Open Forum

• What type of exciting/interesting events are you hosting, or your venue is supporting towards the end of the year?
• Any out-of-the-box ideas to break the cliché that corporate events are mostly designed with a serious traditional approach?

#ManagingOn-site
#ManagingVirtualEvents
#SourcingaVenue

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Megha Jetley
Assistant Manager,
Cvent Marketing Department
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Our company held in-person end-of-year meetings at many of our offices this year. In addition to an end-of-year update by our executive team, offices had some sort of dinner or party. For example, one of our offices held a dinner and a "casino night", where employees earned tickets that were then put into a drawing for some great prizes.

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Lori Wildman
Senior Marketing Manager
DuCharme, McMillen & Associates, Inc.
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Our company was able to hold a holiday luncheon with tables spread out.  One of our teams created two kahoots, everyone could access on their phones.  One was just for fun and we played as individuals.  The other tested your knowledge about the company and we played with our tablemates.   The team kahoot was easier if you had people from different departments at your table.  It really encouraged everyone to talk to someone they don't typically interact with.

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Kim Abbott
North Carolina Electric Membership Corporation
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Hi Megha, 

We were considering doing a virtual party, but only one of our team members is remote so in the end we will be flying that one member to us for a in-person celebrations. We are benefitting from being in California so we will be outdoors for the meal portion of the event. 

A lot of our team came together during the pandemic so I think it was actually important that we have at least some in-person celebrating to mark the occasion. We're also all vaccinated so not too much worry there. 

Cheers,

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Béline FALZON
Conference Program Specialist II
California Teachers Association
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• What type of exciting/interesting events are you hosting, or your venue is supporting towards the end of the year? Our venue has a private beach and we are hosting many outdoor holiday gatherings.  

• Any out-of-the-box ideas to break the cliché that corporate events are mostly designed with a serious traditional approach? Beach activities are always fun

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Colleen Beck
Director of Sales & Marketing
The Westin Tampa Bay
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We are hosting a dinner in our outdoor courtyard. We are bringing in tables and chairs with linens to make it more romantic. The courtyard is already lit up with beautiful lights and a walk up bar, so this will be a really fun event!

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Teresa James
Director of Sales & Marketing
DoubleTree by Hilton Gainesville
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Original Message:
Sent: 12-14-2021 17:10
From: Colleen Beck
Subject: Let's talk "Year-end Parties"

• What type of exciting/interesting events are you hosting, or your venue is supporting towards the end of the year? Our venue has a private beach and we are hosting many outdoor holiday gatherings.  

• Any out-of-the-box ideas to break the cliché that corporate events are mostly designed with a serious traditional approach? Beach activities are always fun

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Colleen Beck
Director of Sales & Marketing
The Westin Tampa Bay
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• What type of exciting/interesting events are you hosting, or your venue is supporting towards the end of the year?
  • We hosted an in-person staff holiday party at a nearby Restaurant/Bar which offers dart games as part of their business. It was very successful and loads of fun.
• Any out-of-the-box ideas to break the cliché that corporate events are mostly designed with a serious traditional approach?
  • Go for the darts approach :)

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Chelsea Benge Ostoich
Events Software Specialist
cbenge@leadingre.com
LeadingRE
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We are all still remote, so we've had virtual holiday events throughout the month, with giveaways, special gifts for all attendees, happy hours, etc. A few of the events have centered around speakers or certain themes, like mental health during the holidays.

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Bouran Qaddumi
National Field Trainer
Cajun Operating Company d/b/a Church's Chicken
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• What type of exciting/interesting events are you hosting, or your venue is supporting towards the end of the year?        Virtual holiday party that included painting, cookie decorating, and group chats.
• Any out-of-the-box ideas to break the cliché that corporate events are mostly designed with a serious traditional approach? Networking while cookie decorating or cooking...something fun!

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Mary Ann Hall
Events Specialst
Federal Reserve System
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• What type of exciting/interesting events are you hosting, or your venue is supporting towards the end of the year?
  • At SyCom, we were back to fully in-person events for December. We hosted our customer and partner holiday part at our HQ office beginning of December. We also hosted our internal holiday party, off-site at an event venue. Interestingly, our customer event was better attended than pre-covid conditions, while our internal holiday event saw less attendance than pre-covid conditions. 
  • For both events, we encouraged non-vaccinated to wear masks and everyone to obey basic safety precautions. Open bars are always a fan favorite and incorporated into both events. 

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Brit DeBord
Director, Marketing & Partner Programs
SyCom Technologies
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We did something pretty traditional for our Christmas party - a Secret Santa, Chipotle dinner, homemade treats. I hope we could do something like Top golf next time though!

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Steve Ernst
Events Manager
FOCUS - Fellowship of Catholic University Students
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• What type of exciting/interesting events are you hosting, or your venue is supporting towards the end of the year?
  • While we just had a virtual YE meeting as many of our team is remote. We all had ugly sweaters on, and voted for for different categories. As our team is newly formed, it was a fun way to get to know each other.
• Any out-of-the-box ideas to break the cliché that corporate events are mostly designed with a serious traditional approach?
  • A friend of mine had a virtual "dance" party meeting, where a well known choreographer was part of the meeting and taught them a dance! At the end, every "box" in the meeting was dancing together.

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Beth Vriesen
Associated Bank Corporation
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For students, we host The Yule Log Ceremony, which is held annually each December shortly before the end of final exams. The student body fills the Wren Courtyard where festive wood-burning torches warm the crowd. After live holiday music and student speeches explaining international holiday traditions, the university president takes the stage in holiday attire and reads a specially-selected story book. Finally, the Yule log is carried through the crowd and lit in the fireplace of the Great Hall where frozen students line up to toss ceremonial sprigs of holly into the fire for good luck. Because of the outdoor nature of the event, we were able to celebrate with students, faculty and staff again this year.

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Virginia Early
Associate Director of Events
William & Mary Foundation
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I attended an in-person event where we all drew a number.  We were then assigned to a table that had a (small) bottle of vodka.  In the center of the room, there were various beverage glasses, tinctures, herbs, fruit, spices, etc. we had to come up with a mixed drink along with a story.  The best tasting and most appealing in appearance won a gift.  It was a great team-building, ice breaker experience!

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Michele Gebrayel
Corporate Event Manager
DuCharme, McMillen & Associates, Inc.
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