Company Picnic Ideas

Ahi tuna salad with pineapple-sesame dressing, greens, tobiko, and sambal aioli; cucumber rolls; hoisin duck salad with quinoa, wakame, and roasted vegetables; macadamia nut biscotti; coconut alfajores; and Absolut Ruby Red vodka, Soho lychee liqueur, and Patron Citronge cocktails, by Brûlée Catering in Philadelphia

Mac ’n’ cheese; chicken wings served with assorted sauces; kielbasas; Bavarian pretzels; and grilled chicken Caesar salad wraps, by the Garden at Studio Square NYC in New York

Grill-ready clay pot kalbi, with marinated beef, soybean paste, fresh garlic, red leaf lettuce, vegetables, and kimchi, by Miss Korea Barbecue in New York

Chopped salad with salumi, provolone, fresh oregano, and red wine vinaigrette; tarragon egg salad sandwiches with watercress and radishes; and ricotta pound cake with Meyer lemon curd and whipped cream, produced by Dandelion Ranch Events with catering by Cooks County in Los Angeles

Urban Picnic bento box including a chicken ’n’ waffles sandwich; a prosciutto, parmesan, and sherried fig jam sandwich; gazpacho in a cucumber bowl served with a pipette of vinaigrette and a dusting of avocado snow; a Caprese potato salad skewer; and a trio of sweet-and-savory suckers, by Truffleberry Market in Chicago

The event, which has a guitar logo, took place at the Prowse Farm in Canton.

In the Good Kids tent, performers Ben Rudnick, Laurie Berkner, Keller Williams, and Imagination Movers played.

In the Good Kids Zone, activities included musical performances. In lieu of chairs, audience members reclined on giant floor pillows.

The Art for All Mural was an art activity that began as an empty shell. Throughout the day, individuals could paint pieces of the mural, and by the end of the day there was a full picture.

Vendors slung soft drinks, snacks, and cocktails such as daiquaris and margaritas.

In addition to live music, the festival offered activities for kids and adults.

The activities included seed spitting, sack races, Frisbee toss, and more.

Sponsor activations included the Toyota Prius Creation Station, where guests could learn more about the eco-friendly vehicles and have their photos snapped.

Signage encouraged guests to share details from the event on social media sites.

Along with useful information, signage offered whimsical and upbeat sayings.

The first Great GoogaMooga brought out 75 of New York's restaurants to serve some of their most popular dishes. Among the lengthy list of participating eateries were Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, Big Gay Ice Cream, and Colicchio & Sons, each situated in different colored booths. Festival attendees paid for their bites by the dish.

Attendees crowded around the main stage, which saw more than 20 musical performances by groups, including The Roots, Naomi Shelton & the Gospel Queens, and Fitz and the Tantrums.

Organizers scattered circus-style signs depicting food-related phrases and pictures throughout the park to create an amusement-park-like setting.

Recycling stations were positioned around the park, with quirky messages and pictures to encourage festival attendees to properly discard trash.

For a more nontraditional experience, producers repurposed police barricades to create high-top tables.

"Urbarn," a structure designed through a partnership of the Great GoogaMooga, Rockwell Group, Just Food, and Pratt Institute students, stood at the center of the urban barn experience. The piece was designed as a visual representation of Just Food's mission statement to connect local farms with New York communities.

At the "Hamageddon Experience," a group of restaurant vendors joined forces to dish out a variety of pork platters. With a rock 'n' roll-inspired theme, the stage saw pork-related demos and seminars, as well as performances by rock bands.

In the wine-tasting tent, about 35 winemakers sold more than 100 wines by the glass, or in taste-size cups. Situated in a separate space, the beer-tasting pavilion offered foreign and domestic drafts from more than 30 brewers.

Lexus was among the lengthy list of sponsors, which also included Seamless, Orbit gum, and New York magazine.

Ticket holders of Extra Mooga, the V.I.P. part of the festival, had access to shuttles provided by Lexus. Other perks included unlimited servings of food and beverages, theme parties in Extra Mooga venues throughout the two days, and access to a separate entrance for easy re-entry.

