Switching issues up sometimes is essential, even for occasion organizers and company planners. Whether or not you’re employed in public, non-public, or company occasions, altering the surroundings can depart occasion attendees feeling refreshed and impressed. So, in case you’re in search of distinctive occasion venues that supply one thing new and thrilling, you’ve come to the suitable place. This information explores the great world of non-traditional occasion venues and their infinite prospects.
What makes a venue really distinctive? The place do planners discover one-of-a-kind occasion areas? How do you’re employed with unorthodox venues? We reply these questions and extra as we discover varied sudden locations, like stadiums and aquariums, and look at how they’ll function distinctive occasion venues.
Uncover why it’s best to contemplate distinctive occasion venues in your subsequent perform
Earlier than diving into explicit areas and the occasions they host, let’s take a better have a look at what makes some venues genuinely distinctive. How are they totally different from different varieties of occasion venues, like accommodations and convention facilities?
What makes a venue distinctive?
Many companies—a number of of which can shock you—double as distinctive occasion venues. Whereas a few of these locations primarily perform as occasion venues (that will not look or function like customary venues), different companies on our record host occasions as a secondary service.
For instance, the Home of Everlasting Return in Santa Fe, New Mexico, operates as an occasion venue, however its artistry and design make it fully distinctive. Famed creator George R.R. Martin (Recreation of Thrones) bought a vacant bowling alley and leased it to a crew of greater than 130 inventive professionals. The artists labored collectively to design the Home of Everlasting Return, one of many world’s most unusual and artistically spectacular occasion areas—a venue that slips by time, area, and nature.
Different distinctive occasion venues, just like the areas on our record, primarily function as one other enterprise, providing occasion companies on the aspect. Aquariums, artwork galleries, botanical gardens, and comedian guide retailers are only a few examples of distinctive venues that present occasion area as a secondary service. Though a comic book guide retailer’s first goal is to promote comedian books, many repeatedly host native occasions, touring bands, and different occasions.
9 distinctive occasion venues planners ought to learn about
Should you’re inventive sufficient, you’ll be able to host an occasion nearly wherever. The record of distinctive occasion venue choices is very large, however planners are additionally restricted by their location and what’s in it. Though particular choices might differ from place to position, contemplate internet hosting your subsequent occasion at non-traditional venues you’re prone to discover close by, like—
- Eating places and bars
Whilst you might already contemplate eating places and bars the proper locations to fulfill family and friends, they will also be glorious areas for conferences, enterprise lunches, non-public events, and different occasions. Some eateries have separate areas, like banquet rooms, devoted to internet hosting non-public occasions; others might supply a separate flooring, patio area, bar space, or all the restaurant for bookings. With built-in décor and the kitchen shut by, internet hosting at a restaurant may also help lower prices whereas guaranteeing the meals arrives piping scorching.
- Nightclubs
Are you in search of someplace a bit of extra titillating than a standard bar or restaurant? In that case, contemplate reserving a nightclub in your subsequent occasion. Along with dance area and loud music, nightclubs can accommodate a broad spectrum of occasions, from unique non-public events and company retreats to high-energy reunions and close-knit neighborhood capabilities.
- Museums
Boasting educated, skilled workers and expansive indoor areas, museums are fabulous venues for internet hosting varied occasions, together with events, seminars, conferences, and fundraising occasions, like galas and auctions. Moreover, each museum is exclusive, holding totally different artwork or artifacts. Due to their individuality, museums supply an incomparable occasion ambiance.
- Historic areas
Impress purchasers and occasion attendees by deciding on a venue with a wealthy, highly effective historical past. Historic areas, like protected landmarks and century-old estates, are unbelievable areas to host neighborhood meals, non-public company capabilities, weddings, and different occasions. Show your in-depth vacation spot experience whereas offering friends with an unforgettable and impactful occasion expertise.
- Artwork galleries
Artwork galleries are distinctive, trendy, and classy areas to host after-work occasions, corresponding to networking mixers, comfortable hours, and much more elevated capabilities, like black-tie galas and charity auctions. For recurring occasions, search for artwork galleries with rotating displays to maintain issues recent and thrilling. You additionally received’t have to fret about adorning the area!
