Festivals, picnics and raves – street food style

Corporate parties in festival style, picnics or raves are an open space, a spirit of freedom, drive, crazy installations and contests, separate stylized zones for relaxation. The things that “millennials” and “gamblers” love and are now consumed with interest and pleasure by “X’s” as well.
In our experience, variety, the effect of participation and involvement in the cooking gives the stylization of “street food,” for example:

• hot dogs on an open fire.
• “1000 and 1 kinds of shawarma”
• pizza (at corporate parties it has become fashionable to cook in an oven over a live fire)
• kebabs and grilled vegetables,
• popcorn and cotton candy, “stations” with ice cream and much more.

Be sure to have a summer bar. Make unforgettable smoothies and lemonades, “pumping” them with corporate and industry identity!
The event contractors and catering services that work with them are sure to get creative here, too. Try to think up something new with the catering, surprise the participants of the corporate party and next time you will not go back to the “boring” serving!

Conceptual event and “hearty cuisine”

What if you have an outdoor venue, a conceptual event (a summer version of “Oktoberfest”? why not) and require “people’s nourishing cuisine”? Only “street food” is not enough – the concept of the event amplify stylized for the event cuisine:

• kebabs transformed into sausages and mini-cottages,
• Serving is done with 50-centimeter aromatic plates – create a visual volume and variety.
• add design to “folk” side dishes (stewed cabbage, baked potatoes)
• use original sauces of at least 15 varieties
• Long live knuckles, shanks, and large “folk exotics” with unconventional serving.

From the preparation of dishes made show in the concept of the event – it “winds up” the guests and participants with smells, sight and action.
A typical mistake is a lack of coordination between the concept and catering
Remember that if the concept and catering are created separately, they will weaken the effect of the event – their inconsistency will play against the customer.
Example. For a corporate party in the style of “Italian party” a standard buffet (“European”) is ordered. Boring? Yes. Savings in the budget? No.
What to do to remedy the situation?
Gather information about Italian open parties – there’s no smell of a standard buffet. Photos and clips of the celebrations will give you the right associations: “family,” “friendship,” “home” … And it looks great and incredibly delicious. Even the bread.
You generate ideas, fit into the concept of the event, and only then adjust to the budget – if you do an interesting event, it will be interesting and inspiring from start to finish!

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Answer the question, “Why?”

First, choose the right event to attend. Plan your “outings” in advance, make a calendar of prospective exhibitions. The audience for the event should match your goals. Clearly define for yourself why you want to participate in a particular event. What goal do you want to achieve? These can be specific goals: to meet a speaker or a company at booth 264. But also general: to learn about trends in the industry, to get new contacts.
Remember: do your best to do what you have planned, the event will not go on forever, and Fedor will probably not be at the venue for all three days of the forum. Be sure to catch him.

Preparation: what’s worth doing before the event?

The event will be much more productive for you if you prepare for it in advance. Analyze the program, highlight key points, gather facts and figures and find out details about the products of the companies participating in the event. Look for your key people online (e.g. on facebook), what are they up to? What are they passionate about? Memorize their faces so you can identify them in the crowd. Remember their names so you don’t accidentally call them Gregory George. This is important.
Don’t forget to check to see if you have enough business cards. Make sure you have them ready in advance. Bring handouts that can clearly demonstrate your services.
You can also organize your own event. Why you need it.

Be on time.

If you’re attending the event, participate fully: make the most of the time. The event will soon be over, and the opportunity to personally communicate with the core community may not occur to you soon.
You should not be late or come in the last hour of the conference, for a buffet. You can argue that the person you are interested in relax and be free only at the end of the event: then you and take him warm! And if he asks your opinion on this or that performance? You can of course crack jokes, or flash your erudition, or even confess honestly: “I’m only here for you!” But remember, the very informational reason for the meeting is the conference, and its speeches are an extra opportunity to strike up a conversation.

Hide the phone and communicate!