Grilled corn on the cob with assorted toppings; roasted potato salad on chive sticks; watermelon cubes with feta and spinach; spinach salad with chopped eggs and microgreens in bacon cups; “hot dog” and “hamburger” macarons; and apple pie parfaits, by Windows Catering Company in Washington

Bicycle action performer Trevor Bodogh performs gravity-defying tricks on two wheels while traversing a portable set of obstacles like ramps and platforms. The 25-minute set features Bodogh executing moves like climbing up a six-and-a-half-foot-tall “Devil’s Staircase” on his seatless bike. Bodogh can perform outdoors on a variety of surfaces, and he brings his own equipment, music, and sound system. Based in Toronto, Bodogh travels across the U.S. and Canada; fees start from $1,500.

New York-based GrooveHoops performs a mix of dance and acrobatics while manipulating Hula-Hoops. The six performers stage choreographed sets that typically last four to seven minutes, while using standard variety, glowing LED, or fire-lit Hula-Hoops. GrooveHoops travels worldwide; fees start from $500 for one performer.

At the 2012 Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, presenting sponsor Belvedere offered refreshing beverages made with their Lemon Tea vodka, including the Lemon Tea Classic Punch, a drink that featured sherbet, black tea, and a mint sprig garnish.

At Barbra Streisand's recent fund-raiser for the Cedars-Sinai Women's Heart Center in Malibu, guests helped themselves to a raw fruit and veggie bar. In place of a tablecloth, organizers used a quilt to match the vintage-inspired aesthetic of the event.

Nothing says summer like fresh seafood. At the Power Ball in Toronto, V.I.P. guests helped themselves to shrimp and freshly shucked oysters at a chilled seafood bar provided by Petite Thuet.

Petite Thuet also served a colorful dish of seafood paella at the Power Ball.

A garden-inspired dish featuring seasonal vegetables by Great Performances in New York can stand in for a traditional floral centerpiece.

En Ville Event Design & Catering in Toronto created a picnic-themed display of fruit, bread, and cheese for a summer event.

For Heineken's Inspire Tour in 2010, the food was adapted to the New York market with items like Reuben sandwiches, Chinese dumplings, hot dogs, and falafels served from street carts.

Guests at Stella McCartney's 2011 spring preview were treated to shaved ice by People's Pops in New York.

At Stella McCartney's Resort 2013 collection preview, waitstaff passed citrus-infused cocktails in Mason jars.

Also at Stella McCartney's Resort 2013 collection preview, dessert stands offered sweets from Coolhaus and Pie Corps (pictured). At the latter, guests could also pick up prepackaged jars of fruit cobbler.

McCartney's carnival-themed presentation also had a mac 'n' cheese station. Guests could grab a mini serving wrapped in a spinach cone from a Ferris-wheel stand, or opt for a full cup that could be topped with veggie bacon bits, truffle oil, jalapeños, scallions, or sriracha sauce.

For the grand opening of the Miami Airport Convention Center in Miami earlier this year, the venue's catering team created an edible garden using toasted pumpernickel crumbs as "dirt" with spears of baby carrots, asparagus spears, and zucchini, as well as baby tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella "flowers."

At this year's Luminescence gala in Chicago, passed canapes included cured salmon lollipops, displayed on beds of wheatgrass.

As part of Colgate's White Beauty Bar event in Los Angeles, Skintimate treated attendees to a self-serve sorbet station.

Boston-based event design firm LoLo Event Design recommends setting up self-service bars at summer events. The display includes premixed drinks in large Mason jars, along with fresh herbs and seasonal flowers.

For a fun spin on a summer favorite, LoLo Event Design has caterers serve passed bite-size ice cream cones and ice cream sandwiches.

At this year's Tony Awards gala in New York, guests could serve themselves cups of YoArt's frozen yogurt. There were 80 different toppings, including fresh fruit and gummi candies.

Tabú nightclub at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas is offering several Fourth of July-inspired cocktails this summer. The White Night (pictured) is a sweet and savory blend of Malibu rum, Frangelico, Rumplemintz, and cream strained and served over ice, then garnished with raspberries and blueberries.

At Barbra Streisand's fund-raiser for the Cedars-Sinai Women's Heart Center in Malibu, colorful floral arrangements in wooden vases played off the outdoor setting.

