According to Mr. Lunning, a written checklist can ensure that all areas are being addressed. Additionally, this list provides documentation for future reference.

Coordination during the planning process with law enforcement, the fire department, medical providers, emergency service personnel and other groups can help reduce liability, he said.

Festivities, he noted, will often include active involvement of contractors, vendors and concessionaires as well. Municipalities should therefore consider risk transfer, insurance requirements and permits as crucial points of risk management.

"Vendors of beverages and food should be required to have the proper licenses and permits for compliance with local ordinances and regulations, especially if they sell alcoholic beverages," Mr. Lunning advised.

It's critical to address risk transfer in these situations, requiring the contractor to provide evidence of insurance coverage and naming the municipality as an "additional insured," he said.

The municipality should require limits adequate for the exposures presented by the particular event. A contractor who provides fireworks, for example, should be required to have higher limits than a small music ensemble as the exposure is greater, Mr. Lunning explained.

These important risk control considerations should go into the planning and execution of every special event. Identifying exposures prior to the event and coordinating with key players to ensure that insurance requirements are met can result in a city's successful St. Patrick's Day, he counseled.