Happy Halloween?

Our dearest of friends from the t’other side of the great pond have long celebrated the force known across the globe as Halloween with a real American sense of enthusiasm which now appears to be spreading. Some would point to blastfamous worshipping of all things frightening and evil whereas most would simply state “it’s just another way of making me spend my money” Sighed the exhausted mother!

 

So for those of you who haven’t quite decided which side of the frightful fence to perilously perch on. Here’s a selection of highly themed and experiential examples;

 

Thorpe Park’s annual fright providing the ultimate ‘Fright Night’ having teamed up with the Scare Group UK to offer attendees’ not only a terrifyingly lit turn on the parks rollercoaster’s but in every crack and crevice of the park zombies along with a variety of characters from the Saw movie series lurk with the no other intent than to scare. Offering a Halloween to remember… genuinely only for those with a high scare threshold, consider this almost a health warning, click here for further details.

 

As ever London offers an array of fright nights from the grizzly to the gruesome, most all coming in the shape of The Vaults, a now unused Underground train station filled with mystery, history and tales of another time and another world. These masters of morgue promise a playground for the freak in all of us. Activities include DJs of the undead, the graveyard cinema, the abandoned end of pier arcade games and crazed capers from the finest twisted cabaret acts. Click here for full listing.

 

 

The extent of our developing fascination with all things spooky can be directly linked to our pagan past and medieval suspicion and now measured by increasing popularity, then recognized by the establishment of national Zombie Day! An event which takes place in over 50 cities worldwide, organized marches of the undead are staged with a meet place and a detailed route for the general public either to join the chaos or hide. This years London march started at Marble Arch Tube station and spread right across the capital ending up in a Zombie Ball.

 

This Halloween rather than being frightfully dismissive or venting annoyance at the fact kids are knocking the doors for sweeties. Perhaps we should start to embrace this celebration both within the industry and our social lives to fully realize its Theming potential. According to the demand for such events and activities, this could be a strong event theme throughout the calendar year. None the less will prove a ‘freaky’ one to watch over the next few years.

Rise to the Rooftops!

This summer has seen an event based, cocktail laden and cinema enthused ascendancy to the roof tops of London. This got me rather intrigued to see the fantastic measures fellow Event Managers are now taking creatively to push borderlines of experiential expectations.

 Once more it would seem that the socialites of this wonderful nation are seeking and demanding further thrills within they’re already diverse night out and events calendars. Heading up onto the cities rooftops would usually indicate that you are in indeed the answer to one of the worlds great riddles, the secret identity of Batman, or you’ve drawn in a panicked crowd with the collaborative plea of ‘Don’t do it!’.

 

No longer… sure our cities have long offered plenty for us to see and do at ground level, even our underground providing our transport and now our roof tops providing us with beautifully scenic ways of enjoying our time.

 

Here are some highly engaging examples; the long established Kensington Roof Gardens a secretive member’s only glamour spot that reeks of exclusivity, then there’s London’s newest beach Camden Beach, that’s right…Camden Beach, a temporary pop up postcard perfect makeshift dreamy beach all on the terrace of The Roundhouse, no North Devon about it strictly North London!

 

Our favourite, The Roof Top Hot Tub Cinema Club what a wonderful collaboration of words and concepts. Now allowing revellers year round to take in the sights of the city, favourite flick all in the comfort of your own hot tub…blissful behaviour.

 

This heady and height based summer trend really has got the IT crowd shaking they’re cocktail flutes with vigorous anticipation flocking up top with tickets in high demand, understandable considering the views naturally on offer and the occasion outside chance of a sunset. Refreshingly in such health and safety focused times, in which we all strive to add value to our event guests, delegates and clients such fresh innovation is brought to the forefront of the industry and celebrated.

 

So then class to recap; Take a fantastic reason for staging an event + take said event concept on top of scenic roof top in a city near you = Great time had by all.