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Hot Event Planning Trends: Interactive Food Experience Inspiration

When specialevents.com interviewed some of the industry s top catering pros, asking what event catering trends they expected to take off in 2014, our ears perked up. One of the most interesting answers? Buffets are out. Interactive Food Experiences are in.

And what do they mean by interactive food experience , exactly? asked my husband, Like an omelette bar? . Yeah, basically. An omelette bar counts. If I had to explain the term, I d say it means, in essence, that event attendees want a little more say, a little more customization, a little more input into what goes on their plates. They get out a little more than they put in more options, more DIY, more mix-and-match you give your guests the opportunity to make their dinner become more than the sum of its parts.

Try these on for size:

Decorate-Your-Own Cupcake Bar

Event Planning Blog: Interactive Food Experience Cupcakes

Kit this table out with a selection of vanilla, chocolate, and other single-flavor cupcakes, no toppings. Next, the frosting don t skimp. And finally, the sprinkles. All kinds of sprinkles. Dragees, rainbow, M&M s and let your guests creativity take over, allowing the food itself to become an active, rather than passive, part of the festivities.

Taco Station

Event Design Blog: Interactive Food Experiences Tacos

Another nice thing about a build-your-own dinner like this is that not only do you account for varied taste and flavor preferences, you ve got your dietary restrictions covered as well. You cover the vegetarians, vegans, and gluten-intolerant. The only people that won t like this are people that don t like tacos. And since I ve never heard a genuine human being say they don t like tacos, the taco station does double-duty as a weeder-outer of alien sleeper agents. (Shoot first. Ask questions later.)

Sangria Bar

Event Planning Blog: Interactive Food Experience Sangria bar

Here s a super cute idea from Pinterest user Goldi Locks. There are as many types of sangria as there are people who love to drink it. White- or red-wine based, cinnamon-spiced, all peached-up, limey, apples, pears, raisins go nuts.

5 Holiday Season Event Ideas

As winter reaches out, American event organizers are heading into the final stretch before the holiday season kicks in. Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and even Kwanzaa are festive musts. And very much like in the fashion industry, holiday trends sweep the events world every year. Our friends at BizBash have done an overview of these very trends so none of your attendees could possibly accuse you of hosting an unfashionable event.

Go All Out On The Food

Event Management for the Holidays: Tips and Trips 2013
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While catering is always of paramount importance, this is doubly true during the holidays. The popularity of cooking shows, coupled with the mating call of ovens left untouched over the summer, have made guests increasingly demanding about the spreads they are served.

Presentation, Presentation, Presentation

Event Organizer Blog: Holiday Party Planning Tips 2013
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As appreciated as formal sit-down dinners are during the year, the holiday period calls for a touch of pizzazz. Having chefs front and center concocting treats in front of guests, having waiters decked out to match a number of food themes or laying out a wide range of self-service stations are just a few ideas that will resonate particularly well.

Events in the Office

Event Planning for the Holiday Season 2013
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The recession bit deep for many events companies as well as their clients. Budgets for lavish venues were scaled back but this also led to a rise in ingenious and affordable solutions. While holding a conference in a company s office would once have been frowned upon, an entire new sub-section of the event organizing world has sprung up to to offer to just that.

Full Bars, not Open Bars

Event Planning Ideas for the Holidays 2013
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We understand the dismay of going to an open bar at an event and finding they only have Gordon s Gin. As such, as discerning customers know what they want, the time of the fully-stocked bar has returned. The popularity of shows such as Boardwalk Empire have also made Prohibition-era themes a hot favorite for this holiday season.

Teambuilding, YAY

Event Organizer Blog: Event Organization Ideas for the Holidays
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While every professional conference organizer can have a Pavlovian reaction triggered by the mention of certain teambuilding memories, there is no denying the return to form of this old favorite. This becomes especially true around the holidays. Are you strapped for ideas. Fear not: you can check out Decibel Management s suggestions for teambuilding activities here.

10 Ghoulish Halloween Catering Ideas

Halloween is a holiday sadly saddled with misconceptions. Often dismissed as being exclusively for children, it is also ridiculed for being a corporate holiday . Well, what s wrong with that? Can corporate events not also enjoy a touch of the spooky? We think so.

