Book excerpt: The events industry is an exciting, innovative, diverse and highly challenging environment in which to work. Event Planning and Management offers a structured, practical approach to all types of events, from the initial planning, to final evaluating stages. It introduces the key models and theories but focuses on the practical side of building and working with a team, choosing a location, creating a programme, dealing with stakeholders and sponsors, promoting the event, essential financial and procurement considerations and finally evaluating the event. Each stage of the process is fully supported with online resources including templates and discussion questions to make up a complete event planner's toolkit. Balancing coverage of the key theory and models with essential practical guidance, tools and case studies from organizations such as London 2012 and the Prince's Trust, Event Planning and Management is an ideal handbook for students and practitioners alike. About the PR in Practice series: Published in collaboration with the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR), the PR in Practice series comprises accessible, practical introductions to day-to-day issues of public relations practice and management. The series' action-oriented approach keeps knowledge and skills up to date.