Control of the marquee: Professional access and event management for carnival parties in 2026

It is eleven to eleven and a long queue of Boerenbonds coats is already waiting outside the marquee entrance. Two volunteers flick through a paper guest list while the queue grows longer and someone at the back shouts that the licence only allows a thousand people. Digital access control with a ticket scanner on the phone solves this: each ticket is checked at a glance, the counter updates automatically and the volunteers keep their hands free for a friendly word at the door.

What is access control at a carnival event?

Access control is the process by which you check upon entry whether a visitor is entitled to admission, with which ticket type and how many times. At a prince's session or marquee party, this is traditionally done with a door list and a stamp. Digitally, the same process takes place via a create ticket scanner that you link to the event.

Such a scanner is nothing more than reading a QR code with the camera of a phone or tablet. A valid ticket gives a green screen, an invalid or already used ticket a red screen. That way, the volunteer at the door knows immediately what to do, without having to take out a guest list.

How do you prevent long queues at the marquee entrance?

The throughput speed at a busy entrance depends mainly on how many control points are operating at the same time. You can deploy multiple scanners side by side, for example one for the main entrance and one for the VIP entrance, each with its own login details. This distributes the flow of visitors across multiple queues instead of one long snaking queue at the door.

Furthermore, a single volunteer can manage multiple devices at the same time, or alternatively handle all visitors on their own using just one phone. That makes the approach scalable: a small member afternoon runs on a single scanner, whereas a large marquee event can be set up with five scanners simultaneously at different entrances.

How to set up a ticket scanner for a carnival event

At the event itself, under “Edit event”, you enable the Ticket scanners section and create a new scanner with a recognisable name, such as main entrance or artist entrance. For each scanner, you determine which tickets are valid there, so that a VIP scanner only lets through VIP tickets.

Each scanner gets its own link and QR code to open on a phone or tablet, and its own login details to to log in to the scanner. This way, the scanner works both in the app and in the browser, and you can deactivate a device that gets lost or is no longer needed individually without affecting the tickets that have already been scanned.

Access control with the QR ticket scanner in 4planning

Within 4planning you combine the ticket scanner with the digital membership card, so that members show their own QR code at a member evening instead of buying a ticket. A member opens the membership card with a single tap at the top of the app and the volunteer scans the same code as for a regular ticket.

For private events, such as a key handover exclusively for members and guests, you configure who can see it when creating the ticket: everyone, all members, or a specific group. This way, no one has to check a manual guest list at the door.

When digital access control is suitable and when it is not

Digital access control works best at events with clear ticket sales or advance member registration, such as a marquee party, a prince-crowning ceremony or a gala ball. The greater the expected crowds, the more a carnival association stands to gain from replacing the paper list with a scanner.

At a small, informal gathering with no pre-known visitors, such as a spontaneous drinks reception in the clubhouse, a scanner adds little value: in that case, a simple sign-up sheet is just as quick. If the organisation also weighs up the safety requirements of the licence, then the overview provided by a digital count is often still worthwhile, even with a smaller group.

Therefore, choose consciously per event: if there is advance sale or a membership list and you expect a peak moment at the door, then a scanner is the logical step. If it is precisely an accessible gathering without access restriction, then nothing digital needs to be added.

What happens if someone comes back with the same ticket?

A ticket can only be validly scanned once. If someone tries to present the same ticket a second time, a red screen will appear upon that scan and the visitor will be denied entry. This is how the scanner prevents a single admission ticket from being resold or shared multiple times.

For committee members who themselves supervise multiple entrances at the same time, it is indeed permitted for one person to scan several different tickets of other visitors one after another. That distinction, one ticket valid only once versus one scanner processing many tickets, is precisely what prevents fraud at the door.

Frequently asked questions about event access control

Can one volunteer scan multiple tickets at the door?

Yes, a single volunteer can scan all visitors with one device, or manage multiple scanners at the same time. This makes the system suitable for both a small members' evening and a large marquee party with hundreds of visitors.

What do you see when a ticket has already been scanned?

When a ticket is scanned a second time, a red screen appears and access remains denied. A valid, unused ticket results in a green screen instead, allowing the volunteer to know at a glance whether the visitor may enter.

Can members use their membership card instead of a ticket?

Yes, the digital membership card with QR code can be scanned at event registration in the same way as a ticket. A member opens the pass via the QR icon at the top of the app, so that a separate ticket is not required for member evenings.

How do you arrange access for members or guests only?

When creating a ticket, you set the visibility to public, all members or a specific group, so that only the right target audience can see and buy the ticket. This way, a private key handover truly remains private, without a manual guest list.

How much does a ticket scanner for an event cost?

A ticket scanner forms part of the ticketing functionality within 4planning's existing packages, with no separate costs per scanner. The current packages and limits are clearly listed on the 4planning pricing page.

For the next marquee party, have a scanner ready at the main entrance in advance, so the volunteer on duty will already be set up at the opening with a working door control system instead of a pile of paper lists.