While the vast majority of Halloween decorations or event themes are aimed at younger generations, catering is one area where a touch of ingenuity can be warmly-received around Halloween. While allowing professional corporate event organizers to maintain the vibe they want for an event, the dishes below will provide a dose of levity and a break from the catering norm, pleasing to both the eye and the palate.

Provide these ideas to your catering supplier and see what wonders they can whip up.

4 Original Fundraising Event Ideas

Fundraising has become a necessity for many companies, and particularly smaller start-ups, and thanks to popular crowd-sourcing websites, asking for money to fund your campaign or project has lost much of the stigma it once had. These unique fundraising ideas make great add-ons to any larger event.

Once-in-a-Lifetime-Experience Groupon Auctions

Nowadays, it s easy to buy online coupons for original experiences, from hang-gliding and weekend retreats to a day training with the Cirque du Soleil. Start the bidding at the Groupon price, set a minimum number of opt-ins, and if you can get enough takers, any money over the listed price is yours. If you don t, no harm, no foul.

Speed Dating for Dollars

This one s a cinch to organize. All you need to set up speed dating are some tables, some chairs and a station to collect entrance fees. Bonus: any singles that might normally feel too embarrassed to participate in speed dating
can chalk it up to supporting a good cause.

Making Casual Classy

Organizing a black tie event for a client with a sense of humor? Consider mixing it up by allowing attendees that pre-pledge to donate over a certain amount dress down or wear sneakers. Whoever said Chucks-n-tux wasn t a good look?

Beautiful Fall Centerpiece Ideas The Ideal Way to Herald the End of Summer

Sorry we have to be the first to break the news, but fall is just around the corner.

Labor Day is coming up, after which the little ones will mercifully head back to school, Congress will return from summer recess and campaign event production will whir back into life. And of course, all those leaf-peepers will head for the Blue Ridge, Shenandoah, and New Hampshire.

But professional event managers out there will see the turning of the seasons as the chance to unveil some new tricks. Outdoor trestle tables will burst forth with autumn colors as centerpieces and floral arrangements make full use of nature s most beautiful season.

As this happens every year, it may be tricky to still surprise or delight guests with autumn arrangements as the staples of seasonal decorations remain the same. However, a few variations on traditional themes will help remind you of how fall centerpieces can fit any tablescape from political fundraisers to birthday parties.

Pumpkin Candle Holder

Event Organizer Blog: Autumn Seasonal Decor Ideas
Why restrict pumpkins just to Halloween? A delicate hand to carve them and a well-chosen floral accompaniment can suit any formal gathering.
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Pumpkin Vase

Event Planner Blog: Pumpkin Table Decorations
Bring a look of surprise to guests faces with a handy and attractive pumpkin vase for a seasonal flower arrangement.
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Pitcher Vase

Event Planning Blog: Party Decor Table Centerpiece Seasonal
Fall is also about the harvest and home-cooked food. Note the lovely addition of wheat and other farmland ingredients.
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Leaves and Candles

Event Planning Blog: Table Decor Autumn Leaves
While we don t suggest you pack up for New Hampshire, the stunning foliage of autumn is a perennial favorite. Scattered around a table cloth or bringing attention to an attractive candle arrangement is a sure winner. Just make sure they re away from any naked flames.
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Leaf Bouquets

Event Planning Blog: Fall Party Decoration Ideas
For those event planners with a deep contact book, find a skilled florist who can twist and fold leaves into a deceptive bouquet that is sure to delight.
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Pinecone Arrangement

Event Manager Blog: Pine Cone Bouquet Centerpiece Ideas
Often used only as a complement for fall decorations, pinecones can actually be a stunning mainstay for a centerpiece, especially if still on the branch.
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Autumn Cornucopia

Event Organizer Blog: Autumn Seasonal Table Decorations
There is no more powerful symbol for fall than the cornucopia, representing the bounty of the harvest, fresh produce and good health. How better to symbolize a desire for cooperation and success at any business meeting?
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Summer vs. Fall

