{"id":44,"date":"2024-04-08T08:10:11","date_gmt":"2024-04-08T08:10:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mastertheevent.com\/?p=44"},"modified":"2024-04-08T08:10:11","modified_gmt":"2024-04-08T08:10:11","slug":"3-evening-event-planning-ideas-for-conventions-and-conferences","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mastertheevent.com\/3-evening-event-planning-ideas-for-conventions-and-conferences\/","title":{"rendered":"3 Evening Event Planning Ideas for Conventions and Conferences"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_65 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-662c841c8b3e0\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-662c841c8b3e0\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/mastertheevent.com\/3-evening-event-planning-ideas-for-conventions-and-conferences\/#Who_Said_That_Event_Planning_Ideas_Cant_Include_Free_Time_for_the_Delegates\" title=\"Who Said That Event Planning Ideas Can\u2019t Include Free Time for the Delegates?\">Who Said That Event Planning Ideas Can\u2019t Include Free Time for the Delegates?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/mastertheevent.com\/3-evening-event-planning-ideas-for-conventions-and-conferences\/#Here_Are_Three_Event_Planning_Ideas_That_Have_Worked_for_Me\" title=\"Here Are Three Event Planning Ideas That Have Worked for Me\">Here Are Three Event Planning Ideas That Have Worked for Me<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/mastertheevent.com\/3-evening-event-planning-ideas-for-conventions-and-conferences\/#You_may_also_be_interested_in\" title=\"You may also be interested in:\">You may also be interested in:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/mastertheevent.com\/3-evening-event-planning-ideas-for-conventions-and-conferences\/#What_If_You_Plan_an_Event_and_No_One_Wants_to_Come_Top_Party_Planning_Tips\" title=\"What If You Plan an Event and No One Wants to Come Top Party Planning Tips!\">What If You Plan an Event and No One Wants to Come Top Party Planning Tips!<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/mastertheevent.com\/3-evening-event-planning-ideas-for-conventions-and-conferences\/#Conferences_and_conventions_are_great_for_both_learning_and_networking_I_certainly_understand_the_importance_of_having_organized_options_or_events_during_the_evening_Evening_event_planning_ideas_dont_have_to_be_dull_or_the_usual_%E2%80%9Coff_to_a_restaurant%E2%80%9D_as_a_group_function_If_having_an_evening_event_is_a_must_then_make_it_something_that_the_delegates_could_not_do_on_their_own_Another_thought_is_to_give_them_some_pocket_cash_so_that_they_can_go_out_and_explore_the_city_on_their_own_Either_way_the_delegates_will_love_their_meeting_or_event_planner\" title=\"Conferences and conventions are great for both learning and networking. I certainly understand the importance of having organized options, or events, during the evening. Evening event planning ideas don\u2019t have to be dull or the usual \u201coff to a restaurant\u201d as a group function. If having an evening event is a must, then make it something that the delegates could not do on their own. Another thought is to give them some pocket cash so that they can go out and explore the city on their own. Either way, the delegates will love their meeting or event planner.\">Conferences and conventions are great for both learning and networking. I certainly understand the importance of having organized options, or events, during the evening. Evening event planning ideas don\u2019t have to be dull or the usual \u201coff to a restaurant\u201d as a group function. If having an evening event is a must, then make it something that the delegates could not do on their own. Another thought is to give them some pocket cash so that they can go out and explore the city on their own. Either way, the delegates will love their meeting or event planner.<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<p>It seems that meeting and event planners are often tasked with coming up with great evening event planning ideas, especially during conventions and conferences. But here\u2019s the thing, what is it about a convention or conference that meeting planners think they need to fill up every possible waking minute with an activity? Now before I get the replies that say they have to make the meeting exciting, I want you to know that I understand that. But having been in the business for more years than I wish to state here, I can tell you firsthand that quite often I would see delegates at an evening event where it was obvious they didn\u2019t want to be there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Who_Said_That_Event_Planning_Ideas_Cant_Include_Free_Time_for_the_Delegates\"><\/span>Who Said That Event Planning Ideas Can\u2019t Include Free Time for the Delegates?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Which leads me back to the title of this post. Whenever I was fortunate enough to work with a client hosting a conference or convention, the meeting planner would ask me to fill the evenings with some type of activity. And who was I to say no. After all, the more events I scheduled, the more I got paid. But as time went on in my career I began to discuss different options with meeting planners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The key with proposing event planning ideas is that you want to impress your delegates. In other words you want to provide them with an activity that makes the convention or conference a must attend event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Which is why I always stress that you work with a local DMC (Destination Management Company) to help you plan ideas that are suitable for the city that you are in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Here_Are_Three_Event_Planning_Ideas_That_Have_Worked_for_Me\"><\/span>Here Are Three Event Planning Ideas That Have Worked for Me<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>1) Make the event or function something that they would not be able to do on their own.<\/strong>&nbsp;Everybody can go on a city tour or pay to enter an attraction. So what makes you think that after eight hours of meetings conference delegates would want to spend another three hours mixing with the general public. Trust me, most do not want to do that. So when a meeting planner tasked me with proposing an evening event or function, I would always go to the drawing board with the thought that this has to be something they could not do on their own. Depending on the delegates, it might be hosting an off-site event at a venue such as a museum, or it could be an entertainment production that was put together exclusively for them. Another tip would be to not have the event go on to late into the evening. After all, they need to be fresh and ready to go in the morning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>2) A dine around.