Texas Sized Company Picnics – How to plan for everyone
Planning a company picnic is a massive undertaking. From the food to the fun, there are a lot of decisions to make. It’s important to consider company culture, how many people will attend, the age of attendees, the size of the space, and which activities and entertainment will keep your guests entertained.
The Enchanted Springs Ranch event coordinators can help you plan your company picnic event. We are one of the top company picnic venues in South Texas because we are more than just a venue. When you book an event at ESR, you get a team of experienced event planners that can help you as you plan a business party for your company. Because not only do you want a unique venue for your event, but a reliable team that is there to help you every step of the way.
A solid game plan will help you organize and plan your company party. Take a look at our step by step brainstorming guide to start thinking about some company picnic ideas.
Question 1. Who is Attending?
This first question is crucial because the answer determines what type of event you are planning. Figuring out who you are planning for helps inform all of the questions that follow! Are you planning an upscale product launch or a casual day that incorporates some team building events? Or are you planning a fun gathering for all of your employees and their families to spend time together and enjoy themselves?
Depending on the answer to your question, you can then decide if you want to incorporate a fun company picnic theme. If your end goal is just a fun day of fun and games, consider if you’d like to give away party favors or t-shirts to celebrate! If you are planning a company picnic on a budget, once you have an idea of who your guests are and how many are coming, you’ll be able to creatively plan according to the numbers.
Question 2. What do I need in a venue?
If you are planning some fun company picnic games, you may need a large outdoor venue with plenty of outdoor spaces. A big venue provides plenty of space for the guests to spread out and enjoy themselves. And a top priority has to be the safety of all the guests. Depending on weather, you’ll also want to provide climate controlled spaces for your guests to cool off and take a break from the sun.
If you’re looking for a unique venue near Bexar county, Enchanted Springs Ranch is a full service special event venue located just 25 minutes from downtown San Antonio venues. Located in the beautiful Texas Hill Country, ESR has 15,000 square feet of indoor event space and 6 acres of indoor and outdoor event space inside our Old West town.
Away from board meetings and trade shows in your typical convention halls, ESR has a colorful Old West town with plenty of space for balloon bounce houses, water balloon fights, and more! Our facility is perfect for family-friendly company picnics in San Antonio, complete with our brightly colored playground, Fort Jameson. The entire town is also gated off from any traffic and gives families the freedom and peace of mind to run around and play.
Step 3. What food will I be serving?
Deciding on catering doesn’t have to be a stressful part of event planning. Figuring out food and drinks is a crucial step in planning a company picnic. Sometimes it’s easiest to start at square one and figure out how you’d like to serve your guests. There are many different options to consider and when you think about your overall itinerary, it may be easiest to start there.
Are you planning on having the guests sit down for a seated meal? Depending on the number of guests, you may want to consider other options like buffets, onsite grilling or action stations. Other catering options to consider include whether you will be serving appetizers, desserts, and alcoholic beverages.
Once you figure out how you’d like your menu to be served, think about the types of menus you think would be best! BBQ and TexMex buffets are staples of South Texas corporate events. But fun ideas like build your own burger are also unique catering styles that give guests tons of freedom when it comes to their preferences.
Company picnics are also great events to provide fun snacks. Unlimited popcorn and cotton candy are always a hit with guests and fit right in with fun carnival themed company picnics. ESR has multiple campfires that when lit, allow guests to make their own DIY S’mores. Fun snack ideas are an easy way to add to the overall atmosphere you are hoping to create for your guests.
Step 4. What entertainment and activities should I choose?
If you are looking for unique ideas for a company picnic then fully explore what entertainment options you have. Music is a must, whether it is a live band, a DJ, or music played through house speakers. When it comes to shows, ESR has a host of fun Texas entertainment like Trick Ropers or Gun Twirlers. Interactive activities are a great way to fill the day with fun bonding experiences.
Some of our favorite fun & family friendly company picnic activities include bounce houses, balloon artists, face painters, and petting zoos. If you’re looking for some friendly competition to be incorporated into your event then archery, relay races, scavenger hunts, and shooting competitions are fan favorites. Easy going and relaxing activities include a meet and greet with a Texas longhorn, over-sized lawn games, an exotic animal viewing wagon ride, and western carnival game booths. When it comes to company picnic games, outdoor activities are essential.
To complete the fun True Texas experience, a mechanical bull ride is must. The mechanical bull ring often becomes a location for conversation and laughs so surround the area with cocktail tables to provide an interactive experience for your guests.
Step 5. How do I get the word out?
Guarantee attendance with a company picnic flyer! To be sure your guests know exactly where to be and when, design a simple flyer so that they know what a great event you have put together! Utilize free services to gather RSVPs like Google Forms. Keep track of RSVPs to know who to follow up with to be sure everyone is in the know.
When you book an event at ESR, you can save hundreds in marketing and design. We have a team that provides in-house designs for flyers, slideshows, and more. We have the photos, descriptions, and know-how to give you continuous, additional support for your event.
Step 6. What’s Next?
You and your employees work hard each and every week. It’s important to plan company wide outings to increase employee engagement and promote a sense of community in your workplace. Your staff will feel valued and appreciated after attending a thoughtful event planned just for them.
It’s also important that planning your event is as stress-free and streamlined as possible! Enchanted Springs Ranch is there for you every step of the way because we are so much more than a venue. The ESR team provides premier event planning services and turnkey events.
Because not only do we provide the ideal venue for team bonding, we coordinate your entertainment, activities, catering, beer & wine services, and more. From corporate team building activities to kid-friendly entertainment, and everything in between, we’ve got you covered! We will fill your day with corporate event activities that promote camaraderie in the workplace. Employees learn and grow through shared experiences, and we’re here to bring those experiences to life!
