9.4 Program Schedules

A program schedule is a document designed to draw in and inform participants while presenting the various aspects of a program or special event in an organized, chronological timeline. Program schedules are helpful in keeping staff and volunteers on track and are also shared with participants in order that they know what is happening, when, and where they need to be.

Program schedules can be shared with participants prior to the date of the program or event or on the day of. For recreation-based events, conferences and retreats where programmatic choices can be made by the participant, the program schedule can be sent out ahead of time. Program schedules can be shared with participants electronically, posted in hard copy in high visibility areas at the program/event venue, or given to each participant in hard copy – what is commonly referred to as a “pocket program”.

Program Schedules present the big picture: Specific times and locations for various program features, such as guest speakers, activities, workshops, meetings, classes, breaks, etc., will occur. Program schedules are required at large events like conferences and trade shows due to multiple programmatic components occurring, sometimes concurrently, and multiple people playing multiple roles at various times throughout. Having a firm program schedule ensures that recreation professionals have the right people in the right places at the right times.

Example 1: Conference Schedule

Sometimes, program schedules are very simple and straightforward, delivering the timeline and rollout of the program or event with very few frills:

(CanFASD, 2023)
Tuesday, November 7, 2023 Wednesday, November 8, 2023 Thursday, November 9, 2023
Morning Morning Morning
7:30-8:30 Light Breakfast 7:30-8:30 Light Breakfast 7:30-8:30 Light Breakfast
8:30-10:00 Opening Remarks & Plenary 8:30-10:00 Morning Meeting & Plenary 8:30-10:00 Concurrent Session G
10:00-10:30 Break & Poster Vieweing 10:00-10:30 Break & Poster Vieweing 10:00-10:30 Break & Poster Vieweing
10:30-12:00 Concurrent Session A 10:30-12:00 Concurrent Session D 10:30-12:00 Plenary & Closing Remarks
Afternoon Afternoon
12:00-13:15 Lunch 12:00-13:15 Lunch
13:15-14:45 Concurrent Session B 13:15-14:45 Concurrent Session E
14:45-15:15 Break & Poster Judging 14:45-15:15 Break & Poster Judging
15:15-16:45 Concurrent Session C 15:15-16:45 Concurrent Session F
Evening
17:00-19:00 Mocktail Networking Event

Example 2: Winter Carnival Poster

Other times, the program schedule can be decorative, playful and eye-catching, like this program schedule for a winter carnival shopping event hosted by the Fanshawe (College) Student Union (FSU):

A poster with a winter carnival holiday shopping event with the schedule and locations listed
Fanshawe Student Union, Fanshawe College.

Example 3: Adventure Poster

Sometimes, the program schedule is not the highlight of the document. Sometimes it’s the aesthetic like this:

A poster for low ropes on the beach activity. Program schedule is present along with information about the instructors and who can participate. The information is over on a large beach photo
Created by Allison Menegoni, 2024.

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Program-Planning in Recreation Copyright © 2024 by Allison Menegoni, MA-Ed is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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