10 Group Activities and Teambuilding Ideas in New York

TrivWorks

Last year, NY1 morning news anchor (and recent Live! With Kelly co-host) Pat Kiernan joined forces with trivia event production company TrivWorks to host live trivia entertainment and teambuilding activities for corporate groups. Kiernan-hosted events typically start around $10,000 and include pre-event planning assistance and venue recommendation, 40 custom trivia questions (with Kiernan’s personal counsel) plus an iPod round and picture round, one-on-one mini games between each round as scores are tabulated, a high-stakes showdown finale between the top two teams, a staff of runners to collect score sheets, AV equipment, and prizes. The company has produced events for as few as 10 and as many as 300 people.

Teambuilding takes a dramatic turn with Broadway Fantasy Camp’s customized experiences—no performing experience necessary. The company, which launched in December, offers amateurs access to veteran Broadway directors, choreographers, actors, writers, producers, and composers during one- to five-day bootcamps. Private teambuilding and incentive sessions can be arranged for corporate groups of all sizes, and can include any of the options available in their open-to-the-public sessions, such as meeting theater professionals to discuss their work, guided backstage tours of Broadway theaters, and learning complete musical numbers for a final group performance on an off-Broadway stage. Corporate packages are completely customized, but pricing is based on the cost structure of the public sessions, which start from $995 per person. Broadway Fantasy Camp can also arrange moderated meet-and-greet dinners for large groups at the InterContinental New York Times Square with Tony winners and Broadway stars.

Tapped Craft Beer Events launched in early 2011, and specializes in small-batch, craft beer tastings for private and corporate events. Teambuilding activities, such as beer trivia, can also be arranged. Events can take the format of educational tasting sessions or cocktail-style affairs with tasting stations. The company provides five to seven different kinds of beer geared toward the chosen topic, locally made artisan snacks, stemware, beer tasting notecards, and style guides. Tastings can take place at offices or event spaces, with a general minimum of five people and a maximum of 150. Costs start from $20 per person.

Groups can show off their pizza-making skills during private classes at the Pizza a Casa Pizza School on the Lower East Side. The four-hour teambuilding activity begins with founder Mark Bello teaching students how to make their own dough from scratch. As it rises, Bello lectures on pizza-making techniques. Participants spend the latter part of the class making (and eating) their own creations. Guests leave with leftovers, extra dough, and instruction booklets. Private classes cost $1,850 for as many as 16 people.

LifeLabs New York opened in August 2010 as a place for people to learn self-improvement techniques and practical skills.  While corporate groups can book any of the courses offered by the company for private sessions, LifeLabs also has a series of 30-minute-long corporate mini-labs designed to be scattered throughout the day at a conference or meeting. The latest offerings in the Learning Lab Series, released in February, include “The Science of Surprise,” “Play Lab,” and “Game-Changer Lab.”  In each, participants function as a research group, designing experiments on a certain topic, then comparing their results to actual scientific findings on the subject. After the event, members can receive lab reports that include key learnings and challenges to try in the month ahead.

Specialty food shop and cooking school Haven’s Kitchen opened in January, offering private classes for groups. The Chelsea space has an open kitchen with room for 12-person cooking classes or 22-person demonstrations. Topics are customized for private groups, but the constantly changing curriculum of demonstrations and classes—all featuring locally sourced ingredients from the Union Square Greenmarket—covers subjects like bread-making, cooking with herbs, and packing the perfect picnic. Private group classes, which conclude with a sit-down meal, last for two and a half hours and cost from $2,000.

The Blues Jean Bar now offers its mobile vans for on-location shopping events in New York City. The specialty denim boutique can bring its entire inventory of 40 different jean brands, plus accessories, to any location for groups of as many as 500. Professional fit masters help guests choose the best jeans for their body, and on-site hemming is also available. The Blues Jean Bar offers complimentary beer, wine, and light refreshments, and there is no charge for anything other than the items purchased by attendees

Big Onion Walking Tours has a new offering based on Ken Burns’ PBS documentary Prohibition. The two-hour “Satan’s Seat” tour covers a broad range of themes exploring the history, politics, and culture of speakeasies in New York during the 1920s. Covering ground across lower Manhattan, stops include the sites of former speakeasies as well as historic places associated with key players like Fiorello LaGuardia, Margaret Sanger, and Al Jolson. Private tours can be arranged for groups of any size, with custom price quotes available on request.

FCI Catering & Events, the exclusive catering arm of the International Culinary Center of New York, completed work on its new fifth-floor SoHo event space in May 2011. The new state-of-the-art kitchen and adjoining facilities allow for a constantly expanding roster of teambuilding activities and cooking classes with top talent from the world of food and wine. Options include a cake-decorating challenge with pastry chef and Food Network star Ron Ben Israel, or a wine tasting with Master Sommelier Scott Carney accompanied by an interactive pizza-making experience. The space can accommodate groups of as many as 200 at hands-on stations.

Ceramic studio La Mano Pottery opened a new, larger location at 110 West 26th Street in January, offering group pottery-making classes designed to help students develop and enhance their creativity. The space has 24 pottery wheels and six hand-building tables. Single-day classes typically involve teaching hand-building techniques to a group of as many as 15, which involves creating ceramic pieces by hand. The two-hour classes include all materials, and prices start from $75 per person.