Ideas / Around big conferences / Abroad

The party with one idea

Not another open bar. Pick one idea and do it properly: a listening bar, a chef's counter, a rooftop timed for sunset. Cap the guest list and keep it.

Illustration for The party with one idea

How it runs

  1. The ideaOne clear idea, chosen to fit your brand and your guests.
  2. The venueChosen for the idea, not the other way round.
  3. The listCapped, personal, with a waitlist.
  4. The nightOpens on time, ends on a high.

What to know

  • A generic party competes with forty others the same night.
  • A capped list makes it worth getting into.
  • Avoid the conference's official party night.

Good for

The night people text each other about.

Not for

Maximum headcount.

Questions planners ask

What counts as one idea?

Something you can say in five words: a listening bar with a record collector, a chef's counter, a rooftop at sunset.

How big should it be?

Smaller than you think. A full venue for 120 beats a half-empty one for 300.

When should it end?

While people are still having a good time. They'll remember that.

Thinking of doing this?

Borrow the idea, it's yours. If you'd like a hand, or just a second opinion on whether it suits your group, write to me. I produce ideas like this one at Sorry, No Polar Bears, a Helsinki studio I co-run.

Email me