Unique Venues For Unforgettable Experiences
It is quite difficult to organize a corporate event, and it is even more difficult to make it an unforgettable experience for the attendees. Andy McNeill and Todd Bludworth delve into several unique venues, some ignored by most event planners, that can help elevate the feel and impact of any business gathering. They also talk about the many benefits these venues can offer, especially in lowering expenses and delivering that wow factor every guest will truly appreciate.
Andy McNeill and Todd Bludworth are travel and hospitality entrepreneurs and owners of the global meetings organization, American Meetings, Inc. From sourcing hotels to corporate event management around the world, their team selects corporate event venues and meeting planners for a wide array of enterprise business clients, providing ideas for convention themes and strategies for running global meetings and events. Learn more at www.mtgshealth.wpengine.com.
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Unique Venues For Unforgettable Experiences
One element that makes any business meeting or event memorable is the venue itself. Andy McNeill and Todd Bludworth list down eight venues that can greatly improve any event’s experience and overall feel.
- Art galleries and museums
These open spaces give you a chance to showcase beautiful artworks to spark curiosity conversations, which is quite a vast subject you can keep on expanding upon the course of the event.
Most of the time, art galleries and museums even have catering partnerships you can take advantage of. Moreover, you may ask these establishments to invite art experts to talk on different subject matters or give brief tours, whenever available.
- Rooftops
Most hotels and apartment complexes in urban settings have rooftops. This is perfect for a VIP cocktail party, a welcoming event, or any social portion of your event.
Rooftops also have the advantage of offering breathtaking views of the cityscape. Just remember to pick the right time of the year when choosing this venue to make sure that the weather is clear.
- Warehouses and parking garages
These are usually found in old, industrial places. Just put up a tent on top of a parking garage and you have an excellent venue with an amazing view. Plus, you get strong protection against the elements and plenty of parking space.
You can level up garages by putting up the right décor and lighting. The bigger your space is, the more freedom you have in developing it according to your needs.
- Speakeasies
For those who love surprises, this venue is the best choice. Speakeasies are secret bars that people visit to get a drink.
Its entrances are usually found in the most unorthodox places to be hidden from plain sight. Some may be in a secret elevator inside a telephone booth, while others are located inside a library and behind a moveable shelf.
- City parks
There are so many open parks within cities just waiting to be used as a corporate event venue, like Lincoln Park in Chicago and Central Park in New York City. Many of them even have amphitheaters build for this very purpose.
Many people just want to be outside for a change and breathe some air, especially those who are coming from outside the cities. If these are the attendees you are expecting, be sure to secure a park for your venue.
- Ballpark stadiums
Since these places are not utilized all year round, be sure to consider them for a business event, specifically for huge ones. They are pretty convenient for this kind of use since most of them already have food and beverage establishments inside.
You can hold your event while another event is taking place within the stadium to deliver a more unique experience. Just be sure to look up the schedules ahead of time.
- Theaters
This kind of venue is great for a cocktail party or dinner. You can utilize the theater’s backdrop and maximize the available costuming to make the event even more interactive. Not only that, but this is also a chance to showcase a particular cultural heritage, maybe of your own choosing or the city where the theater is located.
Just like ballpark stadiums, you can also hold your event while a theater show is ongoing, or just hire it while closed so you can theme it out.
- Wineries and breweries
These venues are usually quite large and have a particular space set aside for various guest sizes and activities. Such establishments are starting to pop up everywhere, especially in traditional cities, so be sure to keep an eye on them.
Also, wineries and breweries often offer tastings, leaving you to decide which food you want to cater to. You can even have their drinks be given away to guests, which is always a lovely parting gift.
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Liliana is responsible for the MICE Segment at Penha Longa Resort. She has been at the resort for 7 years now, first starting in the Golf Department, then moved to event operation, and finally sales. Travelling is one of her biggest passions and hobbies, and one of her favorite trips was to Japan.
Diogo is originally from Porto, and is currently based in Cascais (Lisbon). He enjoys traveling the world searching for the best restaurants and is always in the loop for what’s new. He is a food and wine enthusiast where the choice of restaurants take a central part when booking a trip. He studied Economics and after two years working in Financial Auditing, he made a shift to hospitality. As a feverish traveler, he has more than 40 countries under his belt.