For the dinner, held inside Streisand's home, the summery atmosphere featured neutral tones and fresh-picked centerpieces.

California-based rental company Archive Rentals offers a large collection of authentic vintage Western and camping-themed items, including reclaimed barn-wood tables, camping trailers, Airstream trailers and canoes.

The centerpieces at Diffa's Garden gala in Chicago this year included candelabras wrapped in greenery and white flowers surrounded by Mason jars holding tealights.

For the Central Park Conservancy's annual "Taste of Summer" event in New York, designer Marc Wilson punched up the all-white furnishings with drapes and throw pillows in bright pink, green, and yellow hues.

The V.I.P. area of Toronto's Power Ball was styled with rustic elements for an English-picnic look. Designers used loading palettes as banquet seating and cocktail tables.

Markus Daly Ryan produced Univision's Deportes launch in New York, where picnic tables formed the bulk of the seating and found lumber was turned into cocktail tables for a neighborhood-block-party feel.

At Stella McCartney's Resort 2013 presentation, a large cart overflowing with roses and peonies stood near the entrance to the venue. As guests left, they were given small bouquets or single stems as festive gifts.

At Glossed & Found's Meredith Wendell luncheon in Chicago, A Perfect Event placed giant, colorful pool inflatables throughout the venue to set the tone for the pool party theme.

For the picnic-inspired Absolut Orient Apple launch party in New York last summer, organizers covered the floor of the indoor venue with sod, and brought in live trees and wooden barrels filled with thousands of apples.

At a Belvedere-sponsored event during the 2012 Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, guests sat on haystacks covered with bright orange blankets and chevron-patterned pillows.

Chevron-patterned linens were also used on cocktails tables, and sunflower bouquets served as centerpieces.

At this year's Casa de Don Julio event in New York, the outdoor terrace was decorated with Mexican-inspired decor, with barrels and wooden benches used for guest seating and cocktail tables.

This year's Adam Smith Awards gala, which took place in Washington, D.C., had a red-white-and-blue theme.

LoLo Event Design offers hand-painted handkerchiefs that can serve as table numbers at a garden event. Geraniums in a terra cotta pot have a more casual feel than an elaborate formal centerpiece.

LoLo Event Design also creates message-in-a-bottle place cards for beach-inspired events.

At Sears' and Kmart's 2012 collection press preview, the design team brought in foliage, benches, and six live canaries. The birds chirped from freestanding cages placed around the product vignettes.

For a recent pool party, the team at Swank Productions kept the decor streamlined, with a mostly white color palette, mirrored furnishings, and plenty of sheer draping.

For an indoor summer-themed gathering, Swank producers used beach balls to create playful "chandeliers." Tables were covered in summery yellow and orange linens.

At Glossed & Found's book launch party designed by A Perfect Event, guests took home summer cocktail recipes provided by Grand Marnier.

Megavision Arts created 2-D and 3-D wall projections as a nod to the pool theme at a party to celebrate newly renovated Los Angeles venue Nic's Beverly Hills.

The recent Beverly Hills Hotel & Bungalows 100th anniversary bash kicked off with a performance by the Aqualillies, a troupe of water-ballerinas.

At the Power Ball in Toronto, piñatas made for a kid-friendly activity.

At the Seersucker Ride and Social in Washington, D.C., guests enjoyed music from a 1920s jazz band. As a nod to the theme, participants dressed in seersucker and Jazz Age fashions.

Guests also played lawn games like croquet at the Seersucker Ride and Social.

At last year's Stella McCartney spring preview, guests played ping-pong at a table set up outside.

Zen Arts in Southern California offers an array of entertainment that can take place in or around a pool, including their transparent spheres that hold performers and float on water.

At the Power Ball in Toronto, guests took a ride on wooden swings in the main party area.

At Sunglass Hut's summer block party in Miami, family-friendly games included corn hole, bocce ball, ping-pong, and hopscotch.

Pop-a-shot basketball was a popular activity at Sunglass Hut's summer party.

For Yahoo's Genome relaunch party in New York, organizers brought in a trio of synchronized swimmers from Gotham Synchro to swim in the venue's indoor pool. The water dancers sported alien-inspired body suits as a nod to the event's futuristic theme.

