Have you ever gone to plan an event only to find you’ve selected the same week or weekend as a major event? Don’t abandon your plans so quickly – it may be an excellent opportunity to expand your audience, your presence, and it may even deliver more value.
The key to holding your event at the same time as others is to find shared topics or interest. Usually, large event and festival attendees only participate in part of the total event experience. Take the example of the South Beach Wine & Food Festival in Miami each year. There are dozens of ticketed events, but most people attend only one or two of these over the whole extended weekend. A picnic on the beach might be a great way to boost attendance, just as a complimentary cookbook might make a memorable keepsake.
Other times, a single event appeals to a specific type of guest with a broad range of related interests. For things like the Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show, one of the largest in the world each year, attendees trend towards high-net-worth individuals who appreciate fine jewelry, crystal, wines, art, real estate, and other collectible items or experiences.
Another way to make the most of existing events is to see how you may connect them to hybrid or digital events. A music festival may provide an interesting and engaging soundtrack to your event that mirrors having live performers. Meet-and-greet broadcasts with performers or other noteworthy individuals like city mayors or elected officials can also be arranged when planned with enough notice and flexibility to participate via technology rather than in person.
Beyond activities and featured entertainment, holding your gathering near or during existing events can provide unexpected cost savings. For instance, smaller hotels or resorts may not have enough space for larger festivals or multi-day events… but they might be very eager to book an entire block of rooms at a significant discount to larger properties. Think creatively about location as well. You need not be at a resort that is hosting fireworks for your guests to enjoy them from a nearby location. Air shows, parades, state fairs, sporting events, they’re all great ways to get additional attention for your event.
Look up local schedules for what’s coming to a city or destination near you, or ask VIBE to help you find out about events happening in your destination of choice. We’ll also help you think of unique ways to enhance your gathering that coordinate well with other events. – https://www.miamiandbeaches.com/events/annual-events
About the VIBE Agency: The VIBE Agency is a Miami-based award-winning full-service production agency that specializes in the creation and orchestration of live and virtual experiences for the corporate industry. The agency is forward-thinking and was recognized as one of the 50 top event companies by Special Events magazine in 2019 and 2020. Most recently, Valerie Bihet, founder of the VIBE was named a Smart Women in Meetings 2021 Hall of Fame honoree by Smartmeetings, for her consistent work advancing the industry. If it can’t be live, make it VIBE!
