Are you considering hosting a company event this year?
Holding an employee appreciation event or family day is a great way to promote and foster employee engagement and team building in a group setting. Companies often turn to sporting events, theme parks, traditional picnics, or catered meals when looking to hold a company event. When it comes time to make the final decision, many companies find themselves choosing between a theme park or having a company picnic at their facility. From old-fashioned classic carnivals to contemporary food festivals, corporate picnics are an ideal way to entertain large groups outdoors. And when you choose to create a private, on-site company picnic with Compass Rose Events, your company—and not a local amusement park or stadium—gets all the credit for everyone’s good time.
Here are some things to keep in mind when deciding between a company picnic or theme park:
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Company Picnic |
Theme Park |
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Distance |
Whether on company grounds or at a park, company picnics tend to keep employees in their local community. |
They are at a set location, typically employees will have to travel out of their local area to reach them. |
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Perceived Value |
Value is seen by the employees because they can access all the activities and food for free. They are not burdened with paying for concessions, games, or parking, as they might be at a theme park. |
Employees that visit the theme park for a family day probably would have visited anyway with their family. They are being provided with something they would already do; thus, perceived value is less. |
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Community |
Because the event is private, the employees can mingle and chat with their coworkers easily. |
Employees may not see their coworkers or recognize that they are with someone they work with due to the presence of other patrons. |
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Company Emphasis |
Can provide facility tours or an open house to allow families to see where the employee works. Brings attention back to the company. |
Emphasis is placed on the theme park and not necessarily the company visiting the park. |
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Food Options |
Food, beverages and concessions are available in unlimited quantities throughout the entire event, without long lines, and free of charge to the guests. |
Food is generally limited to a two-hour window at a rented facility, or guests may have to pay for food themselves. |
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Available Activities |
Variety of activities, appealing to all age groups from toddlers to retirees. Inflatables for the kids, sports challenges for the teens, and bingo for the adults – the possibilities are endless. |
Cater toward the thrill-seeking crowd. Midway games are typically available, but guests must pay to play. Retirees and older adults may not be interested in the activities offered. |
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Ease of Planning |
Easier than most planners think, especially when using a trusted, turnkey vendor. |
Generally easy, involves a call to the park and purchasing tickets. |
While theme parks may be a great experience for the individual family, they may not accomplish the overall goals of a company event. Company picnics are a great way to incorporate the entire staff, their families, and include team building activities; strengthening employee connections to the business and each other. If you are looking to create a sense of unity between employees at a convenient location with free food and games, ditch the theme park and host a company picnic! After all, Compass Rose Events takes care of everything. Your professional event planner will find and prepare the best company picnic site, secure all necessary permits and insurances, designate a rain date, design a delicious company picnic menu, facilitate event promotion and registration, stage engaging and age-appropriate entertainment options and much more.
Don’t wait, get in contact with our event planning team today!