Event Organizing Blog: Autumn Centerpiece Inspiration
While some may be sad in the last days of summer, there s no reason to let the season go unmarked. As it blends into fall, why not turn to a centerpiece that brings together the best of both seasons?
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Five Great American Breweries that Double as Event Spaces

The popularity of craft beer has skyrocketed over the last five years or so, and we ve seen hundreds of amazing brew pubs, tap rooms and public houses open across the United States. Breweries make ideal event venues: the raw brick and industrial metal aesthetics are great, the ceilings are typically high and airy, and oh, yeah, attendees can throw back gallons of delicious made-on-site craft ales. Here are a few of our favorite American breweries available for private party rental.

Brooklyn Brewery, New York

One of the more recognizable craft brews in the US, the 4,000sqf Williamsburg-based Brooklyn Brewery is available for after-hours events and has a max capacity of 200. Event amenities include up to 10 draft lines of Brooklyn beer, up to 3 large format Belgian-style Brooklyn beers, tables & benches and A/V equipment .

Angel City, Los Angeles

With a 230 person standing capacity (130 for table seating), Angel City Brewery offers a grand, private space that sits perpendicular to the Brew House, perfect for private or special events. Consider the Beer Hall an open canvas, as it can be tailored to fit any event needs. It has its own 12-tap bar, moveable stage with PA system, customizable chalk-board painted restrooms and room for games or activities. The Beer Hall boasts seven industrial garage doors that open to the parking lot and allow LA s best food trucks to serve food to inside guests.

Nightshift Brewing, Everett MA

Massachusetts friendly home-town brewery Night Shift is one of the smaller venues on this list, but it s got great decor and fantastic beer. Events can include private brewery tours and tasting, plus fresh beer flights for attendees.

Sweetwater Brewing, Atlanta GA

Sweetwater Brewery has the event organization stuff down, with two event spaces, The Tasting Room and The Reel Room, which capture the energy and atmosphere of the brewery, brand and mission. The Tasting Room has a capacity of 650, with 450 for the Reel Room. Pricing includes Two hours of set up time prior to guests arrival, 3 hours of event rental, and 1 hour for event clean up/breakdown, plus Sweetwater tastings for all guests in conjunction with free brewery tours, featuring the SweetWater year-round selections and Catch N Release series depending on availability. Complimentary guest parking is also available, and in terms of A/V, they ve got streaming SIRIUS music, screens, and iPod connections. Grab their PDF one-sheet here.

Red Hook, Portsmouth NH & Woodinville WA

Another event venue rental and brewing veteran, Red Hook has two U.S. locations in New Hampshire (here s the PDF event packet) and Washington State. The Washington location has two event spots, one inside (PDF info) and one outside (PDF info).

Inspiration: Gorgeous Spatial and Exhibition Design

Designing a good explanatory or exhibitory space is actually a multi-disciplinary pursuit. The spatial design should match and support the content of the exhibition; it has to be created with an eye on usability so that signage is clear and readable; and a bit of wayfinding, allowing people to smoothly navigate the space. We ve collected five example of our beautiful exhibition design from around the web.

Sustainability Treehouse by Volumes

The main challenge was to create an experience that would engage Boy Scouts eager to find the next adventure activity zip lines, climbing areas, a skate park and leave them with a new perspective on sustainability. The design avoids outdated and formulaic exhibit solutions and, instead, delivers information in surprising and unexpected ways, down to the humorous and irreverent tone of the exhibit text. Nature s natural processes inform the exhibit program which then translates these principles to everyday life.

iFace Sticky Notes

Creators Dela Rostami and Naz Mojab created a sketch > pixel art > sticky notes wall as a promotional and engagement method for an upcoming museum launch. Stunning low-budget creativity. They say:

As part of a land grant university with an extensive population of minority majority ethnic groups, the Shrem Museum of Art (currently under construction, opening early 2017) will provide an opportunity for its intended audience to engage culturally and intellectually both inside and outside the museum.

For this I ve created a series of mockups and primarly prototypes(low-tech)in public spaces around UCDavis campus. My goal is to attract a broad cross-section of UC Davis students, adults, families, experts etc. to the Shrem Museum of Art.

