11 Company Event Ideas to Start Q1 On The Right Foot!
Company parties and events taking place in the first quarter of the calendar year can serve so many purposes. The New Year is a time to set plans in motion and build excitement around your team’s achievements and what lies ahead. It can be a perfect moment to reconnect and engage with your customers, strengthen bonds among team members, possibly launch a new product or service, and give back to the community.
The below ideas are just a starting point to get those creative juices flowing around the kinds of events and parties (in-person and virtual) that could be a good fit for your team. And if you’re struggling to move from the brainstorming phase to putting plans on pen and paper, don’t hesitate to schedule a complimentary call with EventAve. We can’t wait to help you organize thoughtful Q1 company events, tailored to your team’s specific needs and goals.
1. Winter Wonderland/ New Year Kickoff Party
Timing: January or early February, while the December holidays and New Year’s still feels fresh.
How To Make It Happen:
We are big fans of the traditional December holiday moving to January or February, and as noted in our post last month, there are many reasons companies may be making the jump to a Q1 holiday gathering this season.A Winter Wonderland theme is a great way to capture the festive spirit of wintertime, without giving preference to any specific holiday. . . after all, some of us were celebrating Hanukkah just days after Thanksgiving this year! Your holiday party can be combined with a celebratory review of your team’s accomplishments in 2021 and an emphasis on major initiatives and goals for 2022. It’s a great moment to let your team kick back and have fun AND drive excitement for the year ahead.
2. Health & Wellness Event
Timing: Early in Q1 makes a lot of sense, but this crowd-pleaser will be appreciated any time of year.
How To Make It Happen:
As health club membership sales would suggest, health & wellness goals top the list of Americans’ most common New Years’ resolutions. An early Q1 event incorporating health & wellness aspects is sure to resonate well with your audience, whether this includes employees, customers or other stakeholders. Your event can feature anything from a healthy recipe cooking demonstration to a guided meditation session to a fitness challenge in the days and weeks leading up to or following the date. Even better, this type of event can be easily organized to suit either an in-person or virtual format.
3. Chinese New Year Party
Timing: In 2022, the Chinese New Year will fall on Tuesday, February 1. China’s public holiday extends from January 31 to February 6.
How To Make It Happen:
Company events that draw on holidays of cultural significance have many potential benefits for your team. Some team members will learn about another culture’s traditions, while others will have the opportunity to share how their own family celebrates a given holiday. Your organization is signaling that ethnic, cultural and racial diversity & inclusion are highly valued. And don’t forget, these cultural events will brighten your team’s day and deliver a lot of fun!
There are so many great traditions to incorporate in your company’s Chinese New Year celebration: serving foods deemed lucky, such as dumplings and noodles; decorating your space with the festive, lucky color red – including red lanterns; and distributing red envelopes containing cash or fun gifts. To add extra fun and learning, consider creating an activity around Mahjong or learning Chinese calligraphy!
4. Black History Month Celebration
Timing: February is Black History Month.
How To Make It Happen:
Black History Month offers a terrific opportunity to create an event that can educate and enlighten your team and forge stronger connections with your local community. Consider hiring an engaging speaker who can present on a prominent Black historical figure or a relevant historical event or theme. Assigning a book by a Black author – see this list here – for your team to read in advance can give everyone a chance to reflect together and share ideas as a part of your event. To extend the impact of the event beyond the walls of your own organization, consider volunteering with or raising funds for a local or national charity that serves the Black community.
5. Super Bowl-themed Party
Timing: Super Bowl Sunday is February 13 in 2022.
How To Make It Happen:
Whether or not you are a football fan, the Super Bowl is an excuse for a fun party that will delight just about anyone. Depending on your company’s culture, your Super Bowl party can take place on the day of the Super Bowl or earlier in the week as your team members are starting to get excited for the big game. From concessions-style or comfort foods like hot dogs, sliders, soft pretzels and beer, to football-themed carnival games and décor, it’s possible to create a festive, relaxed party leading up to or on game day. Are you leaning towards a virtual event celebrating the Super Bowl? Consider hosting games like a very loosely Super Bowl-themed trivia challenge that will accommodate both football spectator novices and those ready to show off their extensive knowledge of the game.
6. Casino Night
Timing: Totally flexible, but it’s a great way to break up those dark winter days!
