It's that time of the year again...
Halloween is now just around the corner and Kit&Caboodle aren't unfamiliar with the whole state of affairs! Having designed
exceptional bespoke events for established venues and brands throughout the years, we've proudly worked with Adidas, Maddox Club and took over King's Cross with our Zombie flashmob. It isn't too late to organise a party that will unleash all hell so follow 10 top tips from our event design specialists for a ghoulishly memorable evening...
Understand your audience – Is your party for small kids or BIG (aka adults)? Small kids might not want to be too scared but adults mostly love to be terrified … so decide up front if you are going for just a little bit scary eg Ghostbusters or really serious scary, eg vampires. We’ve done Halloween parties from top nightclubs to open-air public spaces … so we can always advise.
Pick a theme that everyone enjoys – Try not to create a gender divide. Girls might get excited about unicorns, but no-one wants to dress up as one. In fact, some people don’t like to dress up at all, but it adds to the buzz. Whether you go for gory undead zombies staggering around, or the cool chic of the Cullen coven from Twilight, tell people well in advance and offer fantastic prizes for the best effort. We’ve sometimes put Pop Up Dressing Up units into parties so that people who didn’t dare come on the Tube dressed as Dracula, can join in with borrowed fangs and cloaks once they get through the doors.
Venue – Whether you are throwing your party at home, or you’ve got the budget to hire a castle in the Highlands – think about how you are going to use your space to best advantage. Home venues can be extended by hiring a marquee, for example.
Decoration – The Americanisation of Halloween has crept into the UK’s supermarkets and department stores. You can purchase everything from the seriously tacky to the seriously authentic. Whether you want to acquire a tomb on which to serve your hors-d’oeuvres, or buy in the Day of the Dead skeleton masks from ASDA – people will react if their environment is edgy and interesting by taking lots of photos, and sharing them online … for all the right reasons. We can provide bespoke props such as an enormous Raven, if you’re having an Edgar Allan Poe party. How random is that?
Music – It’s always a bit of fun to throw in some of classic tracks from the past such as The Monster Mash and Thriller … but be sure that your DJ has a good selection of great party numbers, too. Ask to see the playlist before you hire them!We have great tracks on our Karavanaoke karaoke caravan – give us a call.
Food and Drink – Whether you theme the nibbles or the punch, you need to think carefully about your food choices. No-one wants to eat something that looks like a pile of brains, even if it turns out to be Spag Bog. There are all sorts of cocktails and mixologists available, and we’ve even worked with customised nitrogen ice-cream mobile bar providers, to add a certain shiver of delight to the menu.
Games – There have always been conventional games, such as bobbing for apples – but for an adult audience, you can float them in cider or even vodka, to add a twist. Children’s party games can include feeling weird and slimy objects in a paper bag, just make sure that none of the contents will bite their fingers.
Live entertainment – There’s a wealth of live entertainers who can be persuaded, for a fee, to add fun to your Halloween event. We’ve commissioned fire-eaters, magicians and dancers in the past – and we’re always happy to advise so, whether you are having a live band, or a zombie DJ, give us a call. As a rule of thumb, avoid performing animals.
Memorable scents and surprises – All too often, people forget how important it is for an event to have the sweet smell of success. Autumn perfumes are available – from fireside pumpkins to harvest festival – evoking warmth and comfort. Maybe that’s not what you want for your Halloween bash … but avoid any fragrance of the undead.
The Devil’s in the Detail – it’s the finer things that count. Whether it’s mood lighting, or a full-on projection of witches flying across the ceiling, you need to incorporate the unexpected to create delight and lasting memories. We like to use hundreds of lanterns to great effect when creating a mood at evening events
Lastly, our team is always ready to assist with professional expertise and in our own unique and creative style. We can help you manage your event and kit up your venue on any scale.
So give us a call. If you dare...