JAZZ

A display of photos from the National Library of Norwayforms this exhibition about the history of Norwegian jazz music from 1930 to 1990. With stories, photos and other archival material this exhibition gives you a unique glance at the true history of jazz in Norway.

Wired Store

Exhibition design for the Wired magazine pop up store in SOHO, NY. Created by Mother New York / Mother Design, with creative direction by Mark Aver and design by Candice Ralph, Jules Tardy and Yoshie Hozumi.

de:block Exhibition

De:block is an nomadic exhibition that celebrates local designs that had made a mark in Singapore s design history, showcasing posters, publications, fonts and products by numerous design studios that have emerged since the 60s. Good design is much closer to home than we think and as a result, this trip takes us to Tampines, one of the most populated estates[s] in Singapore.

15 Must-Follow Pinterest Boards for Event Producers

It s time for your Social Media winter refresh, and that means checking out some new feed this year. So which Pinterest accounts are on the event professionals must-see list (besides ours, that is)?

Experiential Inspiration

Branded Environments by @tapelgren

A board that explores installations walking the line between marketing and art.

LUMIN by @munkowitz

Super-futuristic spacial creation with lighting design.

Market Place by @lulualma

A collection of clever brand activations and guerrilla marketing campaigns from Chicago s Lulu Almazan.

Exhibition Design by @supremelan

Meticulously curated board of great exhibit photography, both branded and artistic.

Pop-Up Stores by @agencyofplace

Pop-up stores!

Food & Drink

Catering Food Stations by @Makemischief

The ultimate board of tiny, stylin edibles: sushi arrays, trendy things on sticks, miniaturized donuts, and other good things.

Food Styling by @pausegourmande

Not sure how to style your spread? This inspiring board s got oodles of pretty plates oozing with atmosphere.

Eat Appetizers by @foodiecrush

Recipe after calorie-dense comfort food recipe? Don t mind if we do.

Drink by @buzzfeed

Believe it or not, the go-to digital stop for pictures of 90s hairstyles and adorable piglet GIFs serves up a pretty excellent collection of novel party drink ideas on Pinterest.

Foods n Kitchen by @virvelflicka

More excellent food shots, many of which are event-adaptable.

Interior & Design

Event Design by @epievents

Banquet design: flowers, drapery and chandeliers.

Event by @AllenLeong

Stages, backdrops and catwalks.

Signage by @mishkadobek

In-store displays, clever signs, beautiful exhibitions and all things wayfinding.

Entertain by @eyeswoon

Nordic-inspired table design and party place-settings.

Event Design by @rosesarsenal

And finally, this popular board by Rose Arsenal, all things eventful and pretty.

Christmas Lighting Inspiration for A/V Nerds: Projection Mapping & Interactive LEDs

Got Christmas on the brain? We ve collected up a few of the coolest videos from this year s Christmas displays. We got yer home facade mapping, yer interactive lights, and some good ol traditional holiday light shows that ll blow your mind.

Houses in Serial

This home run by Brian McNamara from Gilbert, Arizona, synced up LED systems across six adjacent houses, and included its own radio station. Day-amn.

Interactive Facade Mapping Christmas Tree

Props, Mariachi Events and Palnoise, this tree is made from a list of Decibel s favorite keywords. On display this year in Dubai, the tree s program includes an automated program followed by a participatory segement. In other words, once the projection is done playing, guests can grab their iPads and decorate the tree themselves, adding leaves, snowflakes, and other virtual baubles.

SAKS Fifth Ave.

Nobody does class like SAKS. This display is up at Rockafeller Center in New York.

Melbourne Town Hall

Created by large-scale projection pros The Electric Canvas, the Melbourne Town Hall Christmas projections were in top form this year, following a city-wide initiative to sink some extra cash into the community Christmas spirit. The result was pretty rad.

O Light Divine

This one s actually from 2012, but it s cool enough to deserve a repeat. Designed by David Barshow, the interactive app-driven light display was up in Menlo Park, California. Visitors could install the O Light Divine app, adjust the light settings, and enjoy.

