The holiday season is fast approaching, and planning for company holiday parties is already underway, with event experts thinking about seating arrangements, food and beverages, activities, and more. Of course, depending on the size of the company and the budget, parties may take on many forms. But regardless of the events, one way to ensure a fun or fancy affair is to introduce audiovisual elements into the mix. Here is AV equipment that should be on any holiday planner’s list (don’t forget to check it twice!)
AV Equipment List for Holiday Party Planning
Lighting
Is your event aiming to be a formal affair, with elegant ballroom-style lighting? Or are you trying to get people moving and mingling on the floor with a dance party light show? There are a wide variety of options when it comes to lighting, transforming any boring space into an event that’s uptown-style or nightclub cool. Here are six great lighting ideas for your holiday party planning:
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- Gobo Lighting. Dynamic gobos create visual flair and texture by projecting a white or colored pattern on your event space walls.
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- Intelligent Lighting. These light displays move light patterns on walls or backgrounds, adding texture, color, and dimension.
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- Projection Lighting. Represent your company well by projecting your company logo or the event theme of the party, such as “Winter Wonderland,” onto backdrops or walls.
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- 3D Projection Mapping. Project onto any surface, such as stage props, or really make an impression by projecting on the outside of the event venue building.
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- Uplighting. Colorful holiday uplighting (red and green? Or blue and white, perhaps?) can add depth and create visual interest to any room, even giving the impression that walls or longer or ceilings are higher.
- Spotlighting. Use spotlights to draw attention to any speakers, entertainers, or any object, such as a decorated Christmas tree.
Video Walls and Projection Displays
We’ve come a long way from the pipe and drape setups of yesterday! Today, display technology has advanced significantly, enabling event planners to rent LED displays that are scalable to nearly any size venue, achieve crystal-clear visual clarity, and offer thousands of shades of color. Of course, you want to be sure you choose the right size, pixel pitch, and more, so be sure to read our story, Making the Most of Your LED Video Wall. Another consideration for the more budget-conscious event planner? Renting a projector. At many functions, it’s typical to feature slide shows of employees and events throughout the year, so you may want to inquire about projection as well.
Audio Equipment
When planning a holiday party, you’ve got to face the music! Hiring an experienced DJ, one that is skilled at reading the audience and choosing appropriate music, can bring a lot of energy to any event. Good DJs also know how to get people away from the safety of their tables and mixing with others on the dance floor. Today, many DJs have gone digital, playing from their laptops and using their own external soundcards and controllers. Of course, if your DJ is old school, you may need to rent audio equipment, so be sure to discuss with any DJ in advance, and be prepared to talk about the venue size so that he or she can recommend equipment.
Of course, a pricey DJ is not the only way to go. Many av equipment companies such as One Way Event Production will rent audio equipment, including digital audio consoles, speakers, and sound systems, and set you up to play your own music from your playlist. Understanding that many holiday events feature speakers, sometimes even comedians, magicians, or other entertainers, an AV company can also help with microphones and other considerations.
Activities
If you’re a fairly small company, it’s possible that everyone knows one another, and getting them mingling won’t be a challenge. For large companies, however, it can be important to get people away from their cliques and interacting with others they normally wouldn’t to create a stronger company culture and personal ties. Here are some holiday party ideas that can really get people talking!
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- Create a gamification zone. While you can always put out a ping pong table or foosball table, nearly 165 million Americans play video games so you may want to consider going digital. Depending on the size of your zone, you might consider a virtual batting field or golf course. If that’s not an option, a Wii dance party game could get people moving. To take it to the next level with virtual reality, PlayStation VR is sure to get people excited, or event a small Fornite competition.
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- Conduct polling. Online polls or trivia questions are a popular way to engage guests through their smartphones and project results on a screen. You could ask what their favorite company event was over the past year, what their favorite holiday song is, what song they’d like the DJ to play next, or any other fun question.
- Quests. Send guests, based on their assigned tables, on a scavenger hunt in which they’ll work together to win prizes (if space is limited, the quest could simply be to find out an answer to a question by asking around the audience. Using augmented reality, which transforms everyone’s smartphone into a device the augments the real-world with computer-generated information, could be employed through an app to display information about a person to make finding the answer easier and more fun).
Finally, don’t forget to use social media walls that allow guests to text communications related to the event in real-time on video screens, or it can be projected onto walls. Don’t worry about guests getting inappropriate after a few cocktails; posts can be monitored and edited or removed with a brief posting delay.
Staging
Last but not least, setting the stage! When you’re planning a holiday party, whether you’re featuring speakers, entertainers, DJs, holiday decor, or more, you’ll want a stage. The custom fabrication team at One Way Event Production can take care of build outs for events of any size, setting up stages risers, or platforms, and ensuring safety through ramps and railings.
Holiday parties roll around every year, and they’re often one of the most anticipated events by employees; however, when they’re put on without much thought, they can become a dull and drab affair. By choosing superior audiovisual equipment and employing some of these other work holiday party ideas, you can put on a party that will have your guests talking way into the New Year.
