When it comes to ceremonies, groundbreaking events don't always have the glamour that's associated with flashy grand-opening celebrations. But event pros have thought up ideas—from tightrope walkers to giant sand castles—that engage guests and draw media buzz. Here's a look inside a few cleverly designed groundbreaking events.
In 2013, AgencyEA produced a groundbreaking ceremony for the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. The event took place under a tent, where so-called "satellite troughs" of dirt allowed several guests to participate in the ceremonial groundbreaking. Guests who participated included executives and other V.I.P. attendees.
In August, Blue Plate Catering broke ground on a new facility that's set to open in Chicago's Fulton Market neighborhood in 2016. Guests left with miniature bottles of prosecco and bottle openers decked with the company's logo.
The tent also housed vignettes that showcased the newest technology that the institution was using to care for its patients.
In 2014, Orlando City Soccer Club broke ground on a downtown stadium that's scheduled for completion in 2016. The soccer team's signature hue, purple, appeared in several elements of event production. During the ceremonial dig, city officials and key executives used purple shovels to dig through 24 tons of purple sand. Fans left the event with keepsake jars of the colorful sand. The event's official hashtag? #WeDigPurple.
In 2008, AgencyEA managed the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago (which replaced the Children's Memorial Hospital when it opened in 2012). At the event, a tightrope walker joined acrobats, contortionists, and other circus-style performers.
A seven-foot sandcastle heralded the start of a major residential construction project in Miami in 2013. Aria Development Group celebrated the groundbreaking of its luxury condominium, 321 Ocean, with a ceremony for city officials, buyers, and friends and family. Guests gathered around the sandcastle—a whimsical replica of the forthcoming property—for a toast, then headed to nearby restaurant Estiatorio Milos for a reception.
In 2003, Paulette Wolf Events & Entertainment produced a groundbreaking ceremony for Chicago's Prentice Women's Hospital. The event included a performance that featured ballet dancers, who each represented a woman at a different phase of her life.
