Fall may have just arrived, but it’s never too early to start planning ahead for your corporate events. The holiday party might be on your mind, but your company picnic will be here before you know it! Approximately 73% of survey respondents say they have a company picnic every year, which means that your business will want your event to stand out for all the right reasons. With so much to take care of, it’s natural to feel overwhelmed about getting started. But if you follow these six simple steps, you’ll be well on your way to hosting an unforgettable company picnic your employees will love.

  1. Decide on your budget
    Of those who said they have company picnics every year, 43% said their company spends upwards of $50,000 on these annual events. That may seem like a whole lot to spend, but there’s a bunch you’ll need to pay for: the venue, the catering services, the activities, the entertainment, the giveaways, the invitations, and more. While you certainly don’t have to go overboard, you’ll need to be realistic about your budget and make enough allowances to cover the necessities. But since this event is meant to be a thank you to your employees and their families, don’t be too stingy, either.
  2. Pick your corporate event facility and date
    Once you know exactly how much you can spend, you can find and book your venue and choose the date. Try not to book your venue during the peak summer season or around holiday weekends. If you can be a bit more flexible in terms of the day you choose, it might pay off. Aim for mid-spring if you can and make sure your corporate event facility (whether it be a park, a beach, or a private property) can accommodate your needs. When booking your corporate event facility, consider how much space you’ll need, cooking logistics, and any regulations pertaining to noise levels.
  3. Consider a theme
    If you host this picnic every year, you might want to think about switching things up a little with a theme. You can use this theme to help you choose decorations, food, and invitations. Throw a luau, a Mardi Gras party, an Oktoberfest or Renaissance feast, or a state fair get-together. There are plenty of ways to use your creativity. Best of all, these themes will encourage people to come; they won’t want to miss out on all the fun.
  4. Choose your menu
    One of the most fun parts about planning your picnic is getting to choose the food you’ll eat! While just about everyone loves hamburgers and hot dogs, your picnic doesn’t have to be limited to a traditional cookout. Plus, when you work with a caterer, you won’t have to deal with grilling at all. A barbecue can be a real crowd pleaser, but there’s nothing holding you back from embracing Caribbean flare, a pig roast, or a taco bar. The sky is the limit. Just make sure your corporate catering menu reflects the theme you’ve chosen!
  5. Pick your activities
    Now that you’ve booked your corporate event facility and decided on a theme, you can choose your entertainment. You should have plenty of games and other activities for employees and their families to participate in. Tug of war, scavenger hunts, bingo, trivia, sack races, and other competitions can be a whole lot of fun. If you plan on giving away prizes, those should make sense with your theme and should really entice people to attend. And don’t forget about the live music!
  6. Send out the invites
    Finally, it’s time to send out the invitations! In the digital age, it’s definitely okay to create a Facebook event to remind your employees. However, you should send out a formal invitation too, either via email or snail mail. Make sure to include all the information that will get your guests to circle the date on their calendars! Send them out with enough notice so that everyone can clear their schedules.

Planning a picnic can seem like a lot, but these steps make it much more straightforward. And to make your event even less stressful, make sure to hire an experienced catering company that can take your food to the next level.