Did your neighbor ask an interesting question of the speaker? Exchange business cards! How often do we have to watch the attendees of profile forums hold an event while tucked away on their phones or laptops. After all, there are work emails, calls, messages in messengers, the dollar exchange rate has changed. It’s not like you can cancel work because of some conference. If this is indeed the case, and you are very busy with work processes, it is better not to go to the event at all, and send your employee, who will hide their gadgets for the duration of the event. And you yourself watch the online broadcast. Remember: live events are designed for communication.
If you understand that the conference part is not very interesting for you and there is no opportunity to engage in communication in the hall, then get out of the audience. Communicate without wasting time.
I once witnessed such a case: at a profile event the audience fell asleep. The speakers were selfishly rattling off specific terms, the back rows were bored. Suddenly one of the guests of the conference, a sales guy, quietly got up and sat down with the director of one of the participating companies. Talked to him, they exchanged business cards. Then moved on to the next one. Then to the next. As this began to happen, the other attendees remembered that they, too, had come to socialize. The other guests also began to move from person to person, exchanging contacts. Everyone was very pleased with the results of the event. We are still on friendly terms with the young man, who set up his own production shortly after the event.

Ask questions and be a good listener

People like to be genuinely interested and ask questions. Ask what problems your interlocutor wants to solve, why. What features does your opponent’s service or product have? What he wants to achieve, how to develop? The more you find out about your potential partner, the easier it will be to work with them, to offer a specific solution, or to find points of intersection for cooperation.
Ask clarifying questions – you show either that you’re truly looking for a profile solution or that you’re interested in his business before you offer him something. Sell questions, not answers.
Don’t look around while you’re talking to someone. Has it ever happened to you that while you’re talking, your interlocutor suddenly sees a “big shot” in the crowd, dumps you and rushes over to say hello to a “more promising” acquaintance? Never do that, first logically conclude the conversation, and only then go in search of another interlocutor.

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Let’s break down a few examples.

Recommendation 1. Before approving a concept, compare it to the budget – will you pass or not. Is there a suitable site in the city, the cost of renting, whether the site will allow the proposed technical solutions, etc.
The event includes a welcoming area with interactive entertainment, more than 300 guests are expected.
Usually, this situation is “hot” for events with a large number of guests. And remodeling and “tweaking” to fit the circumstances devalues the original idea.

Recommendation 2: If a technical solution is proposed, check the technical possibilities.
Agreed site, budget, concept, and then offer a “chip” – the gymnasts fluttering under the dome of the restaurant or banquet hall. All the “delicious” described, attached a video with an example of “how it could be. You get the idea and agree on a “chip”. But … on the spot turns out that at the agreed site is no point of suspension, ie, fixtures for mounting structures.
Even more tragic, if there is a point of suspension at the site, but none of the organizers did not bother to ask the technical parameters and conduct a test in advance, not on the day of installation.

Recommendation 3. Check the possibility of installing a large projection screen, note that it must be “in the floor” (or a lifting mechanism is used). Find out how many lumens the projector has, its format. Note that if you have all this action on stage (usually), the mechanism must be liftable or you will illuminate the faces standing on the stage.
Often customers are offered cool projection shows with dance routines. In the presentation and in the promises, this presents itself very spectacular…But…when using a big screen.
The effect of “wow” using projections only if the height of the projection screen is not less than 4 m, its format is 16:9, and the power of the projector is not less than 10 000 lumens. With other technical characteristics this effect is unlikely to achieve.

Recommendation 4. “By the clothes stretch legs” – not every concept can be stamped and used, consider the cost of adaptation and elements. These activities are hard to do, choose your contractors and staff carefully.
Hold your own – if your budget is modest, this concept is not for you – fancy decorations, expensive entertainers and entertainers are required. According to the proposed legend, Gatsby threw cool parties, expensive receptions, and surprised every time. And, naturally, you want the same effect. So, do “expensive” or don’t do it at all. Especially if it’s a “client” event.
Hopefully, these simple recommendations will help you prepare a memorable event and get the necessary return on the planned budget.

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• Give preference to the site in the central part of town with parking.
• Check whether there is a spacious hall where you can organize a welcome-zone and registration area (this is different space). The registration area should be comfortable, with the right amount of staff. It is desirable that the promotional materials for distribution were not visible to the participants.
• See if it is possible to organize a zone for coffee breaks. It should be spacious, with the right number of cocktail tables.
• We assess whether there is space for a brand-wall, a press-wall, or a thematic photo-zone.