- Aquariums
Along with being entertaining and academic points of interest, most aquariums host particular occasions. From varied company occasions, together with vacation events and team-building periods, to non-public capabilities, like vow renewals and birthday celebrations, aquariums are versatile and distinctive occasion venues with heaps to supply.
- Stadiums
Whenever you consider attending a stadium occasion, you may image a crowded soccer sport or live performance. Whereas most stadium arenas can be found for reserving—at remarkably excessive charges—they normally maintain smaller, specialised occasion areas throughout the stadium as properly. Extremely various venues, a single stadium might have an auditorium, boardrooms, eating places, and different specialised occasion areas.
- Amusement parks
Should you’re looking for a enjoyable place to host a retreat, household reunion, company convention, or tradeshow, look no additional than the closest amusement park. Providing meals, enjoyable, and festivities, they provide all the things you want for an epic occasion.
- Public areas
Are you in search of a venue that’s accessible and inexpensive? In that case, contemplate reserving a low-cost public area. Reserve public gardens for a marriage, plan an organization picnic in your native park, or rope off a number of streets in your neighborhood for neighborhood occasions. Contact your native parks division to test availability, reserving insurance policies, and occasion restrictions.
Why ought to planners guide distinctive occasion venues?
From ambiance and dimension to location and value, planners guide non-traditional venues for a lot of causes. Along with having access to distinctive area and assets, selecting a non-traditional venue in your subsequent occasion may—
- Saves you cash. Conference facilities, full-service accommodations, and comparable areas are go-to occasion venues for a lot of, and their pricing displays the demand. Reserving a non-traditional venue may also help lower prices, particularly if they’ll meet your vendor wants. For instance, reserving a restaurant for a rehearsal dinner or company convention may also help save on further prices incurred from buying outdoors catering.
- Make sourcing simpler. Throughout marriage ceremony season, the vacations, and different high-demand occasion intervals, it’s a lot tougher to search out an inexpensive venue with availability. By pondering outdoors the field and redefining what an occasion venue could be, planners have a significantly better likelihood of discovering an accessible, inexpensive, and unforgettable host—even in the course of the busiest seasons.
- Impress your purchasers. Whether or not you’re a marriage or company occasion planner, you’ll be able to pleasantly please purchasers by exhibiting them occasion areas they weren’t anticipating. Make a robust impression by proving your self an professional on all issues native; safe your home because the go-to particular person for distinctive venue concepts, restaurant suggestions, and different hidden gems.
- Create a extra memorable occasion expertise. Sitting in the identical assembly room week after week or attending month-to-month occasions on the similar all 12 months will get boring. Assist your occasions stand out by internet hosting them in new and distinctive areas. Combine issues up and guarantee your subsequent particular occasion is additional particular by internet hosting it at an amusement park, botanical backyard, or live performance corridor.
How do planners discover distinctive occasion venues?
So, you wish to discover a distinctive venue off the crushed path, however the place do you begin? Discovering lesser-known occasion areas isn’t at all times simple, however decided planners can discover what they’re in search of by—
- Asking round. Benefit from your native hospitality community and its experience. Ask space planners which venues they counsel, or seize a venue listing that covers your locale. Should you’re not sure the place to start out, your native Chamber of Commerce or vacation spot administration group (DMO) may also help.
- Utilizing on-line directories. On-line venue directories are a beneficial useful resource for sourcing planners. Providing profiles, pictures, and pricing estimates for a variety of potential venues, free sourcing instruments like Cvent Provider Community present all the knowledge planners want to search out their subsequent occasion area. Whereas some directories embrace many alternative venue varieties to accommodate a variety of occasions, others tailor their content material to draw particular audiences, like weddings or wellness teams.
- Becoming a member of on-line teams and boards. Search for native occasion teams on social media and discussion board websites, like Fb and Reddit. Seek for group names like “Roanoke occasions” or “Jacksonville hidden gems” to search out neighborhood pages you’ll be able to be a part of. Ask for recommendation, reply questions, and interact with different members to uncover new venues and different insider data.
