What you need for an Anniversary Swim Event

Plan the shopping around three groups: swimmers, volunteers and spectators. You will need serving supplies for the food and drinks, cooling and hot-drink equipment, and clearly visible safety gear for the water route. Waterproof bags, thermal labels and route markers are easy to overlook, especially when several people are bringing equipment. Check quantities against the participant limit, then add enough tableware and drinks for the full event day rather than only the swim itself.

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What to bring

Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.

Furniture

Party tentsqty 3
Tablesqty 8
Folding chairsqty 70
Buffet tablesqty 3
Clothes racksqty 4

Tableware

Reusable drinking glassesqty 100
Platesqty 80
Cutlery setsqty 80
Coffee cupsqty 60
Serving plattersqty 12
Serving tongsqty 8

Equipment

Coolersqty 6
Kettlesqty 3
Coffee machinesqty 2
Portable speakersqty 2
Microphone
Extension cordsqty 4

Sports equipment

Life ringsqty 6
Rescue linesqty 6
Swimming buoysqty 70
Conesqty 20
Floating route buoysqty 15
Whistlesqty 12
Waterproof bagsqty 10
Thermal labelsqty 30
Badminton netsqty 2
Swimming kickboardsqty 10

Decorations

Anniversary bannerqty 2
Buntingqty 8
Balloon archesqty 2
Tableclothsqty 8
Start/finish ribbonqty 2

Lighting

LED light stringsqty 6
Rechargeable lampsqty 8

Kitchen

Barbecueqty 2
Cooling compartmentsqty 4
Cutting boardsqty 4
Chef's knifeqty 4
Serving knivesqty 4
Thermos flasksqty 6
Food warmersqty 4

Cleaning

Waste binsqty 8
Broom and dustpanqty 3
Mopsqty 3
Bucketsqty 4
Hand sanitizer bottlesqty 4
Reusable clothsqty 20

Catering

Bib numbersqty 70
Wristbandsqty 80
Finish medalsqty 70
Drinking water dispensersqty 4
Water jugsqty 8
Ice packsqty 24
Groceries
- Coffee - 3 packs
- Tea - 4 boxes
- Sugar - 2 kilos
- Milk - 8 liters
- Oat milk - 4 liters
- Coffee milk - 2 bottles
- Spa Blauw - 12 bottles
- Sparkling water - 6 bottles
- Cola - 6 bottles
- Cola Zero - 6 bottles
- Sinas - 4 bottles
- Lemonade - 4 bottles
- Sports drink - 8 bottles
- Apple juice - 4 packs
- Orange juice - 4 cartons
- Alcohol-free beer - 36 bottles
- Beer - 72 bottles
- White wine - 6 bottles
- Rosé - 6 bottles
- Red wine - 3 bottles
- Bitter lemon - 2 bottles
- Ice cubes - 10 bags
- Sandwiches - 100 pieces
- Wholemeal bread - 6 loaves
- Baguettes - 8 pieces
- Butter - 4 packs
- Cream cheese - 6 tubs
- Young cheese - 3 kilos
- Aged cheese - 2 kilo
- Back ham - 2 kilos
- Chicken breast topping - 2 kilos
- Hummus - 8 tubs
- Peanut butter - 2 jars
- Jam - 3 jars
- Cucumber - 10 pieces
- Tomatoes - 4 kilos
- Lettuce - 6 heads
- Bell peppers - 3 kilos
- Onions - 2 kilos
- Potato salad - 8 kilos
- Pasta salad - 8 kilo
- Mixed salad - 6 kilo
- Herb butter - 8 tubs
- Ketchup - 3 bottles
- Mayonnaise - 3 bottles
- Mustard - 2 jars
- Barbecue sauce - 3 bottles
- Vegetarian burgers - 30 pieces
- Hamburgers - 70 pieces
- Vegetarian sausages - 30 pieces
- Chipolata sausages - 60 pieces
- Chicken satay - 50 pieces
- Corn on the cob - 40 pieces
- Mushrooms - 3 kilo
- Paprika chips - 8 bags
- Plain chips - 8 bags
- Tortilla chips - 6 bags
- Salted peanuts - 4 bags
- Olives - 4 jars
- Grapes - 5 kilos
- Apples - 50 pieces
- Bananas - 40 pieces
- Oranges - 30 pieces
- Melons - 4 pieces
- Watermelons - 2 pieces
- Yogurt - 4 kilos
- Muesli - 2 kilo
- Cookies - 8 packs
- Brownies - 60
- Anniversary cake - 2 cakes
- Napkins - 250 pieces
- Paper straws - 100 pieces
- Aluminum foil - 2 rolls
- Cling film - 2 rolls
- Baking paper - 2 rolls
- Barbecue charcoal - 3 bags
- Firelighters - 2 boxes
- Paper towels - 8 rolls
- Toilet paper - 24 rolls
- Hand soap - 6 bottles
- Hand sanitizer - 6 bottles
- Trash bags - 4 rolls
- Cleaning product - 3 bottles
- Dish soap - 3 bottles
- Sponges - 12 pieces
- Rubber gloves - 6 pairs
- Freezer bags - 2 boxes
- Cool bag liners - 100 pieces

Tips

Count reusable drinking glasses, plates and cutlery for every registered participant, plus volunteers and guests. A practical starting point is one complete setting per person and an extra 10% for dropped or misplaced items.
Prepare separate drink stations with coolers for cold drinks and kettles or coffee machines for hot drinks. For the first hour, allow roughly two to three drinks per person, then adjust the total for the expected duration and weather.
Keep rescue equipment together and easy to reach: life rings, rescue lines, whistles and swimming buoys should not be buried under tables or decorations. Put route buoys and cones aside for the person marking the course.
Pack waterproof bags before the event for phones, paperwork and spare materials near the water. Use thermal labels for items that must remain identifiable when they are wet or cold.
Do not leave the anniversary banner, bunting and balloon arches until setup begins. Check them against the available party tents, tables and clothes racks, and bring extension cords only where powered equipment actually needs them.

Frequently asked questions

How many glasses and plates do I need for an anniversary swim event?: Start with one glass, plate and cutlery set per participant, volunteer and expected guest, then add about 10% spare. For 80 people, that means at least 88 of each basic item.
How many drinks should I buy for a swim event?: For the first hour, plan on two to three drinks per person, with extra water on a warm day. For 60 people, that is 120 to 180 drinks before allowing for the rest of the program.
What safety equipment do I need for an open-water anniversary swim?: The plan includes life rings, rescue lines, swimming buoys, whistles and floating route buoys, with cones for land-based marking. Confirm the required quantity and placement with the supervisors and support-boat team before shopping.
When should I buy the food and event supplies?: Buy durable serving supplies, signage and safety equipment at least one week before the swim. Purchase chilled drinks and other perishable items one to two days beforehand, after the participant count and weather forecast are confirmed.

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