So you’re planning an event and you want to go beyond the run-of-the-mill DJ or band and give your guests a unique experience that they will remember for a long time. Here are 8 ideas that are sure to be memorable:

1. Hire a speed painter. These artists will paint portraits of your guests so that they have something to take home with them from your event. Great for small intimate events and they can fit into a networking event without distracting anyone.

2. Sushi rolling is something outside of most people’s comfort zone, which might be exactly what you’re after. Hire a sushi chef or two to instruct your guests on how to create the perfect Rainbow Roll.

3. Hire a professional “toastmaster”. This is someone who makes a career out of coming up with the perfect things to say to celebrate your guests and your event. A good toast master will do his research and find out things about honored guests or your company and come up with a story (a long toast) that is uplifting, funny and entertaining. If he or she is really good they might be versed in the art of Champagne Sabrage, or slicing the cork off a Champagne bottle with a sabre. One of my favorite toast masters is Michael Vanderosen.

4. Have a slot car tournament complete with qualifying, elimination and championship races followed by an Awards Ceremony.  Check out Miniature Motorways.

5. Have a mixologist come in and teach your guests how to make the perfect cosmo, or help them come up with their own cocktails. Lychee-pepper martini anyone?

6. Dueling Piano shows work with all audiences. Picture two crazy piano players, with 2 grand pianos, each trying to out do the other, combining requests from your guest with comedy and music. Good dueling shows will do drinking toasts, sing-a-long, clap-a-long and over the top humor. They will bring honored guests up onto the stage to be roasted in front of their friends and colleagues. This is a real icebreaker!

7. Create an Iron Chef competition where there are teams, each with a professional chef leading them. All teams are given the same ingredients and must create a dish, or a meal. You can have a prominent local celebrity chef to judge for the best presentation and taste.

8. Japanese Tea Ceremony lead by a Japanese tea master. These can include a history of the ceremony followed by sharing tea. Just the fact that everyone will be kneeling on the floor around a small table will break the ice, and people will naturally want to talk to each other as typical Western social conventions are set aside.

I have more ideas which I’ll post in future blog articles. If you want information on any of these ideas, please contact us directly at our website.