12 Creative Corporate Event Ideas

It can be hard coming up with new ways to keep your colleagues entertained at EOFY parties, or investors and clients impressed at networking events. If you’re getting tired of the same old Friday evening drinks or the bog-standard company lunches, we’re on your side. 

We’re here to provide you with alternatives for your corporate event that are still appropriate for professional settings whilst providing a more unique experience with a sprinkle of something a bit more exciting.

Here’s our list of 12 creative corporate event ideas, with inspiration for each month of the year to guide your own event planning all-year round.

1. January: Barbeque & Lawn Games
2. February: Wine Tasting
3. March: Scavenger Hunt
4. April: Cultural Exchange
5. May: New Skills Workshop
6. June: Dinner Party With A Twist
7. July: Escape Room
8. August: Charity Gala
9. September: Neon Paint & Sip
10. October: Fancy Dress Party
11. November: Community Volunteering
12. December: Secret Santa

January: Barbeque & Lawn Games

As summer gets into full swing, it doesn’t get better than a barbecue facing the sea breeze or under a tree canopy at the park. A barbeque on a balmy day presents a casual opportunity for colleagues and clients to relax and network away from the formality of a structured workplace. To make your barbecue even more jovial and encourage attendees to relax, arrange lawn games such as croquet, boules, cricket, rounders or outdoor bowling, as friendly or as competitive as you like! If you’re looking for an alcohol-free event, cleanse your palette with zingy lemonade, fresh fruit kebabs and grilled pineapple.

February: Wine Tasting

We’re a nation of wine lovers, and in almost every state you can find plenty of top-quality vineyards. Head to a cellar door for an in-depth look at wine production methods, a stroll or picnic around the vineyards, a tour around the factory, and a few tasters of the bottles produced there. You could also hire a hop-on, hop-off bus to take you around key wine regions such as the Yarra Valley or the Mornington Peninsula. For alcohol-free alternatives, try coffee tasting, chocolate tasting, cheese tasting or honey tasting. Choose some produce to stock for future events to provide a more personal touch to your catering.

March: Scavenger Hunt

A healthy dose of competition outside of the work environment can foster increased motivation, independence and innovation. Arrange a friendly challenge for your colleagues to look for specific items at your corporate event venue during a scavenger hunt. You could use Easter eggs, brand logo stickers or even small company gifts, with people split up into smaller teams or searching individually. Keep the atmosphere light-hearted and get your colleagues to embrace their inner child, for a fun-filled event away from boardroom stressors and corporate expectations.

April: Cultural Exchange

Many of us work in diverse workplaces – a feature that should be celebrated. Dedicate a day or evening to hosting an event sharing each other’s global cultures. Whether you decide to each prepare a national dish or work with caterers and make use of a full-scale commercial kitchen from your venue (such as you’ll find right here at Canvas House), this creative corporate event idea is a great opportunity to learn about what you and your colleagues call home. You could also invite guests to dress in traditional attire; as formal or informal as you wish.

May: New Skills Workshop

If you’re looking for a creative corporate event idea that brings your team closer together whilst adding to their skillset, a workshop or novel training session is the pick for you. Take a mixology class where you learn to whip up your own cocktails, partake in a cooking class that teaches you how to make a dish you can tuck into altogether afterwards, or experiment with a technological innovation or VR device that could end up becoming a commonplace tool in your workplace. Whatever masterclass you decide on for your event, make sure it’s accessible and interesting for the majority, if not all, attendees. 

June: Dinner Party With A Twist

As the nights draw longer and colder, we crave company indoors, in smaller, intimate groups. Sometimes, a simple, hearty corporate dinner party with top quality food and beautiful settings can be all you need for a successful work event. Dinner parties are great for corporate celebrations such as networking, anniversaries, or awards nights. If you’re looking to take it up a notch, add an element of intrigue with a murder mystery, Cluedo or other traditional parlour game to facilitate conservation that doesn’t get stuck in the same small-talk circles.

July: Escape Room

Escape rooms are great team building activities for corporate groups. Pick a game narrative that appeals to your team, or even a few if you’re a larger company that needs to split up into groups. You’ll have around an hour to escape by working together to solve challenges. It’s a great way to get lost in a compelling story and undertake a novel mission in the depths of winter. After you’ve escaped (or not!), debrief and regale your adventures in a nearby local Melbourne event venue with some cocktails and nibbles.

August: Charity Gala

Learning how to host a gala dinner takes a little more prep than your ordinary corporate event, but it’s certainly one that leaves a lasting impression. The purpose of a gala is to bring together investors, clients, colleagues, important members of the community and other high-profile individuals to raise interest, awareness or funding for a cause; be it a charity or your own company. Other brands are often more interested in providing sponsorship for gala events which can help towards running costs, and you can use a portion of your ticket sales to not only donate to chosen charities, but also put towards this style of higher-budget event.

September: Neon Paint & Sip

Most of us are familiar with the concept of ‘paint and sip’ events – afternoons or evenings spent channelling your inner Picasso, using wine as your creative aid to help indulge your inner artist. Take it up a notch and impress your colleagues or clients by using neon paint to create artwork that glows in the dark. This is a great way to help teams let off some steam, have fun, and embrace experimentation by trying something new in a social environment, away from the pressures and routine of everyday work routines.

October: Fancy Dress Party

As the weather starts to turn warmer, take the opportunity to embrace the longer, lighter evenings and change in the seasons with a light-hearted fancy dress party. Depending on the nature of the corporate event, you could stick to a more formal dress code such as ‘black and white’, or, pick a unique fancy dress theme that encourages your attendees to have a laugh while flexing their creativity. Grab your cameras and get silly – this is a great corporate event idea if you want your guests to truly unwind and focus on having fun. 

November: Community Volunteering

One of the best ways to build your brand whilst making a positive difference outside of your profit margins is to engage in some corporate community volunteering. Sponsor a local fair, help out a food bank, spend a couple of hours doing a litter pick, or gather up donation boxes to send to charities. Before or after the event, you can make a presentation explaining why you’ve chosen to partner with your local cause, and what benefits you hope to achieve from your partnership. You could invite a charity ambassador to attend a cocktail party alongside this to commemorate your efforts, and provide an opportunity to network with those in the community.

December: Secret Santa

Before you wrap up for the holidays, bring an extra ounce of excitement to your end of year or Christmas work party by hosting a secret santa. Prior to the event, all those who opt in will have their name placed in a hat, before each picks someone at random (and in secret) to buy a gift for. During the party, your guests can open their presents, and guess and reveal who bought each person’s gift. This way, everyone gets to open something, but you’re not obligated to spend copious amounts on gifts for every individual. Just make sure you set a clear budget in advance.

Creative Corporate Event Ideas: Something For Everyone

And there we have it – a fun corporate event idea for every month of the year. With this list, you won’t be able to stop hosting parties, galas and team building activities all year long!

If you’re interested in putting together one of these creative corporate events and you’re after an expert hand from the team here at Canvas House, or you’re simply looking for the space to make it happen, we’re more than happy to help provide the backdrop. 

With our cathedral-style vaulted ceilings, ultra-modern amenities and thoughtfully added finer details, we’ve got the infrastructure and experience in bucketloads to host a seamless event that’s as fun as it is professional. 

Get rid of the headaches and make space for more fun by sending an inquiry to us today.