With such a unique waterfront space and a lively crowd, there are so many details to share about the SPARK Conference at Pier 27 in San Francisco, Calif. As large corporate event planners, a client who wants to blend creativity with real business is a dream come true. We’ve previously shared a few of the elements that made this event such a success. Now we’re going to dive a little deeper into what made the SPARK Conference such a smashing success with the 700+ attendees who joined us for two days on the Bay.

We are going to gather—in person—again! The live events industry is poised for a comeback, and while there’s no doubt that the road back to in-person events will be uncharted territory for many organizers; paved with puzzling new obstacles like fluctuating health and safety regulations. The key to navigating the uncertainty is acknowledging possible challenges in advance and adopting a community-first approach to planning and building connections between your attendees and your organization.

It’s not always clear what the ROI is when an offsite is said and done. If created intentionally, with the right people in the same place at the same time —whether virtual or in-person or both— with clear heads and sustainable mental energy, offsites can provide space for everyone to focus on big picture issues that will drive the needle for your business the following year. If your offsites have felt sluggish or lacked clear indicators of ROI, use these key strategies to build your next winning offsite format.

Kennedy Events Creative Director and Senior Producer Marianne Jackson recently sat down with three of our favorite venue managers to dig into these dynamic partnerships and discuss the top venue trends they foresee for 2021 and beyond.

Are you planning an event for the fall season? Look to book now. Live events were canceled left and right as COVID clutched the world. Now clients are eager to get back to live events as venues are being inundated with requests and those calendars are filling up quickly. With new health and safety regulations to consider, here are just a few tips that will guide you to successful venue selection while keeping those contracts in check.

As the light at the end of the tunnel—live, in-person events—resurfaces as a viable option, the question remains: How have the expectations of audiences and attendees shifted with the seasons spent in lockdown? Kennedy Events is sharing the trends that will influence event planning through the rest of 2021 and beyond.

Looking to ignite a creative spark for your next corporate event? The KE team has the kindling and the match to ignite flair and finesse into your conference. When we were approached to inject some creativity into a software procurement conference, we knew the keys to success would be having a clear vision and providing compelling content. The beautifully branded, two-day SPARK Conference was so successful attendees didn’t want it to end.