9 Last-Minute Summer Event Ideas

July 30, 2001
So you've waited to plan your summer party. No problem. We've found some great ideas to add some flair to your company picnic, corporate cocktail party or benefit--everything from beachy invitations to picnic-ready parting gifts. So here are nine great ideas for summer events:

1. INVITATION
Flip Flops Lead to Booze Cruise
Karin Bacon Events put together a fun invitation that arrived with flower-studded flip-flops for Alize's rollicking Cruise to Passion event, which brought a little Coney Island-style beach flavor to Manhattan. More about the flip flops...
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2. DECOR
Colin Cowie Gives Townhouse a Beach Makeover
The entertaining guru filled an Upper East Side townhouse with fun, summer-style decor inspired by four different beach towns. More about this event...

3. DECOR
Summery, Sandy Decor--on a Budget
Manhattan doesn't have much in the way of natural beaches, Eventstyle's Mark Addison improvised, using dry couscous to create a beachy look for Register.com's second anniversary party. Addison managed to create a fun, festive atmosphere without breaking the bank. More about this event...

4. FOOD
Popsicles: A Cool Summertime Treat
The launch party for the new Healing Garden Waters perfumes brought the return of a nice summertime treat: Caterer Food in Motion served lavender-flavored popsicle--a nice match to the flower-laden product, and to the steamy weather.
More about the popsicles...
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5. FOOD
Vodka-Spiked Gazpacho in Cucumbers
At a beach-themed summer benefit held in an Upper East Side townhouse, caterer Robbins Wolfe Eventeurs served vodka-spiked gazpacho in shot glasses made of hollowed cucumbers. More about the gazpacho...
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(Another variation: the soup shooters Matthew Kenney served from an ice bar at BiZBash's networking party.)

6. ENTERTAINMENT
Teambuilding Scavenger Hunts
The summer camp favorites aren't just for kids anymore. And they don't have to be as simple as the ones you remember. Throw in a few actors and some mind-bending clues, and a scavenger hunt can become a corporate teambuilding event that hones communication, negotiating and strategizing skills. More about this idea...

7. VENUE
The Met's Gorgeous Roof
New York has some beautiful outdoor spaces, but you can't find a better view than the one from the Metropolitan Museum of Art's roof garden. And the Council of Protocol Executives got lucky with a clear summer day for the group's reception at the museum. More about this event...

8. VENUE
Quaint Garden Hosts Museum Benefit
While lots of restaurants are opening sleek, funky outdoor gardens and terraces (think Guastavino's, the Park or Rink Bar) we found an old one with its own special charms: the garden behind the Merchant's House Museum on East 4th Street. The pretty garden has topiaries, benches and lots of ivy, and hosted a pretty benefit for the museum this summer. More about this event...

9. GIFT
Classy Summer Picnic Baskets
With all of the fun outdoor events in the city, a fully equipped picnic basket is a great gift item. Picnic Time offers a large variety of styles, from wicker baskets complete with blankets, flatware, tableware and wine glasses to backpack-style packs that turn into folding chairs. More about this idea...

Posted 07.30.01

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