Hunting down a holiday venue

With a wooden floor, small stage, French doors and a full catering kitchen, Mary Mountain is not surprised that the Alice Hardie Stevens Center, which is housed on the grounds of the Ivinson Mansion in Laramie, books so quickly during the holiday season. Paired with sparkling lights and holiday decorations, Mountain said the center becomes a gorgeous backdrop for holiday parties.

“It is just beautiful and it is such a unique place to have them [holiday parties]. It’s on a full block of history,” said Mountain, director of the Laramie Plains Museum which operates the center. “With the French doors and the beautiful floors, and then the lights during the holiday season, everything is just sparkly and pretty.”

Seating up to 100 guests, Mountain said those who rent the center can also tour the Ivinson Mansion during the party. The Ivinson Mansion was built in the early 1920s for the Jane Ivinson Cathedral Home for Girls and is now owned and operated by the Laramie Plains Museum. The unique setting along with the beautiful facility makes the center an ideal place to host a holiday party, Mountain said.

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“I could sell my Saturdays 100 times over,” she said.

As the holiday season approaches, many company officials and business owners are searching for a unique venue to host their office holiday parties. From tasting rooms to art galleries and from hotels to breweries, there are many options available throughout the region. But many places fill up their weekend time slots quickly, so Mountain said she urges people to book as soon as they can.

“I have people that love to have Christmas parties here so much, that they book a year in advance,” she said.

Outside of booking early, a successful holiday party is also contingent on offering a quality fare. And when working with restaurants and caterers it’s also important to get them lined up well in advance. According to Shelley Polansky, education and outreach manager for the Better Business Bureau, planning a holiday party now includes choosing from a variety of caterers and restaurants.

“If you start planning now it will give you more choices,” Polansky said. “If you wait you might only have one choice or no choice.”

Plan wisely

As the holiday season approaches, Polansky said the BBB recommends that two or more caterers be interviewed during the party-planning process. Polansky said it is also wise to ask for and call references.

“One of the resources you can use is the Better Business Bureau to check out restaurants and caterers,” she said.

Requesting a tasting before choosing a caterer or restaurant is also a good idea and seeing a presentation of the food, as well as photo of table displays can help with the planning process.

A written contract will ensure both parties understand the service expected and Polansky said she recommends requesting a detailed breakdown of food, beverages, rentals, decoration, service fees and other expenses. The breakdown will ensure there are no surprises when the final bill is presented, Polansky said.

“A lot of the service industry will charge service fees that don’t include gratuity,” she said. “Make sure you understand those line-item charges.”

Plan early

Holiday office parties are meant to treat staff for the hard work done all year long and keep morale high going into the following year. So Susan Herlihy, public relations coordinator at the Lincoln Center in Fort Collins, said a unique venue can help provide a time for employees to relax – instead of making it feel like work.

Offering a variety of spaces for events such as office parties, Herlihy said the Lincoln Center’s room sizes can comfortably accommodate a small intimate party or a large-scale event for groups of up to 500. With rooms fully equipped with dramatic lighting and built-in professional sound and presentation, some companies take advantage of music and theater venues, as well as art galleries, during their party, Herlihy said.

“Groups can combine their party with a performance or a visit to the art gallery,” she said. “They turn it into an event to look forward to, something really unique and special.”

Those unique features are often what business owners search for when booking a holiday party. From parties at museums to bowling parties and zoo trips, many are seeking for venues far from traditional. Tina Peters, general manager of Gravity 1020 inside the Fort Collins Brewery, said the holiday season is becoming an increasingly busy time as private businesses book Gravity 1020’s private rooms.

“We have a tasting room which is a unique venue,” Peters said.

With a community room that can seat up to 6o people and a tasting room that can hold up to 50 people, all event spaces feature full views into the production areas of the brewery. Peters said guests can view the malts and brews as they travel through the brewery while sipping the homemade brews.

“You get to see a lot of the action,” Peters said. “We fill up our Saturdays first, but some even book lunch events. It starts filling up about now.”    

For more consumer tips and information, visit wynco.bbb.org.