Top tips and ideas for your summer party

A successful summer party depends on proper and timely planning. Especially in summer, venues and service providers are often booked up well in advance and popular dates are overbooked. It is advisable to start planning early, i.e. at least two to three months before the planned date.

When choosing the date, holiday periods, other internal dates and public holidays must be taken into account. The period in June/July between Whitsun and the summer holidays, but also September, are popular times for summer parties, as the weather is usually warm and sunny and most employees are available before or after the holidays.

The day of the week should also be carefully considered. In our experience, Thursday is the perfect day for a summer party.

The goal of the summer party should also be clearly defined from the outset. The rest of the planning depends on this. Is the aim to promote team building, strengthen employee loyalty or simply spend some relaxed time outside the office? Should the party be held indoors or outdoors? These goals have a significant influence on the type of activities and the suitable location.

True to Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, food and drink must not be overlooked. Poor choices or insufficient quantities of food and only still water to drink will remain in people’s memories for years to come. The best venues work with good caterers or offer good cuisine themselves. It is worth working with professionals who have experience with quantities and choices for physical well-being.

When inviting guests, it is also advisable to ask who has which food intolerances or dietary restrictions. A good caterer offers a selection for all preferences and needs.

Care should also be taken to ensure a good selection of drinks. In good weather, there should be plenty of non-alcoholic drinks available to combat the heat. And depending on the group, Aperol or beer may be very popular. Knowing your colleagues well or being able to assess them will pay off here.

If alcohol is being served, it is also worth thinking about how all colleagues will get home. Ideally, they can go directly from the dance floor to their hotel room for the night, or a bus transfer can be organised. The cheapest options are carpooling or a location with good public transport connections.