Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love, is not only historic but it is also the bustling home to over a million and a half people. In fact, it is the fifth most populous city in the United States and home to nearly seventy historic landmarks. It is also the city with the most outdoor sculptures and murals in the entire world. This is also the home to Fairmount Park, which is the world’s largest landscaped park.

In addition to all of this, Philadelphia is the city that boasts a number of very impressive firsts. It is the site of the first hospital, library, business school, medical school, zoo, and more. It has always been a major city for the music world and has started the career of a number of artists in many genres. The city is also mentioned by name in a number of songs, many by these very same musical artists.

Philly, as it is affectionately called by residents and visitors alike, is one of only a handful of American cities that has a team for all four of the major sports (hockey, baseball, basketball, and football), but there are a number of other unique sports that claim this as their city as well. Professional-level disc golf got its start in Philadelphia as well.

For all of these reasons and so many more, this is the city that hosts many competitions, celebrations, and other events on a yearly basis. Travel and tourism is a major industry bringing in millions of dollars in revenue. Fun races and more serious racing competitions are a yearly attraction here and in surrounding areas as well. With names like Frozen Snot, the Shiver by the River Race (held in Scranton, PA, famous as the location of The Office), and the Chilly Cheeks fun run, there are races for winter and for the rest of the year as well. The Philadelphia Marathon is one of the nation’s most famous and is held in November of every year, bringing in runners from all over the world.

Hosting a Successful Event Starts with Good Planning

Whether you are hosting a small gathering of twenty people or a major event with twenty thousand or more, you will need to have every detail planned out well in advance of the arrival of the first guest. It is not like you can have that many people show up to something you threw together the night before. Even an impromptu picnic requires a little bit of foresight to come off with any level of success. These are a few of the things you will need to consider:

  • Location (Some venues must be booked as much as a year or more in advance.)
  • Shelter for inclement weather
  • Parking and, in the case of some events, shuttles to help people get to and from parking to the actual venue
  • Food and beverages
  • Merchandise and other items
  • Emergency services such as a medical tent (very important for certain types of events or during more extreme weather conditions)
  • An area for personal items (Races usually have an area where you can check bags for a fee or not.)
  • Toileting and personal care areas (This is where the need for porta potties comes in.)

How Many Porta Potties Is Enough?

The number of portable toilets that you need will depend on the number of people that are expected to be at the event. As an example, the Philadelphia Marathon brings in roughly 30,000 runners, over twice as many spectators, and 3,000 volunteers. All of these people will need to have access to a restroom at some point during the day, which includes the setup and takedown procedures to the event.

When you are getting ready to rent porta potties, you can get a rough estimate of the number of units you will need. The company will be able to tell you how many people each unit can handle based on average capacity per “visit.” Some units have a higher capacity than others, so that is something to consider. You may need to have many units set up in various locations or just concentrated in one area depending on the venue and the type of event that you are hosting. The rental company should give you a free estimate, which will cover the cost of transportation, pick up, cleaning, and maintenance during the rental period and the other associated costs. Make sure that you understand all of the expenses before you sign a contract.