Pop-Up Bag Check for Events and Festivals

Festival and conference goers, concert and sports crowds, and travellers waiting for a cruise or ferry. Sometimes the organiser pays you a flat fee instead.

A fee per item, or a fixed fee from the event organiser, for each event or season. Income comes in bursts around summer events and winter coat check.

• Quick, calm service in a queue
• Organising and tagging items accurately
• Pitching to event organisers

• Commercial general liability insurance and cover for customers' belongings, and check whether organisers require named cover
• Event vendor permits and written permission from the venue or organiser, as rules vary by municipality
• Banned items and security checks, so agree in advance with the organiser what you will and will not accept
• Weather, short seasons and uneven income, so plan for quiet months
• GST/HST registration once your revenue passes the small supplier threshold

Estimates suggest startup typically costs around $1,500 to $7,500, depending on your equipment, tagging system and the size of the events you serve. Insurance including cover for customers' belongings is also worth checking.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $1,000 to $5,000, depending on how many events you work and their size. Weather, short seasons and uneven income mean you should plan for quiet months.

Check for event vendor permits and written permission from the venue or organiser, as rules vary by municipality. Also check insurance including cover for customers' belongings, banned items and security checks agreed in advance, and GST/HST registration.