The Events of the Winter Season…

‘Winter nights are here’

In a way, winter evenings have these nostalgic connections to watching movies as a child, connection to family time or anything that allows people to feel warmth. But the winter adventures since a cup of mulled wine at a semi-frozen ice rink are long gone. Now, consumers seek more. Let us break down the construction of winter events for the winter audiences.

• Light Shows

In the last 10 years the growth of light shows has now taken over and being prominent features on event calendars. Every region of the UK has its own light show. A sensory experience that allows consumers, families, couples etc…to be wowed and immersed in the meandering experiences through streets shut down to traffic or forests that are cleared of leafs and branch’s to allow nature to be consumed.

Colourful projections placed onto the side of buildings, rivers or anywhere in between. To make it even more magical the light projections are usually timed to the sounds of musical melodies that give audiences moments to capture in their minds eyes or in there social media channels. The more unique - the more chance of an immersed experience.

• Marshmallows and fire pits

Always around these routes or winter evenings is the large wooden signs with worn out board paint (deliberately) with prices that are treble the amount of a usual marshmallow. Chocolate poured on half the marshmallows and only taken up half the skew. But we buy into it. We buy this experience of standing over the marshmallow pit.

It becomes a boomerang on social media. It is the profile photo with your partner. The photo is sent to the whole family standing with the marshmallows to your family in Australia. The marshmallow pit is more than a late school night treat that is overpriced…it is the strategic position of the organiser and the consumer. Give you something to be shared and build an image that illustrates the sheer pinnacle of winter events.

• Warm Colours and Ambient Surroundings

All of a sudden every joiner in the UK is making log cabins. An attempt to build ‘authentic’ cabins that can accommodate more people than they should but can fit in a fire, place for decor and some type of Christmas display. A place that is more inviting than the local pub that is the local for 48 weeks of a year - until winter Christmas period begins and ‘hello socialising…’

In summary - and very quickly - to create the winter evenings of socialising well its needs to be…

• Rustic.

• Authentic.

• Have all the trimmings of winter.

• And bright…

But for organiser considersation:

• Sustainable.

• Appreciating all touchpoints.

• Colourful and creative.

• Impactful.

Let us not just buy into the winter evening market and ‘deliver something’ that is rinse and repeat. Instead, be out of the box and bring courage to the forefront of being impactful. Allow individual spaces, venues and geographical locations to become true destinations. Allow a sense of pride to the community and a sense of immersion to the consumer.