The list is useful whether your event supplies electricity or allows a generator. It gives the organizer or supplier something specific to check. A single total cannot tell them which appliances you have, which ratings are missing or whether their available connections suit your equipment.
Ask what power is available before shopping
Find the event’s current power requirements and ask who will check your equipment list. Confirm whether generators are permitted and what information the organizer needs from you.
For a real example, the Edmonton Folk Music Festival’s 2026 vendor application required an itemized list of appliance watts and voltage, including small devices. That event did not permit generators. The festival has already taken place; its application illustrates the preparation task, not the rules for your next booking. See the Edmonton Folk Music Festival’s January 2026 application.
Keep any supplied connection requirements with your list and have the organizer or a qualified electrical professional confirm compatibility. Do not buy an adapter or change wiring based only on a matching watt total.
Make one row for each piece of equipment
Walk through the setup from opening to closing. Think about preparation, busy service, cleaning and anything that stays on in the background. Our suggested collection checklist is:
| Record | What to put in the row |
|---|---|
| Equipment and quantity | A recognizable name and how many you will bring. Use separate rows when models or ratings differ. |
| Exact model | Copy it from the appliance or its documentation. “Small fridge” is not a model. |
| Electrical input rating | Copy the value, unit and wording as shown. Keep the manual or specification link beside it. |
| Voltage and other supply information | Preserve what the label says. Ask the supplier to interpret anything you do not understand. |
| Starting requirement | Record a manufacturer-provided value and its definition if available. Otherwise write “unknown.” |
| When it is used | For example: throughout service, during preparation, or while cleaning. Note what else may be on. |
| Open question | Missing specification, unconfirmed connection, or another point the supplier must check. |
Do not leave a missing value blank and then treat the row as complete. “Unknown” tells you what to find next.
Keep a copy of each specification with the list. A photograph of the accessible rating label can also help you transcribe it accurately; avoid including personal details or unnecessary serial numbers when sharing it. Do not open an appliance to look for ratings.
Copy the rating, not your guess about the setting
A control setting does not necessarily describe the appliance’s instantaneous electrical demand. For example, GE explains that most of its microwave models achieve lower cooking power by switching the magnetron on and off. From that explanation, it follows that a 50% cooking setting should not automatically be entered as half the electrical input rating. Other microwave technologies may behave differently; check the exact model. See GE Appliances’ explanation of microwave power levels (accessed October 1, 2026).
When a label gives amps and volts but not a clear watt figure, copy both values and the model into the list. Ask the manufacturer or supplier for the figure they need rather than presenting a guessed conversion as a verified appliance specification. Keep electrical input information separate from a product’s cooking-output claim.
An incomplete list is more useful than a falsely complete one
Here is a fictional teaching example, not a measured stall or a recommended equipment setup. The numbers were invented to show how to handle missing information.
On a small screen, scroll the table sideways to read every column.
| Fictional equipment | Collected running/input value | Starting information | What remains to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waffle iron A | 1,200 W | Not confirmed | Exact model and supplier requirements |
| Drinks fridge | 250 W | Unknown | Manufacturer starting requirement |
| Slushy machine | Unknown | Unknown | Model and electrical specifications |
| LED lighting | 40 W | Not confirmed | Actual supply equipment and rating |
| Payment equipment | 30 W | Not confirmed | Charger/input specification |
The known values add to 1,520 W, only a subtotal: the slushy machine is missing, starting requirements are unresolved, and the supply arrangement has not been checked. It is not a generator recommendation.
The next action is to obtain the missing specifications and send the list for review. Do not enter zero for the slushy machine just to get a complete-looking answer.
Keep the operating list with the numbers
Tell the supplier which items may operate together and which switch themselves on during service. Do not assume a list is safe just because you plan to switch everything on one at a time.
Our free generator size calculator can organize known running and starting values into a planning estimate. Its peak estimate assumes one starting event at a time. It does not verify overlapping automatic starts, the event’s circuits, wiring, connectors, fuel arrangements or permission to operate a generator. Keep those questions with the supplier or qualified professional.
Free manufacturer tools are also available: Honda’s wattage calculator and Champion’s portable generator selector can help explore an approximate load. Your exact equipment documentation remains important whichever tool you use.
Save the list for the next booking
Add the date and event name to your copy, and review it whenever equipment or the menu changes. Keep the organizer’s accepted requirements alongside it. A reused list should still reflect what you will actually bring.
The worksheet may be all you need. Its job is to help you arrive with the right information.
Before using a portable generator
If you will use a fuel-powered portable generator, read its manual and the CPSC’s portable generator safety guidance. Operate it outdoors, away from doors, windows and vents, with exhaust directed away from nearby buildings. Never power building wiring by plugging a generator into a wall outlet, and turn it off and let it cool before refueling. Event-specific arrangements still need the responsible supplier’s review.