<\/strong>&nbsp;There are many great cities in North America that have an abundance of restaurants to choose from. Rather than have an event go to one specific restaurant why not consider orchestrating a dine around. The dine around could be structured in a couple of ways. You could have a sign up form where the delegates could pick a restaurant based on its offering. So if you had a group of 200 to 300 people, you may reserve 40 spots at several restaurants and then fill them according to each sign up. Or if you\u2019re targeting a couple of dozen people, you could structure the dine around as a sampling of what the city has to offer. Start with appetizers at one restaurant and then transfer the group to another restaurant for its main course, then another for desert etc. You get the idea here. It\u2019s a great way to give visitors to the city an opportunity to sample the various cuisines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20201031135605im_\/http:\/\/mastertheevent.com\/images\/2013\/08\/free-time-during-conferences-and-conventions-photo-by-dawnsgoodlifedotblogspotdotcom.jpg\" alt=\"a clock representing free time\" width=\"130\" height=\"168\" srcset=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20201031135605im_\/http:\/\/mastertheevent.com\/images\/2013\/08\/free-time-during-conferences-and-conventions-photo-by-dawnsgoodlifedotblogspotdotcom.jpg 309w, https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20201031135605im_\/http:\/\/mastertheevent.com\/images\/2013\/08\/free-time-during-conferences-and-conventions-photo-by-dawnsgoodlifedotblogspotdotcom-232x300.jpg 232w, https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20201031135605im_\/http:\/\/mastertheevent.com\/images\/2013\/08\/free-time-during-conferences-and-conventions-photo-by-dawnsgoodlifedotblogspotdotcom-150x194.jpg 150w\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-11096\">photo by dawnsgoodlife. blogspot.com<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>3) Give them free time.<\/strong>&nbsp;I can hear the gasps as I wrote that. I know whenever I have to travel to a conference, I do appreciate a night where I can do whatever I want to do exploring the city. It\u2019s not that I don\u2019t like networking events. I do very much. But if I\u2019m out of town for three or four nights, it\u2019s around the last couple of nights that I get pretty tired of having to go back to my hotel room, change and then head out to another organized event. I have worked with meeting planners who were very open to giving their delegates a free night during a conference or convention. And if you want to take this one step further, why don\u2019t you provide each delegate with some cash that they can apply towards whatever it is they want to do that evening. Let\u2019s say you budget $50 per delegate. The person receiving the cash is quite appreciative and I can guarantee you will remember it. And from the planners point of view, you\u2019ll probably spend less per person than you would have with an organized event that they probably didn\u2019t want to go to in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"You_may_also_be_interested_in\"><\/span>You may also be interested in:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_If_You_Plan_an_Event_and_No_One_Wants_to_Come_Top_Party_Planning_Tips\"><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20201031135605\/http:\/\/mastertheevent.com\/what-if-you-plan-an-event-and-no-one-wants-to-come\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">What If You Plan an Event and No One Wants to Come<\/a><br><a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20201031135605\/http:\/\/mastertheevent.com\/top-party-planning-tips\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Top Party Planning Tips!<\/a><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conferences_and_conventions_are_great_for_both_learning_and_networking_I_certainly_understand_the_importance_of_having_organized_options_or_events_during_the_evening_Evening_event_planning_ideas_dont_have_to_be_dull_or_the_usual_%E2%80%9Coff_to_a_restaurant%E2%80%9D_as_a_group_function_If_having_an_evening_event_is_a_must_then_make_it_something_that_the_delegates_could_not_do_on_their_own_Another_thought_is_to_give_them_some_pocket_cash_so_that_they_can_go_out_and_explore_the_city_on_their_own_Either_way_the_delegates_will_love_their_meeting_or_event_planner\"><\/span>Conferences and conventions are great for both learning and networking. I certainly understand the importance of having organized options, or events, during the evening. Evening event planning ideas don\u2019t have to be dull or the usual \u201coff to a restaurant\u201d as a group function. If having an evening event is a must, then make it something that the delegates could not do on their own. Another thought is to give them some pocket cash so that they can go out and explore the city on their own. Either way, the delegates will love their meeting or event planner.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It seems that meeting and event planners are often tasked with coming up with great evening event planning ideas, especially during conventions and conferences. But here\u2019s the thing, what is<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mastertheevent.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mastertheevent.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mastertheevent.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mastertheevent.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mastertheevent.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=44"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/mastertheevent.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":45,"href":"https:\/\/mastertheevent.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44\/revisions\/45"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mastertheevent.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=44"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mastertheevent.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=44"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mastertheevent.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=44"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}