Planning a corporate event that everyone will enjoy is easier said than done. The secret to success is to pick the right theme – something that’s in line with the corporate culture, appeals to a variety of different age ranges and personalities, and fits within your budget.
Here are 10 corporate event themes that will get everyone excited about the next company party:
1. Game Day
Take advantage of the biggest sporting events of the year like March Madness, MLB Playoffs, or the Super Bowl, with a themed Game Day event. Sports creates a natural connection for people, whether it’s bonding over a favorite team or player or trash talking fans from opposing teams. Plus, sports can also bring together diverse communities, breaking down cultural barriers and promoting camaraderie. Have everyone wear their team colors and serve snacks like wings, nachos, fries and football or basketball-shaped cookies.
2. Casino Night
Who doesn’t want to be a high roller? All of the fun with none of the risk, your team can bet the night away at roulette, poker, and blackjack tables provided by companies like Monte Carlo Productions. Give the team fun money to play with so they don’t lose their shirts, with prizes at the end for the big winners. Casino parties are great for encouraging conversation among people who might not have the opportunity to work closely together and tend to favor a relaxed, grazing approach to eating rather than a formal sit-down dinner. Create a buffet table with easy to eat options, or consider passed appetizers and drinks. Whether the event is for a holiday party, charity fundraiser, team bonding, or another purpose, casino parties are always a crowd favorite.
3. Hollywood Red Carpet/ Vintage Glamour
While many companies conduct product launches, training sessions, and other presentations in movie theaters, kick yours up a notch with a Hollywood Red Carpet theme. Roll out the red carpet for your team and have them pose for “paparazzi” photos in front of a custom step-and-repeat on their way in.
Employees can compete to see who knows the most movie trivia and munch on movie snacks like popcorn and candy. Reward the group with a private screening of a current blockbuster after the meeting or give them a gift card to come back to see a movie of their choice at a later date.
4. The Magic of Tidying Up
Decluttering the office is more than just getting rid of old files and putting things in order, it can also be an annual ritual for teams to renew their mindset and create smarter and more efficient ways to conduct business operations. Just ask Marie Kondo, tidying up is an activity that promotes happiness and productivity. Bring in supplies like file folders, storage bins, and drawer organizers, along with plenty of trash bags, 409, paper towels, and keyboard cleaners. Hire a shredding service to come to the office for the day. Provide a grab-and-go lunch or use the afternoon for a catered lunch and planning session after a morning of tidying up offices and shared spaces.
5. City of Lights
With fantastic food, a rich history, amazing sites, and art and fashion galore, it’s no wonder Paris is one of the most popular tourist destinations. Bring the City of Lights to life with Parisian themed décor such as the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomph, the French flag, and reproductions of famous works of art hanging in the Louvre. Crepes are the perfect food to serve, and the Holy Crepe food truck can serve groups large and small, indoors and outdoors. Popular items include La Cordon Bleu (chicken ham and cheese) and The Queen (Nutella, strawberry and bananas).
"People come to us when they want something different, Holy Crepe’s proprietor Safir Grici says. They appreciate the authenticity. I went to crepe school in France before moving to the U.S., and I wanted to create something that even hardcore French people would say, 'Woah, that’s good!' "
6. Spring Has Sprung
What’s a better way to celebrate the end of first quarter than by having a Spring party? Serve up the bounty of the season with veggie-packed hors d’oeuvres, gourmet salads, vegetarian lasagna, and fresh fruit tarts. Decorate with fresh flowers and topiaries, or hold your event in the great outdoors.
7. Mardi Gras
Laissez les Bon Temps Rouler! They don’t call New Orleans the Big Easy for nothing. For an event theme that’s extra fun, creating the sights, sounds, and flavors of Mardi Gras is easy! Just Loaf’N, named one of the top food trucks in Atlanta by the AJC, will bring the Mardi Gras celebration to your corporate event year-round - not just on Fat Tuesday! With their award-winning shrimp po-boys, they provide a turnkey experience, complete with beads, beignets, and other cajun and creole classics. Enhance your event with the dizzying beat of a New Orleans brass band.
Darren Williams, proprietor of Just Loaf’N says,
"We’ve been around for over 19 years; we’re the oldest food truck in Atlanta and have worked with all the big companies. They have us back year after year."
8. Top Chef
Communication is an essential component of healthy people, teams, and companies. A competitive experience is a great way to help individuals and teams understand and practice the importance of collaboration, innovation, and communication. Venues like Team Building With Taste, pit teams against
each other to prepare the best dishes and the best presentation to the judges. Not only will your team learn culinary skills, they will walk away with a new way of thinking about everyday problems that affect their work. The group will dine on the fruits of their labor at the end while discussing team dynamics.
9. Futuristic Innovation
There’s nothing like a look back at the past to inspire innovation for the future. Holding your event in an educational venue like The Computer Museum of America, which focus on exciting areas of technology and computing such as Apollo, Retro Gaming, and Enigma, is not only interesting and educational, but
provides a great opportunity for an organic connection between older and younger team members who might not always have a lot to talk about outside of company business.
10. 80s Bash
Go back to a time when the clothes were neon and the hair was big! Get inspired by the Rubik’s cube, boombox, Pacman, roller skates, wild prints, and 80s band posters for decor. Hire a band or a DJ to play tunes from Bon Jovi, Madonna, Prince, and Whitney Houston. Serve retro foods like a Lunchables cheese
platter, artichoke dip in a bread bowl, mini quiches, potato skins, jelly-glazed meatballs, and Capri Sun or fruit punch. Costumes are a must for a totally rad event, Dude!
Bonus Corporate Event Theme
And, of course, a Food Truck Roundup is always a fun idea! No matter what your corporate event theme, one thing is for certain – the key to a successful event is great food and fun times! Reach out to Simply Food Trucks to help you plan your next themed event today!
