Distinctive Occasion Venues: A Information for Planners & Occasion Organizers

Switching issues up sometimes is vital, even for occasion organizers and company planners. Whether or not you’re employed in public, personal, or company occasions, altering the surroundings can depart occasion attendees feeling refreshed and impressed. So, should you’re searching for distinctive occasion venues that supply one thing new and thrilling, you’ve come to the precise place. This information explores the great world of non-traditional occasion venues and their limitless 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 numerous surprising locations, like stadiums and aquariums, and study how they will function distinctive occasion venues.

Uncover why you must think about distinctive occasion venues on your subsequent perform

Earlier than diving into specific areas and the occasions they host, let’s take a more in-depth take a look at what makes some venues genuinely distinctive. How are they completely 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 commonplace venues), different companies on our checklist 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 utterly distinctive. Famed writer 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 means of time, house, and nature.

Different distinctive occasion venues, just like the areas on our checklist, primarily function as one other enterprise, providing occasion providers on the aspect. Aquariums, artwork galleries, botanical gardens, and comedian ebook retailers are just some examples of distinctive venues that present occasion house as a secondary service. Though a comic book ebook retailer’s first objective is to promote comedian books, many usually host native occasions, touring bands, and different occasions.

9 distinctive occasion venues planners ought to learn about

In case you’re inventive sufficient, you’ll be able to host an occasion nearly anyplace. The checklist of distinctive occasion venue choices is huge, however planners are additionally restricted by their location and what’s in it. Though particular choices could differ from place to position, think about internet hosting your subsequent occasion at non-traditional venues you’re more likely to discover close by, like—

Eating places and bars

When you could already think about eating places and bars the proper locations to satisfy family and friends, they can be glorious areas for conferences, enterprise lunches, personal events, and different occasions. Some eateries have separate areas, like banquet rooms, devoted to internet hosting personal occasions; others could supply a separate flooring, patio house, bar space, or the complete restaurant for bookings. With built-in décor and the kitchen shut by, internet hosting at a restaurant may help reduce prices whereas guaranteeing the meals arrives piping scorching.

Nightclubs

Are you searching for someplace a bit of extra titillating than a conventional bar or restaurant? If that’s the case, think about reserving a nightclub on your subsequent occasion. Along with dance house and loud music, nightclubs can accommodate a broad spectrum of occasions, from unique personal events and company retreats to high-energy reunions and close-knit neighborhood features.

Museums

Boasting educated, skilled employees and expansive indoor areas, museums are fabulous venues for internet hosting numerous occasions, together with events, seminars, conferences, and fundraising occasions, like galas and auctions. Moreover, each museum is exclusive, holding completely different artwork or artifacts. Due to their individuality, museums supply an incomparable occasion ambiance.

Historic areas

Impress shoppers and occasion attendees by choosing a venue with a wealthy, highly effective historical past. Historic areas, like protected landmarks and century-old estates, are implausible areas to host neighborhood meals, personal company features, weddings, and different occasions. Show your in-depth vacation spot experience whereas offering visitors with an unforgettable and impactful occasion expertise.

Artwork galleries

Artwork galleries are distinctive, fashionable, and classy areas to host after-work occasions, equivalent to networking mixers, glad hours, and much more elevated features, like black-tie galas and charity auctions. For recurring occasions, search for artwork galleries with rotating reveals to maintain issues contemporary and thrilling. You additionally gained’t have to fret about adorning the house!

Aquariums

Along with being entertaining and academic points of interest, most aquariums host particular occasions. From numerous company occasions, together with vacation events and team-building classes, to non-public features, like vow renewals and birthday celebrations, aquariums are versatile and distinctive occasion venues with tons to supply.

Stadiums

While you consider attending a stadium occasion, you would possibly image a crowded soccer sport or live performance. Whereas most stadium arenas can be found for reserving—at remarkably excessive charges—they often maintain smaller, specialised occasion areas throughout the stadium as effectively. Extremely numerous venues, a single stadium could have an auditorium, boardrooms, eating places, and different specialised occasion areas.

Amusement parks

In case you’re trying to find 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 every little thing you want for an epic occasion.

Public areas

Are you searching for a venue that’s accessible and reasonably priced? If that’s the case, think about reserving a low-cost public house. 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 ebook distinctive occasion venues?

