It’s the time to start thinking about Christmas in the event planning world in Vancouver. If you want your company’s Holiday Season Event to be a success, you should be too. Holiday parties are changing and evolving. You probably know that you have to book your venue months in advance to have a chance of securing the most popular spots. But did you know that the best entertainers are also reserved long before the stores take down the Halloween decorations and put up pictures of Santa?

Ensuring you incorporate these four trends into your event can create a lasting and memorable impact.

Theme Decor

Whether you’re planning a classic Christmas party or a non-traditional event, it is important to have a theme. A theme gives the event “glue” and should be introduced to your guests long before they arrive at the event. Build excitement and anticipation by including your theme on “Save the Date” messages as well as the official invitation or e-vite. This gives your guests the option of dressing in the appropriate theme clothing, which really contributes to their overall experience.

 

 Experiential Events

An emotional connection between your brand and your guests cuts through the clutter of a crowded marketplace. Nowadays guests want an “experiential experience”. Think of the Rain Forest Café. Your five senses are stimulated, by lush jungle foliage, running water, smells of the forest, and sounds of animals in the distance. Great experiential events get talked about because they stand out – a crucial factor in building client loyalty and the mark of a successful event. At the event in the photo here we offered our guests a taste of Russia that captured the five senses.

 

 Evolving Agenda

Don’t give away all of your “surprises” when guests first arrive – by having all of the entertainment and activities on full display. Have performances happen throughout the evening so there is a steady stream of entertainment. You should also schedule activities throughout the night, so guests are being offered something new and fresh to enjoy. Then, once you have done all of this, make sure you give them a social media outlet to share their “cool” event experiences online with friends, colleagues, and family.

 

Interactive Entertainment

If you aren’t already short-listing the types of acts and performers you’d like at your company’s holiday event, you risk having to settle for second or even third picks. And because the entertainment is one of the most memorable parts of any corporate event, this can mean your investment in a holiday staff party or client appreciation event won’t have the impact you’re hoping for.

As you might suspect, there’s a huge demand for entertainment during the holiday season and a limited amount of performers available. Typically our most popular entertainers are booked by April. This is especially true for seasonally-focused entertainers with a holiday theme, but it’s also a reality if you want to hire a well-known musical act to help solidify attendance for your event. So, making sure you have entertainment at the top of your holiday event checklist is a smart move. At Bright Ideas we can help you find the right performers for your event and suggest ways to incorporate unique entertainment for a memorable holiday party.

Get in touch now to ensure you select the right Event Theme, have Experiential components to your event, include an Evolving Agenda and showcase great Entertainment. Don’t despair. We have lots of “Bright Ideas” to make your next event successful and will be happy to share them with you.

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