Actividades: Captivating an audience First impressions are what count, and that’s a fact. Guests –who probably attend more events every time-, want to be surprised from the first minute they arrive. Work on your creativity and come up with a good surprise factor to captivate your audience. Make sure to maintain the same level of creativity throughout your event and a good start of the event make it even more unforgettable. A warm and different welcome at the entrance During large events with a high attendance the entrance always requires a bit of waiting… A good solution is to entertain the guests while they wait. An astonishing façade with projections of spectacular images, colour washes that change tone (why not synchronise these changes with live music…), or huge canvas with fun messages to draw the guest’s attention and help create conversation while in the queue… Another spectacular option which we have seen lately in many events are acrobats descending from the façade of the building where the event is being held, or original ways in presenting acrobatics performances. Another idea would be to have a live band at the entrance of the event for a musical welcome… It is a good option to quiet down a crowd and captivate them. Making sure everyone sees the show One of the keys for a successful event is making sure everyone can follow the program easily… Depending on the chosen venue, there could be difficulties in achieving this goal (as the venue may have areas such as hidden corners or blind spots that can hinder the view to the stage). A creative solution: set up different levels of seating with rows of individual lounges on each level. If you add carpets to cover each level, round tables and small lamps, you can create a cosy 30’s nightclub atmosphere. For a “Las Vegas show” look, light up each level and put huge screens behind the stage and project images related to the theme of the event. Theme the floor To achieve a specific atmosphere (depending on the theme of the event) all the elements in the venue should be “in tune”. If the flooring of the chosen venue does not meet the theme’s requirements, why not create your own flooring? Carpets are usually an aesthetic option, so why not think up more original options? For example, to give a psychedelic or sophisticated feel to the place, cover the floor with giant confetti in glamorous colours such as gold, silver or purple… If you make light reflect on the confetti it will give a more glam atmosphere to the event with sparkling effects. A trendy option –which comes from an Argentinian company- are “water floors”, that is glass floors on top of water and fish -and even waves! (more information in the SHHhh section in eventos Magazine 6). When are we eating? Waiting is always a nuisance for everyone, especially when its time to eat. Here are some ideas make the waiting less painful: instead of the typical staffed food stations where someone explains the food displayed to the guests, create a special area –as wide and well-lit areas and have the chef prepare dishes live for a visual presentation of the food. Make a pre-selection of dishes that will arouse curosity: exotic dishes or those which need an elaborate preparation, etc. Guests can interact with the chef and may even get a cooking tip or two! Another idea is setting up a show while guests are seated and waiting for lunch or dinner to be served: actors made up as chef, waiters or maître de salle who can chat up guests or perform a gig: singing out the menu opera-style, making a comedy, etc. A third option would be to create a lounge area with comfortable seating with an ice bar (a bar made completely out of ice and is now very trendy in events) and some music to make the waiting pleasant. You can also get a sponsor and serve their drink while people wait –the sponsor can also brand the area with gobos projecting their logo on the furniture (gobos on white furniture can create a very glamorous atmosphere) or on the wall behind the bar or on the same ice bar. To promote networking among guests, give a chair made out of hard cardboard as they enter and the guests can choose where and with whom they want to sit and talk with.