Venue local time refers to the time zone or location-specific time that is used by a particular venue or establishment. When dealing with events, concerts, sports games, conferences, and other gatherings that span multiple time zones, it is important to pay attention to the venue local time rather than generalizing based on your own time zone. Understanding venue local time ensures you arrive on time and don’t miss out.
Why does venue local time matter?
Venue local time matters because events start and end based on the time zone the venue is located in. If a concert begins at 8:00 PM at a venue in New York City, that means 8:00 PM Eastern Time. If you live in Los Angeles and think you can arrive at 5:00 PM local time to make an 8:00 PM show, you will be 3 hours late since there is a time zone difference between the East and West coasts of the U.S. Always pay attention to the localized time for the specific venue.
It’s not just about when events begin and end. Things like doors opening, parking lots opening, and public transportation schedules are also based around the venue’s local time. You need to factor the venue’s time zone into all aspects of your timing and scheduling to ensure you properly coordinate everything the day of the event you’re attending.
How to check the venue’s local time
To check a venue’s local time, there are a few things you can do:
- Google the venue – The venue’s Google listing often includes the full address, which you can then look up on a time zone map to identify the time zone.
- Check the venue’s website – Most venue sites list the full address and location which indicates the time zone.
- Look at the event listing – The event page for concerts, games, conferences, etc. will usually include the full date and time in the venue’s local time.
- Reference a time zone converter – Input the venue’s location into a time zone converter tool online to compare it to your own time zone.
- Call the venue box office – You can always call the venue directly and ask what time zone they are located in.
Once you know the venue’s time zone, you can then calculate the local time for any events you plan to attend there. It’s worth taking the extra step to double check so you don’t miss out!
Compare your time zone to the venue time zone
To really understand venue local time, it helps to directly compare it to your own time zone:
| City | Venue | Time Zone |
|---|---|---|
| New York City | Madison Square Garden | Eastern Time Zone |
| Los Angeles | The Forum | Pacific Time Zone |
| Chicago | United Center | Central Time Zone |
| London | Wembley Stadium | Greenwich Mean Time |
| Sydney | Qudos Bank Arena | Australian Eastern Time Zone |
As you can see, major venues around the world are located in different time zones. If you are traveling or located somewhere else, you’ll need to translate the venue’s published time to your local time accordingly.
US time zone differences
Since the continental United States spans multiple time zones, it can be especially confusing when crossing zones for an event. Here are some key things to note about the major US time zones:
- Eastern Time is 5 hours behind Greenwich Mean Time (GMT-5)
- Central Time is 6 hours behind Greenwich Mean Time (GMT-6)
- Mountain Time is 7 hours behind Greenwich Mean Time (GMT-7)
- Pacific Time is 8 hours behind Greenwich Mean Time (GMT-8)
- There is a 1-hour time difference moving between adjacent US time zones
- Hawaii does not observe daylight saving time so it has its own offset from GMT and other US time zones
So if you are traveling from Los Angeles to New York for an event, you’ll need to account for the 3-hour time zone difference. That means an 8:00 PM show local time in New York will be 5:00 PM local time in Los Angeles. Always add or subtract the hour difference when crossing time zones.
International time zone differences
For venues in other countries, you’ll have to factor in time zones plus other potential offsets. Things to note:
- Greenwich Mean Time (GMT/UTC) is the baseline all other times are compared to
- Time zones increment based on the hour offset from GMT
- Some countries observe daylight saving time seasons which shift the times
- Not all time zones differ by whole hours – some are half hour shifts
So if you are in the United Kingdom attending an event at 9:00 PM local time in Sydney, Australia, you’ll need to subtract 10 hours from Sydney time since they are 10 hours ahead of GMT (+10) and UK is at GMT (+0). That makes the Sydney event at 9:00 AM local time in the UK accounting for the time zone difference.
Daylight saving time impact
An extra factor that influences venue local time is daylight saving time observance. Many countries and regions adjust their clocks forward 1 hour in the spring and back 1 hour in the fall. The impact on venue times:
- During DST changeovers, some venues will shift times to match
- Events may seem 1 hour off if you forget regions switched to/from DST
- Not all locations observe DST so it may not impact venue time
- DST offset ranges from 0-2 hours maximum depending on location
So an 8:00 PM concert during DST in Los Angeles in the spring could shift earlier since that area springs forward. Always check venues at DST changeover periods. Some list times in both regular and DST offsets to avoid confusion when scheduling events.
Why venues use local time
Venues use their local time zone when listing event times for a few key reasons:
- Simplifies logistics – Having one consistent time zone for all venue functions is simpler.
- Avoids confusion – With attendees coming from different time zones, local venue time is a fixed reference.
- Staffing is based locally – Venue staff run operations on the local time there.
- Easier time calculations – Adjustments are only needed for those traveling in or out.
Since venues have to handle a lot of moving parts between front and back of house, using their existing local time for everything is the easiest approach. The venue time should be the fixed point of reference that patrons then adjust for their specific time zone.
How to convert venue time to your time
Converting a venue’s published local time to your own time zone is thankfully pretty straightforward. There are two main methods:
Use a time zone converter
An online time zone converter takes any location/time input and calculates the equivalent time in another specified time zone. To use:
- Look up the venue location and time zone
- Input the venue location, date, and start time of the event into the converter
- Select your own time zone for comparison
- The tool will output the local time in your zone equivalent to the venue time
This allows you to easily see how the venue’s 7:00 PM local time converts to 4:00 PM in your Pacific time zone, for example. Time zone converters handle daylight saving offsets automatically.
Manually calculate time difference
If you know the time zone offsets, you can also manually calculate the local time difference:
- Identify the GMT offset for the venue time zone
- Determine your own time zone’s GMT offset
- Subtract the two offsets to get the hour difference
- Add or subtract that difference from the venue time as needed
So for a venue at GMT-5 and your time at GMT-8, you subtract 5 from 8 to equal a 3 hour difference. For a 8:00 PM venue time, you would subtract 3 hours to get 5:00 PM your local time.
Pro tips for venue time
Here are some additional tips for keeping venue times straight:
- Note if the venue observes daylight saving time – this can shift the times
- For ongoing multi-day events, doublecheck times for each day
- When in doubt, directly contact the venue to confirm
- For air travel, also verify time zone impact on flight schedules
- Allow buffer time for traffic, parking, security lines around stated venue times
It’s better to take the extra time upfront to calculate and confirm event times based on venue time zone. This avoids confusion down the road that could result in you missing key parts of the event you want to attend. Being aware of venue local time ensures you’ll arrive on time and ready.
Conclusion
Venue local time simply refers to the specific time zone or location time that a particular venue uses. Since different venues can be located across multiple time zones worldwide, it is essential to pay attention to the localized time for any event you plan to attend. Converting the published venue time to your own time zone takes just an extra step, but guarantees you will properly coordinate timing and scheduling. By understanding venue local times and making accurate adjustments, you’ll never have to miss out based on preventable time zone mixups again.
