Usher. It’s nice to have an usher at event, to hold audience from entering in middle of presentation.
Double-check all slides belong to correct individual and are in the right order.
You can use something like random.org to put the names in, and randomize the order.
Make sure your countdown timer is visible to the competitor, the judges, and the audience.
Name badges for judges?
Make sure the judges’ ballots are ready to go when they sit down, and that they have a writing utensil. Have extra on-hand in case theirs stop working.
Pens for each judge and enough for People’s Choice awards.
Get a volunteer who can dedicate themselves to just running the timer.
Get a buzzer or other times-up notification, if you choose.
Make sure to get food lined up if you choose to have light snacks.
It’s a wise idea to choose someone to moderate or emcee the event well in advance. Get them any bio info if they’re going to be reading it as part of each candidate’s introduction.
Soft music is a nice touch leading up to the start.
If you elect to do a People’s Choice award, make sure you have the sufficient ballots/pens.
If you are recording video, it is best practice to have an audio source that feeds directly into the video.