What's the best time for your event?

The Best Time and Day for an Event: Wave staffing thoughts for 2025

Choosing the optimal time and day for an event is a critical decision that can significantly impact attendance, engagement, and the overall success of the occasion.

As event formats and attendee preferences evolve, organisers are rethinking traditional scheduling strategies. Here’s what Wave staffing think are the the best timing for events, the shift from late-night to daytime gatherings, and whether timing alone can guarantee attendance.

Are We Seeing a Shift from Late-Night to Day Events?

There is a noticeable trend toward more daytime events, particularly in the corporate, tech, and professional sectors. While evening galas and social functions remain popular, many organisers are embracing daytime formats to maximise attendee alertness and productivity.

For example, Tech and SaaS events now often take place midweek, between 10 AM and 12 PM, when participants are most engaged and focused. 

Healthcare and finance industries also favour late morning or early morning sessions, respectively, to accommodate demanding schedules.

However, for hospitality, tourism, and leisure events, weekends and late mornings to early afternoons (such as brunches) are still the preferred times, aligning with attendees’ desire for a relaxed, social atmosphere. 

Seasonal and cultural events—especially in autumn and winter—continue to see strong attendance during evenings and weekends, driven by festive spirit and tradition.

Does Having an Event at a Certain Time Guarantee Attendance?

While timing is a crucial factor, it does not guarantee high attendance on its own.

Multiple elements influence whether people show up, including:

• Event Promotion: Effective marketing is essential to drive registrations and remind attendees of the event.

• Content Relevance: The event’s agenda must resonate with the target audience.

• Audience Engagement: Pre-event communication and engagement build anticipation and commitment.

• Accessibility: Convenient location or virtual access can make a significant difference.

• Scheduling Conflicts: Even the best time slot can fail if it clashes with other major events or busy periods for your audience.

Benchmark attendance rates vary widely by event type—conferences may see 60–80%, webinars 40–60%, and workshops fluctuate depending on content appeal. 

Ultimately, a data-driven approach that considers attendee preferences, industry norms, and proactive engagement is most effective.

Are There Better Days to Run an Event Within the Working Week?

For most professional and corporate events, midweek days—especially Tuesday and Wednesday—are consistently identified as optimal.  Here’s why:

• Peak Productivity: Attendees are settled into the workweek and more focused, making midweek ideal for learning and networking.

• Balanced Flexibility: These days avoid the Monday catch-up rush and the Friday wind-down, striking a balance that supports higher engagement.

• Reduced Competition: While Thursday is also popular, it can be crowded with competing events, especially in larger cities or industries.

Industry-Specific Best Practices:

Industry	Best Days	Best Times	Notes
Tech & SaaS	Tues–Thurs	10 AM–12 PM	Mid-morning, midweek for alertness
Retail/E-Commerce	Tues–Wed	2 PM–4 PM	Early week, afternoon for flexibility
Finance/Banking	Mon–Wed	8 AM–10 AM	Early mornings for networking
Healthcare	Wed–Thurs	11 AM	Late morning, midweek for breaks
Hospitality	Sat–Sun	10 AM–2 PM	Weekend brunches for leisure

Key Takeaways

• Daytime events are on the rise for professional audiences, but evenings and weekends remain strong for social, cultural, and leisure gatherings.

• Midweek, mid-morning slots (especially Tuesday–Thursday, 10 AM–12 PM) are optimal for most corporate and knowledge-based events.

• Timing alone does not guarantee attendance; content, promotion, engagement, and accessibility are equally important.

• Seasonal and cultural factors (e.g., autumn festivals, holiday periods) can drive spikes in attendance, so aligning with these can boost success.

In summary, while there is no one-size-fits-all answer, understanding your audience and leveraging data-driven insights will help you select the best time and day for your event—and maximise both attendance and impact.

When planning your next event and you need events staff - Talk to Wave Staffing

www.wavestaffing.co.uk

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