Run of Show Calculator
A running order with start and end times for every segment, from the event's start time and the length of each part — with the finish time, the total running time and how much buffer is left before a hard stop.
A run of show is arithmetic with times: each segment starts when the last one ends.
How the run of show calculator works
A run of show is arithmetic with times: each segment starts when the last one ends. Enter the start time and the minutes for each part — arrival, welcome, speeches, dinner, entertainment, close — and the schedule follows, including the finish. Compare it with the venue's hard stop and the buffer is what is left for overruns, which every event has.
Formula: start_i = start_{i−1} + duration_{i−1}; finish = start + Σ durations
Worked examples
| Inputs | Finish time | Note |
|---|---|---|
| A gala dinner from 18:30 | 22:50 | finishes 22:50 |
| A longer dinner | 23:20 | the buffer shrinks |
| A morning conference | 13:35 | overruns |
FAQFrequently asked questions
What is a run of show?
The minute-by-minute schedule of an event: what happens when, who is on, and what the crew cues. This page builds the timeline; the cues are yours to add.
How much buffer should I keep?
Ten to fifteen per cent of the running time, or at least fifteen minutes before a hard stop. Speeches overrun; dinners overrun; nothing finishes early.
Where do overruns come from?
Speeches, mostly — then service, then guests arriving late. Give the speech slot a firm length and a visible clock.
What if the event runs past midnight?
Enter times in 24-hour form and the page carries over to the next day, marking the finish. A hard stop earlier than the start is taken as the following morning.
Should turnaround time be a segment?
Yes — a room reset from theatre to banquet is 20 to 40 minutes of nothing happening and belongs in the schedule as its own line.
Where these figures come from
- US FDA Food Code — food service guidance — holding and service context behind catering quantities
- UK Food Standards Agency — the UK food regulator
Last checked: September 2026. Portion and spacing figures are standard catering and event-industry conventions, stated on each page.