Under no circumstances should the photo area be placed on the main aisle or where the width of the aisle is very small. There is a chance that it will be uncomfortable for participants of the event and the photographer. It is important to provide “indentation” for the photographer. By the way, about how to make a cool photo area, we told here.

Be sure to have a projector with a new lamp, not living the last days. In Novosibirsk there are areas where there are duplicate screens – it’s very convenient for participants. There are also sites with LED screens, it looks very impressive.

We try to choose the site with good soft chairs, a powerful air-conditioning system and a good sound.

Bright and creative platform always emphasizes the atmosphere of the event. Such sites in our city a little, but they are. Recently loft spaces, hangar pavilions, and open spaces for summer events have been gaining popularity.

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A floor plan of the auditorium or an explication.

Such diagrams should indicate all the columns, if any, the length of the walls, recesses, partitions, etc. Also on this scheme, we ask the site to put the connection points, to understand where and what we can connect. Also on this plan, the site can indicate the wattage at each location. If you are sent a “crummy” plan or told that it does not exist, then ask him to at least draw it by hand with the exact dimensions (usually after that the plan is sent and abruptly found)

Scene Specification.

This is the depth and width of the stage, the size of the backstage, the presence of a winch or automatic mechanism above the stage, where you can hang lighting or other equipment. Also technical equipment of the stage with light, sound and screen. We always ask for a detailed specification.
We want to know if we can be allowed at panels (light, sound or video) or we are obliged to take specialists from venue.
Pay attention to lighting equipment, clarify the site of a static or dynamic (if visually can not determine). If there is only one static on the stage and in the hall, then spectacular dynamic light, for example, for the performance of artists with the show will not work.
Sometimes the venue does not have good sound, ask to turn it on, listen from different parts of the hall, especially when speaking into the microphone. There are times when you can’t hear anything to the left and right of the venue. The whole sound turns into a hum.
Also, if you want to invite performers with a technical rider, be sure to check to see if the equipment on the venue meets the stated requirements.

Specifications for equipment in the venue

This one is just about what was written above. It’s important to know what kind of sound, lights, screens, plasmas are in the hall.
For example, is it possible to combine plasma screens in all halls to produce the same picture? If there is a screen in the hall, ask about its pitch (pixel pitch). The bigger the pitch, the worse the picture is, the smaller the picture is, the less grainy it is. This is especially important when the screen is near the guests.
We find out from the site all the rules of arrival, mounting and dismounting, ask for a driving directions and any necessary documents or applications for security and other services. Also find out the terms when they should be applied for and the documents should be submitted.
This is an elementary safety of you. Since you in turn comply with the regulations and sent schedules, without violating the requirements.
You clearly plan your pickups and your contractors’ pickups, avoiding congestion and unloading traffic jams.

If there is catering at the site, we must always provide room for BECA. Without it, the catering can’t set up. Very often organizers make the mistake of choosing a site, drawing a plan diagram, but not asking the caterer what space they need for BEC and what electrical connections they need (usually they are not weak). BEC is a space where food is prepared, refrigerators and equipment are installed, and there is room for waiters and cooks.

Summary

If you’re doing a more or less large event, be sure to bring in a technician to help who can do a quality inspection of the equipment. Give an understanding of the sound and lighting. What needs to be brought in and what can be used on site. You have, as a desk map, should have a plan-scheme of the site. That’s where it all starts.
If you have doubts about your own abilities after reading this article, it is better to ask for help from professionals.

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The size of the photo area.

This is what you need to determine first and foremost. The size depends on many factors: the capabilities of the venue, the theme and status of the event, the number of guests. We recommend to make the photo zone not less than 3 m high, and better a little bit higher. In this case the gluing of the banner should go on the underside. The width of the banner should be not less than 3.5 – 4 meters, and if you plan a lot of guests, you can do more. This makes it possible to take high quality group photos so that nothing extraneous gets in the frame. It is good if the venue allows you to make a fairly large photo area, pay attention to this when choosing the location of the event.

