Switching issues up often is vital, 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 the event you’re searching for distinctive occasion venues that provide one thing new and thrilling, you’ve come to the appropriate place. This information explores the fantastic 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 surprising locations, like stadiums and aquariums, and look at how they will function distinctive occasion venues.
Uncover why it is best to take into account distinctive occasion venues on your subsequent operate
Earlier than diving into explicit areas and the occasions they host, let’s take a better take 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—just a few of which can shock you—double as distinctive occasion venues. Whereas a few of these locations primarily operate as occasion venues (that won’t look or function like customary venues), different companies on our listing 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 (Sport 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 listing, primarily function as one other enterprise, providing occasion providers on the aspect. Aquariums, artwork galleries, botanical gardens, and comedian guide retailers are only a few examples of distinctive venues that present occasion house as a secondary service. Though a comic book guide retailer’s first function is to promote comedian books, many usually host native occasions, touring bands, and different occasions.
9 distinctive occasion venues planners ought to find out about
When you’re inventive sufficient, you’ll be able to host an occasion nearly wherever. The listing 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, take into account internet hosting your subsequent occasion at non-traditional venues you’re prone to discover close by, like—
- Eating places and bars
When you could already take into account eating places and bars the right 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 could provide a separate flooring, patio house, bar space, or your complete restaurant for bookings. With built-in décor and the kitchen shut by, internet hosting at a restaurant can assist lower prices whereas making certain the meals arrives piping sizzling.
- Nightclubs
Are you searching for someplace somewhat extra titillating than a standard bar or restaurant? In that case, take into account reserving a nightclub on your subsequent occasion. Along with dance house 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 features.
- 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 provide an incomparable occasion environment.
- Historic areas
Impress purchasers and occasion attendees by choosing 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 features, 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, fashionable, and classy areas to host after-work occasions, similar to networking mixers, completely satisfied 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 received’t have to fret about adorning the house!
- Aquariums
Along with being entertaining and academic sights, most aquariums host particular occasions. From varied 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
Whenever you consider attending a stadium occasion, you would possibly image a crowded soccer recreation 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 effectively. Extremely various venues, a single stadium could have an auditorium, boardrooms, eating places, and different specialised occasion areas.
- Amusement parks
When 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 all the pieces you want for an epic occasion.
- Public areas
Are you searching for a venue that’s accessible and inexpensive? In that case, take into account reserving a low-cost public house. Reserve public gardens for a marriage, plan an organization picnic in your native park, or rope off just a few streets in your neighborhood for neighborhood occasions. Contact your native parks division to examine availability, reserving insurance policies, and occasion restrictions.
Why ought to planners guide distinctive occasion venues?
From environment and dimension to location and price, planners guide non-traditional venues for a lot of causes. Along with having access to distinctive house and sources, selecting a non-traditional venue on your subsequent occasion might—
- 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 can assist lower prices, particularly if they will meet your vendor wants. For instance, reserving a restaurant for a rehearsal dinner or company convention can assist save on extra prices incurred from buying exterior catering.
- Make sourcing simpler. Throughout marriage ceremony season, the vacations, and different high-demand occasion durations, it’s a lot tougher to seek out an inexpensive venue with availability. By pondering exterior the field and redefining what an occasion venue may be, planners have a a lot better likelihood of discovering an out there, inexpensive, and unforgettable host—even through 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 displaying them occasion areas they weren’t anticipating. Make a powerful impression by proving your self an skilled on all issues native; safe your house 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 overwhelmed 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 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. When you’re not sure the place to begin, your native Chamber of Commerce or vacation spot administration group (DMO) can assist.
- Utilizing on-line directories. On-line venue directories are a beneficial useful resource for sourcing planners. Providing profiles, photographs, and pricing estimates for a spread of potential venues, free sourcing instruments like Cvent Provider Community present all the data planners want to seek out their subsequent occasion house. Whereas some directories embrace 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 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 the event you don’t attend the occasions, you would possibly uncover a venue you didn’t know existed.
- Taking note of your environment. Is there a constructing you drive by each day that makes you assume, “Wow, that place appears so cool. What’s it?” In that case, take into account stopping by at some point to ask. They could have additional studio house, auditorium seating, or a built-in stage. When you don’t ask, you’ll by no means know.
- Getting out and exploring. Get to know your vacation spot, inside and outside. Be a part of a strolling tour to find elements of your metropolis you’ve by no means seen earlier than. Collect a gaggle of mates and make it a day-long affair, or spend the day exploring independently.
Suggestions 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. Observe these tricks to navigate and streamline the method.
- Decide which venues are finest 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 very best occasion format?
- Will you serve meals?
- Tour potential venues
If potential, go to the house 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 seem like, even in an area you’ve visited.
- Create an inventory of inquiries to ask the venue coordinator
It’s simple to get distracted when touring distinctive occasion venues, so take a guidelines or listing of questions. Write down all the pieces you wish to cowl with the venue coordinator, similar to deposit necessities, cancellation insurance policies, setup restrictions, and so forth. Right here’s a web site inspection guidelines and planner’s information that will help you keep on observe and discover the right venue on your occasion.
- Maintain your occasion objectives in thoughts
Search for venues that suit your occasion objectives and targets. 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 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 features.
- Evaluate and distinction potential venues
After exploring just a few venues, evaluate their pricing, facilities, and providers. What makes a selected venue higher suited on your occasion than others? How does it outshine the others? What particular providers does it provide? Is the worth 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 exterior? Talk about all insurance policies and laws intimately earlier than making a last resolution.
- Select staging and décor that pertains to the venue
Relying on the venue’s inside design and decor, particular setups or décor decisions would possibly look misplaced, so discovering a location that matches your imaginative and prescient for the occasion issues. We additionally advocate looking for areas that match your occasion’s elementary themes. When 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 opinions
Many individuals are uncomfortable voicing their considerations or highlighting a difficulty in particular person. As an alternative, many of those people flip to on-line assessment websites like Yelp, Google, and TripAdvisor to explain their experiences. Learn opinions from former patrons if you would like an sincere, unfiltered look right into a venue’s providers.
Now you know the way to seek out and guide distinctive occasion venues!
When you’ve explored among the distinctive venues in your space, you’ll have ingenious 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 business this 12 months.