Let it Go

This monument to ice queens, created by the Larsen Family and made from around 1,000,000 LEDs, enjoyed a nod on ABC s Great Christmas Light Fight , and for good reason.

The Force Awakens

Not that we blame them, but someone in Pittsburgh was mad excited about Star Wars Episode 7.

Top 3 Experiential Marketing Campaigns of 2017 (Thus Far)

Experiential marketing. Engagement marketing. On-ground marketing. Event marketing. Whatever you want to call it, can be very successful if done right.

The goal of experiential marketing is to form a memorable connection between the consumer and the brand to make a lasting impression, influence purchase decisions and ultimately build brand loyalty. It s proving to be a valuable part of a company s marketing plan, especially for large, faceless brands who can be viewed as out of touch with the general public.

With the explosion of new technology (like virtual reality) in the past year, combined with good ol fashion creativity, we expect 2017 to show us big things for experiential marketing. Here are some of our favorites so far.

The Casper Nap Tour & SXSW Takeover

Casper, one of the heavy-hitters in the mail order mattress-in-a-box industry, took this year s South by Southwest Festival by storm. For starters, they had their Nap Tour RV strategically stationed to help exhausted festival goers take 8-minute power naps. Attendees got to experience the comfort of a Casper mattress in a private pod, complete with slippers, a cold brew coffee, and a dog bed if they also had a furry friend.

Casper Nap Tour

Casper also partnered with the Standard Hotel s One:Night app to help people find a last minute, reasonably priced hotel room in an otherwise completely booked city. Each day at 3:00pm, the One:Night app released 20 rooms that could be booked for just $99 (more reasonable than the other hotel prices in downtown Austin during this time, which ranged from $250-$1,200). Guests got to sleep in comfortable rooms outfitted with a Casper mattress, pillows and slippers. Car service was provided by Tesla, and you could even request a real mom from the front desk to come read you a bedtime story.

Thanks to Mother Nature, Casper really solidified themselves in people s memories when an unexpected snowstorm cancelled flights in the North East at the end of SXSW. Casper extended their event to help stranded attendees find rooms, and even threw a Stranded in Austin party with rapper Warren G.

Talk about turning a nightmare into a dream.

XFINITY Fast & Furious Drive-Out Cinema

XFINITY partnered with the release of the next Fast & Furious movie, The Fate of the Furious, to take two of their customers on the ride of their lives. Excited to see and sit in some of the super cars from the movie, the two contest winners strapped in to watch a sneak peak of the film. That is until the people in the driver s seat suddenly discovered that the keys had been left in the car. Cue revving engine, confusion and adrenaline.

Turns out the people in the driver s seat were the actual stunt drivers from the movie, and they take the two unsuspecting super fans straight through the wall of the theatre and into an explosion-packed stunt ride. It was literally just like a scene from the movie. While this experience wasn t had by many people in-person, the YouTube video posted about it did a great job of capturing the event. While watching, you instantly start imagining what you would do in that situation. It evokes a feeling, a rush.

Plus, it s just flat-out funny to watch these people s faces as they flail about doing donuts next to impressive pyrotechnics.

Crayola Retires a Classic

Crayola made waves in the social media sphere by announcing that they were going to retire one of their iconic crayon colors from their 24-count box. They set up a giant box of crayons in Time Square, and had a countdown going on their website to March 31, 2017 (National Crayon Day) when they were going to announce live on Facebook which color would be getting the ax. Engagement and buzz on social media was high, as Crayola encouraged people to share which color they hoped to keep around (there s lots of Cerulean fans out there).

As it turns out, a box of the new crayons made its way onto shelves one day ahead of schedule, and of course an excited fan spotted it and posted it to Twitter. We give major props to the Crayola social team for reacting to this leak swiftly and positively by saying the color Dandelion just couldn t wait, and decided to announce his retirement a day early. This fast-thinking, positive spin saved the campaign, and may even end up gaining it more attention in the long run. Who doesn t love a good spoiler scandal? Here s wishing that Dandelion enjoys his golden years.

Do you have a favorite 2017 experiential marketing campaign that didn t make this list? Let us know! Tweet us at @DecibelEvent. We re social butterflies.

Tag: eventproductioninspiration