Dubbed "Hannah Mermaid," model Hannah Fraser is available for corporate events, and specializes in underwater "aquabatics" and open-water diving.

Guests at Stella McCartney's 2011 spring preview scooped up shaved ice by People's Pops in New York.

Guests at the Lacoste Live pool party during Coachella in 2012 could cool off with snow cones at a station provided by sponsor Fiji Water.

Inflate USA's line of inflatable structures for events includes more than 30 different sizes and shapes, such as the Luna, designed to act as a portable bar area, and the Trident, a massive tent structure designed for concerts and expos that can be set up in less than five hours.

At the 2012 Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, Colorado, presenting sponsor Belvedere offered refreshing beverages made with the brand's Lemon Tea vodka, including the Lemon Tea Classic Punch, a drink that featured sherbet, black tea, and a mint sprig garnish.

Last fall, Tori Spelling and J.C. Penney celebrated the launch of Spelling's line for kids, Little Maven, at a family-friendly event at the Hotel Bel-Air in Los Angeles. Banners strung between treelike posts decorated the outdoor area.

Pieces from the Little Maven clothing collection hung above a kitschy campfire setup on the lawn.

Dessert table offerings sat upon rustic wood slabs at the Little Maven event.

At the Hennessy V.S. Presents Details at Midnight event at Coachella, guests gathered in a tricked-out teepee.

At the Catalina Casino for the Catalina Island Conservancy Ball in Los Angeles, the camp theme included centerpieces of illuminated apothecary jars filled with the makings of s'mores. Although the chocolate, graham crackers, and marshmallows on the table were there for the look, guests did have a chance to taste the nostalgic treat. Chef Paul Hancock of the Santa Catalina Island Company, who created a three-course meal for the evening, served a dessert that comprised layers of graham crackers with bittersweet dark chocolate and melted marshmallows.

At the 2011 Campfire Ball benefit for Children’s Oncology Services in Chicago, Cork Catering set up a make-your-own-s’mores station.

Throw a little craft-making into the mix for a camp-like experience. At Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim 2012 in Miami, guests engaged in a make-your-own-jewelry station. Attendees at the D.I.Y.-themed poolside cocktail party were invited to make haute couture summer fashion accessories out of the luxury car brand's seat leather.

Grab-and-go options also included Mason jars filled with Italian pasta salad.

Bento boxes including chilled Italian antipasti, served with sangria with blood orange ice cubes, iced tea with lemon zest and mint, and Peroni beer, by Parkland Chef in Boca Raton, Florida

Brightline Interactive created a game called “Fix the Tired” for 5-Hour Energy. Players sweep their hands across an iPad to virtually throw one of the bottled drinks onto a large screen, aiming to hit some of the tired-looking people in the scene. As the bottle hits them, they wake up. 5-Hour Energy is using the activity at Nascar events, marathons, and state fairs. The technology includes an administrative tool that provides the brand with engagement statistics. Brightline also adapted it into a free mobile app.

For presentations, such as one at a military conference, the speaker can control a slide show just by moving his or her hand in the air. Since gesture technology can work from up to eight feet away, it provides a better view for onlookers than a touchscreen presentation where the speaker must stand close to the screen.

At the N.F.L. Experience leading up to the Super Bowl in February, gesture technology allowed fans to throw virtual football passes in a game sponsored by Pepsi.

For the Sports Illustrated Heisman Tour, sponsored by Nissan, Brightline Interactive created a two-person game where players tried to complete the most football passes in one minute.

Orlando's Impact Entertainment Services is now offering 3-D chalk art. Artist Jennifer Chaparro can create designs based on a theme or draw corporate logos on surfaces such as canvas and cement.

Popcorn boutique Corn & Company has opened in Burlington and offers the snack in more than 250 unusual flavors, including dill pickle, wasabi, and birthday cake. It can be doled out as favors or at popcorn bars for events. The Boston-based shop can also host private affairs.

The backyard barbecue also served as a preview for EMM Group's forthcoming restaurant, Lexington Brass, as well as Top Chef winner Hung Huynh's soon-to-open eatery, Catch. Both Huynh and Lexington Brass chef Franklin Becker were on hand to serve attendees.