From ambiance and measurement to location and value, planners ebook non-traditional venues for a lot of causes. Along with getting access to distinctive house and assets, selecting a non-traditional venue on your subsequent occasion may—

Saves you cash. Conference facilities, full-service accommodations, and related areas are go-to occasion venues for a lot of, and their pricing displays the demand. Reserving a non-traditional venue may help reduce prices, particularly if they will meet your vendor wants. For instance, reserving a restaurant for a rehearsal dinner or company convention may help save on further prices incurred from buying outdoors catering.

Make sourcing simpler. Throughout wedding ceremony season, the vacations, and different high-demand occasion durations, it’s a lot more durable to seek out an reasonably priced venue with availability. By considering outdoors the field and redefining what an occasion venue might be, planners have a a lot better likelihood of discovering an accessible, reasonably priced, and unforgettable host—even in the course of the busiest seasons.

Impress your shoppers. Whether or not you’re a marriage or company occasion planner, you’ll be able to pleasantly please shoppers by displaying them occasion areas they weren’t anticipating. Make a powerful impression by proving your self an professional on all issues native; safe your house because the go-to individual 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 overwhelmed path, however the place do you begin? Discovering lesser-known occasion areas isn’t at all times straightforward, however decided planners can discover what they’re searching for by—

Asking round. Make the most of your native hospitality community and its experience. Ask space planners which venues they counsel, or seize a venue listing that covers your locale. In case you’re uncertain the place to begin, your native Chamber of Commerce or vacation spot administration group (DMO) may help.

Utilizing on-line directories. On-line venue directories are a helpful useful resource for sourcing planners. Providing profiles, images, and pricing estimates for a variety of potential venues, free sourcing instruments like Cvent Provider Community present all the knowledge planners want to seek out their subsequent occasion house. Whereas some directories embody many alternative venue sorts 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 seek out neighborhood pages you’ll be able to be a part of. Ask for recommendation, reply questions, and have interaction with different members to uncover new venues and different insider info.

Checking networking web sites. Websites like Eventbrite and Meetup make it straightforward to uncover the place networking occasions happen close to you. Even should you don’t attend the occasions, you would possibly 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?” If that’s the case, think about stopping by in the future to ask. They might have additional studio house, auditorium seating, or a built-in stage. In case you don’t ask, you’ll by no means know.

Getting out and exploring. Get to know your vacation spot, inside and outside. Be part of a strolling tour to find components 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 on your subsequent occasion, the method could differ from what you’re used to. Comply with these tricks to navigate and streamline the method.

Decide which venues are greatest suited on your occasion

Establish 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 searching for venues that suit your imaginative and prescient.

What number of attendees do you anticipate?
How a lot house do you want?
Is it a single or multi-day occasion?
What’s your splendid occasion structure?
Will you serve meals?

Tour potential venues

If potential, go to the house in individual 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 straightforward to get distracted when touring distinctive occasion venues, so take a guidelines or checklist of questions. Write down every little thing you wish to cowl with the venue coordinator, equivalent to deposit necessities, cancellation insurance policies, setup restrictions, and so on. Right here’s a website inspection guidelines and planner’s information that can assist you keep on monitor and discover the proper venue on your occasion.

Hold your occasion targets in thoughts

Search for venues that suit your occasion targets and aims. How formal or informal is the occasion? Are you internet hosting efficiency opinions or a vacation get together? 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 massive open areas museums and artwork galleries present are excellent for neighborhood and networking occasions, whereas restaurant banquet rooms are perfect for extra intimate, private features.

Evaluate and distinction potential venues

After exploring a number of venues, evaluate their pricing, facilities, and providers. What makes a specific venue higher suited on your occasion than others? How does it outshine the others? What particular providers does it supply? Is the value proper?

Talk about venue restrictions

How early does the venue enable occasion organizers to arrange? Are there noise or leisure limitations? Are there any restrictions on food and drinks outdoors? Talk about all insurance policies and rules intimately earlier than making a ultimate resolution.

Select staging and décor that pertains to the venue

Relying on the venue’s inside design and decor, particular setups or décor selections would possibly look misplaced, so discovering a location that matches your imaginative and prescient for the occasion issues. We additionally advocate in search of areas that match your occasion’s basic themes. In case you’re internet hosting a high-energy, technology-focused occasion, a stoic, historic property might not be the perfect location to take action.

Learn on-line opinions

Many individuals are uncomfortable voicing their considerations or highlighting a difficulty in individual. As a substitute, many of those people flip to on-line evaluation websites like Yelp, Google, and TripAdvisor to explain their experiences. Learn opinions from former patrons if you’d like an sincere, unfiltered look right into a venue’s providers.

Now you know the way to seek out and ebook 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 traits impacting the trade this 12 months.