- Checking networking web sites. Websites like Eventbrite and Meetup make it simple to uncover the place networking occasions happen close to you. Even in case you don’t attend the occasions, you may uncover a venue you didn’t know existed.
- Being attentive to your environment. Is there a constructing you drive by every day that makes you suppose, “Wow, that place appears so cool. What’s it?” In that case, contemplate stopping by at some point to ask. They could have additional studio area, auditorium seating, or a built-in stage. Should you don’t ask, you’ll by no means know.
- Getting out and exploring. Get to know your vacation spot, in and out. Be part of a strolling tour to find elements of your metropolis you’ve by no means seen earlier than. Collect a gaggle of pals and make it a day-long affair, or spend the day exploring independently.
Ideas for working with distinctive occasion venues
Whether or not reserving a nightclub, stadium, or upscale restaurant in your subsequent occasion, the method might differ from what you’re used to. Observe these tricks to navigate and streamline the method.
- Decide which venues are finest suited in your occasion
Determine your important occasion wants so that you don’t waste time falling in love with a charmingly unorthodox venue that may’t accommodate it. Define the fundamentals, then start your search by in search of venues that suit your imaginative and prescient.
- What number of attendees do you anticipate?
- How a lot area do you want?
- Is it a single or multi-day occasion?
- What’s your very best occasion structure?
- Will you serve meals?
- Tour potential venues
If attainable, go to the area in particular person to see it up shut. Schedule a tour with the venue’s coordinator, who can spotlight the facilities and traits that make it so distinctive. Distant organizers and long-distance planners will profit from digital excursions, which allow you to finish immersive on-line walkthroughs in photo-realistic 3D. Search for venues that make the most of interactive planning software program, making it simpler to visualise what an occasion will actually appear to be, even in an area you’ve visited.
- Create a listing of inquiries to ask the venue coordinator
It’s simple to get distracted when touring distinctive occasion venues, so take a guidelines or record of questions. Write down all the things you wish to cowl with the venue coordinator, corresponding to deposit necessities, cancellation insurance policies, setup restrictions, and so on. Right here’s a web site inspection guidelines and planner’s information that can assist you keep on observe and discover the proper venue in your occasion.
- Maintain your occasion targets in thoughts
Search for venues that suit your occasion targets and goals. How formal or informal is the occasion? Are you internet hosting efficiency critiques or a vacation celebration? Is it for family and friends, residents, or your workplace? Take into consideration the timeline and included actions. Is it a participatory or seated occasion? Will attendees want room to maneuver or dance? The big open areas museums and artwork galleries present are good for neighborhood and networking occasions, whereas restaurant banquet rooms are perfect for extra intimate, private capabilities.
- Evaluate and distinction potential venues
After exploring a number of venues, evaluate their pricing, facilities, and companies. What makes a specific venue higher suited in your occasion than others? How does it outshine the others? What particular companies does it supply? Is the value proper?
- Focus on venue restrictions
How early does the venue permit occasion organizers to arrange? Are there noise or leisure limitations? Are there any restrictions on foods and drinks outdoors? Focus on all insurance policies and laws intimately earlier than making a last choice.
- Select staging and décor that pertains to the venue
Relying on the venue’s inside design and decor, particular setups or décor decisions may look misplaced, so discovering a location that matches your imaginative and prescient for the occasion issues. We additionally suggest in search of areas that match your occasion’s elementary themes. Should you’re internet hosting a high-energy, technology-focused occasion, a stoic, historic property is probably not the very best location to take action.
- Learn on-line critiques
Many individuals are uncomfortable voicing their issues or highlighting a difficulty in particular person. As a substitute, many of those people flip to on-line evaluate websites like Yelp, Google, and TripAdvisor to explain their experiences. Learn critiques from former patrons in order for you an trustworthy, unfiltered look right into a venue’s companies.
Now you know the way to search out and guide distinctive occasion venues!
When you’ve explored a few of the distinctive venues in your space, you’ll have creative areas to host occasions in each season. As your calendar begins to fill, keep forward of the sport by maintaining with different assembly and occasion developments impacting the trade this 12 months.