How To Make It Happen:
Corporate casino night is a classic and, if you wish, can easily include a charitable giving element. While it’s important to ensure that your team is abiding by all relevant local regulations (some stricter states may require you to obtain a casino night permit), this event promises an entertaining winter evening that also allows each team member to tap into their competitive spirit. Bring on the glitz and glamour with red, black, white and gold décor and an elevated dress code, such as black tie optional. Plan fun prizes that will excite and motivate your team members or consider organizing the event so that guests are competing for the chance to donate a designated amount of company funds to a charity of their choice.
7. Mardi Gras / Brazilian Carnival Party
Timing: Late February or Early March. Mardi Gras takes place on March 1st in 2022, with celebrations typically taking place in the two weeks leading up to that date. Brazilian Carnival will happen between February 25 and March 5 this year.
How To Make It Happen:
Mardi Gras and Brazilian Carnival are both big, flashy cultural celebrations leading up to Lent, the 40-day period prior to Easter when Catholics and other Christians have traditionally given up certain luxuries and fasted or abstained from specific foods such as meat, sweets and alcohol. Both Mardi Gras and Brazilian Carnival are rich with traditions that can liven up a range of corporate gatherings, from employee appreciation parties to product launches. From deliciously indulgent food and drinks (think king cakes and shrimp & grits or Brazilian caipirinhas and feijoada), to over-the-top costumes and lively music, what’s not to love?
8. Employee Appreciation Day Event
Timing: National Employee Appreciation Day is celebrated on the first Friday in March. In 2022, it falls on Friday, March 4.
How To Make It Happen:
If you feel that your company or team is overdue for an employee appreciation event by the time National Employee Appreciation Day rolls around in March, this could be your sign to launch into planning mode for a get-together that will make your team members smile and show them you care. Think carefully about what your employees would really value and see if this can be incorporated into the event. Maybe a celebratory Friday luncheon where employees are sent home early to kick off their weekend plans? The event can be as simple as an elegant meal or cocktail hour, or could involve employee recognition awards, an interesting speaker, or live music. To really jazz up the event, lean on seasonally appropriate themes that your team will enjoy such as Mardi Gras, St. Patty’s Day or March Madness.
9. International Women’s Day / Women’s History Month Event
Timing: International Women’s Day is Tuesday, March 8, 2022, and March is Women’s History Month.
How To Make It Happen:
International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month offer a perfect moment to celebrate the women on your team, inspire and educate, show gratitude and even give back to the community. Balancing fun and entertaining elements with sincere gestures of appreciation is key. Consider engaging an inspiring speaker who will highlight an important theme related to women’s history or women at work. Perhaps there are women on your team who are deserving of specific recognition for their unique contributions or longevity with your organization. To mark the holiday in a way that benefits the community, try arranging a volunteer experience or organizing a donation to a local or national charity that serves women. Finally, planning personalized gifts to the women on your team is a terrific way to show your organization’s appreciation.
10. St. Patrick’s Day Happy Hour
Timing: St. Patrick’s Day takes place on Thursday March 17, 2022.
How To Make It Happen:
A light-hearted St. Patrick’s Day celebration can be a fun way to give your team members a chance to connect outside of the office and shake off the winter blues. If you are using a raw space (or office space) for your venue, liven it up with emerald-green décor and classic St. Patrick’s Day imagery, including shamrocks, leprechauns and pots of gold. Alternatively, consider hosting your event at a local Irish pub – although we’d recommend avoiding St. Patrick’s Day itself unless your team is prepared to face crowds of wild revelers on the streets!
11. March Madness-themed Party
Timing: March Madness kicks off with Selection Sunday on March 13, 2022 and extends until the April 4 NCAA championship game.
How To Make It Happen:
Over a three-week period starting in mid-March, the NCAA basketball tournament offers a fun theme suitable for a range of company events – from client engagement to employee appreciation gatherings. From virtual events centered around basketball-themed trivia to large, in-person viewing parties, there are numerous ways to organize a March Madness-themed event. Festive basketball-related décor, yummy eats like sliders and chili, and basketball toss arcade games can round out a perfect party. Be sure to exercise caution when it comes to using “March Madness” in your event branding and marketing, as the NCAA has trademarked this phrase. . . And don’t forget to have your team members fill out their brackets with a special prize for those who make the winning predictions!