm Pacific, and 7pm Alaska / Hawaii. Make sure you get good reception. You can search for your local NBC affiliate here.

OPTIONAL: If you don't have a television, you can also view the concert using a computer with high-speed internet and speakers. You can stream the LiveEarth concert event at http://liveearth.msn.com. You'll need high-speed internet (DSL or cable) and speakers. Be sure to test your internet connection, sound quality, and visual clarity before the event. The sound in particular needs to be really clear -- after all, you're listening to a music concert!

3. Chairs and couch-space: Make sure you have chairs or couch-space for the maximum number of guests you indicated when you registered your party. (If you need to change the maximum number of guests at your party, go to your host tools using the link in the sign-up email you received (get another copy of the e-mail here) and click on "Update event location, size, or time.")

4. Equipment for your barbeque or potluck: We're starting the evening with a barbeque or potluck, so make sure you have the equipment you need -- including a grill (if you're BBQ'ing), plates, napkins, cups, and flatware. We'll ask your attendees to bring food and drink, so you should check in with them to coordinate who's bringing what. Use your host tools page to contact your event attendees.

Note: If you're barbequing, make it environmentally friendly! The Sierra Club has some great tips on how -- check them out here.

5. Make sure your space works: Before folks arrive, look around. Where will people sit? Will they all be able to see your TV screen? Will they all be able to hear?

Start spreading the word! This is a great event, but people will only come if they're invited. Go to your host tools page to send invitations to your friends, colleagues, and neighbors. Here are a couple of tips as you're inviting folks to your party:

  • Ask, ask, ask! Don't assume people aren't interested -- you won't know 'til you ask them. This is a great event even for folks who don't think of themselves as "political".
  • Get out from behind the computer screen. Definitely email folks you want to invite -- but try to hit the phone, too. The more personal your invitation, the more likely people will grasp how neat this event is.
  • Explain what the event is, and why it's neat. Here's a sample script to explain the event: "We’re having a "Party for the Planet" on July 7th. We'll watch MoveOn's Virtual Town Hall on the Climate, in which MoveOn members will ask presidential candidates tough questions on the climate crisis. Then we'll tune into Live Earth, a consciousness-raising event sponsored by Al Gore that includes concerts on seven continents." For more info, you can also download a one-pager on the Town Halls here (coming soon).
  • Give 'em advance notice. Call or email your folks as far ahead of the event as possible, so they have time to put this on their calendar. Remember that it's happening the weekend after the Fourth of July -- give them as much advance notice as possible, since it might be tough to reach them that week.
  • Use your host tools . This gives people all of the information they need -- the address, time, date, and an explanation of the event. When you're emailing, always include the link to sign up for your event. This is on your host tools page above the list of attendees (or above the blue box to invite attendees)
If you're a member of Operation Democracy, be sure to involve your council in recruitment. Check out the Operation Democracy Recruitment Guide here.

The impact of your party will be multiplied tremendously if you are able to get media coverage. Check out our media guide for step-by-step instructions on attracting local media. We’ve also put together a sample advisory and talking points, and to make the entire process as easy as possible, we even provide a script to use when talking to reporters.

You're most likely to get media coverage if you contact the press twice—once early the week of the parties and then, most critically, on the day before the party. If you'd like to invite media, but are not sure how to do this, contact us here and we'll put you in touch with someone in your area who can help.

MATERIALS CHECKLIST

Make sure you have:

1. DVD player, OR computer with Town Hall video file downloaded from our video page

2. Television tuned to NBC, OR computer with high-speed internet (back-up option)

3. Chairs or couch-space for the number of guests you're expecting

4. Tools for a barbeque (grill, charcoal) or potluck (plates, napkins, flatware, cups)

5. A space set up for your guests

DURING THE PARTY

Make sure your space is set up, your equipment is tested, and your food and utensils are laid out before folks arrive. Your guests will show up at your designated time. (If you've forgotten when that is, check here). Make sure that as people arrive, they feel welcome. Then, follow this sample agenda:

NOTE ON LIVE EARTH START TIME: No matter where you are, Live Earth will be on NBC at 8pm. In some areas, the broadcast will have started earlier – so you won’t necessarily see the beginning of the program. But remember – this is a multi-hour, global extravaganza. It’s like tuning into a parade or festival – the party goes on all night. So tuning in at 8pm local time will give you plenty to see, no matter where you are.

AFTER THE PARTY

What materials will be available after the Town Hall: We'll send party attendees, and other MoveOn members, a "ballot" via email to assess which candidates' positions are best. We'll also provide links to a full video of the Climate Town Hall, the candidates' plans, and more.

Send photos of your party to planetpartyphoto@moveon.org.

For information on the Live Earth concerts, check out the Live Earth event website. Details about the Virtual Town Hall on Climate -- how the candidates were selected, the questions they're being asked, and other information -- will be posted soon on our Frequently Asked Questions page.

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