Hosting A Winter Conference Or Event? Here Are Our Top Tips

Hosting A Winter Conference Or Event? Here Are Our Top Tips
14th December 2016 mg_evente
In Conferences, Event Tips, Events
winter conference

Planning a winter conference or event? Take a look at our top tips on how to plan the perfect winter occasion.

Winter is coming! (We wonder how many people have used that reference lately). As winter is soon upon us, it’s important to think ahead to any winter conference or event that you may be planning. From small workshops to training days and exhibitions, keeping your guests warm and engaged can be a task in itself over the winter months. Take a look at our top tips below.

Remember – less is more!

Not everyone enjoys the Christmas period, not everyone celebrates and to be honest, no one wants their event to be remembered as Santa’s grotto (unless you’re hosting a Christmas fayre, in which case, go for it!) Whether you’re hosting a winter conference, training day or an event, a little festivity can go a long way. Simple, minimalistic decorations or themed games/workshops can be a great icebreaker and put your guests at ease. This is quite often the time of year when people hope to wind down, so it’s important to get a good balance of work and play in order to retain the attention of your delegates.

Seasonal catering

Refreshments are one of the most important aspects of event planning. Ensuring your guests and delegates stay hydrated and refuelled will aid their concentration and help towards a productive day. As with all catering, it helps to tailor it to your event type and also to the time of year. Offer hot beverages throughout the day to keep your guests warm, and if you are planning a lunch, opt for a hot buffet or hot canapés. For example, our in-house catering team offers hot canapés such as mini beef wellingtons and hot buffets including caramelised red onion tarts, beef lasagne, stroganoff and more.

Heating!

This probably goes without saying, but ensure your chosen venue has heating for your winter conference or event. A cold conference room may create a disengaged, negative atmosphere for your guests and won’t aid their concentration.  At this time of year, guests may have several layers, coats and scarves with them, so it can be useful to have an area or cloakroom to store these in.

We hope these tips come in handy! If you have any to add to the list, tweet us @EventEssex. If you would like to know more about our venues or would like a chat about what we offer please complete our contact form here or give us a call on 01206 872358 – we hope to hear from you soon.

Did you know, you can now book your accommodation with us online – book here!