Location of the photo area

It is better to put it in the welcome-zone, where the guests register, socialize, where the coffee-break is organized. Take care of the photographer: let him have enough space to go away and take a general photo. Pay attention to the light: do not cover the windows with banner so that it does not shine through, make sure that there is no lamp over the photo area, otherwise there will be ugly shadows on the faces. Do not place the photozone in the back of the hall or on the aisle, it will be inconvenient for the guests and photographer.
Decorate the stage constructor, where the lower elements were removed to lower the screen to the floor. Made of lightweight plastic with invisible fasteners. The basis of the constructor is a bar.

The structure .

Its quality is very important – it emphasizes the status of the event. If you organize an evening reception, social gathering, forum, conference or other indoor event, it is better to make installations from a bar. Such a construction gives a perfect tensioning of the banner, the absence of visible attachment points and quality branding of the ends, while it is very stable. Also look good photo zones from octanorm (exhibition profile). They are stable and look majestic and status. In addition, such a design can be made double-sided.

If you hold the event outdoors, it is important that the construction was stable, could withstand even strong gusts of wind and not fall on the guests. These include stage structure Layher. Also behave well on the street design made of thick beam, they can withstand the sailing of the banner. You must not use constructions made of joker system or pop-up constructions on the street as they are “delicate” photo-zones which have tendency to fall down.

Concept

The photo area should support the idea of the event and not go against it. We advise to think it over with the designer when the general identity of the event is already defined. For themed installations important décor, revealing the idea of the event. This should not be a boring banner with a logo, but something more interesting: 3D-printing, metal volumetric figures, fabric, fresh flowers, colorful balloons – now a huge amount of different elements of decoration. And also props that you can take in your hands or put on yourself always work well – let your photo area be interactive, so the guest will want to look at it closer or even become part of it.

The post How to make a photo booth that will blow up your guests’ Instagrams appeared first on Boucher Con.

It has become important for us to understand everything we want to buy. We study information on the Internet, we read reviews and reviews, we focus on other people’s opinions. We let other people’s conclusions pass through us, and they become inseparable from our own opinions.

So why do we think that in events we will be forgiven? After all, the same “experts” come to events. And believe me, they know how to organize events, even on an intergalactic scale. And here we come to those small, constantly escaping the attention and memory of the details. It is they that rule the ball.
Five minutes late in checking in? Unforgivable mistake. They didn’t serve hot coffee? GIRL!
Let’s see by example how much the little things can affect the impression of the event.

1. A professional conference with great speakers. From this program just drool, so it is high quality and “delicious” is made. The guests are happy, they leave photos, videos and words of gratitude to the organizers on their Instagram. But after a coffee break, we hear angry remarks: and the event suddenly became not so great, and the speakers are weak.
   It’s simple: the guests were served warm coffee. And they like it hot.
   Yes, it’s a trifle, but how it changes everything.
2. Evening client event. Expensive restaurant, cool host, incredible decorations, modern digital-technology. Organizers surprise and anticipate the expectations of guests. At the same time, the buffet line had a large number of fish and meat appetizers and a very meager selection of fruit and vegetable snacks. There was no menu for vegans. This is what caused the negativity.
3. The photo area is the Achilles’ heel of many people. There were about 400 guests at the event. It is natural to assume that they will be photographed by 10-15 people at a time, and the photographer will have to step back to fit all in the frame. And there really were a lot of such photos. At the same time the height of the photo area was standard – 2.5 meters. As a result in most of the pictures we saw the top edge of the photo area and another background behind it. The integrity of the photo is broken, and this was seen by the guests. They did not like it, they just intuitively knew that it should be different.

For us there is an axiom: the details make the event. We knew this many years ago and we see confirmation of it now. But if before you and I would have been forgiven for small mistakes, today you will at best blush for them, and at worst – will incur serious losses.

We work with experts, “pickers,” demanding and all-knowing. So please pay attention to details, think through the competent mechanics of the event, try to anticipate a variety of situations.

May your nerve cells increase! May new neural connections be formed!

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