Colorado sets the stage for a large meetings and events resurgence.
It’s time for celebration. The days of venues with the lights out, caterers with no weekend events, and auctioneers with no gigs are over. Nearly every COVID-19 restriction has lifted. And, right out of the gates, Colorado’s industry has shifted from smaller events in obscure cornfields to bashes that are even larger than pre-pandemic.
The state’s robust, large-scale event calendar includes the return of entire festival seasons for many cities, sizable conventions in numerous mountain destinations, and multiday retreats.
Fortunately, Colorado’s climate and landscape lend themselves to big outdoor events. It was never a challenge to find large indoor/outdoor venues that provided ample space. “We were ready; the caterers and entertainment were ready,” says Western Slope-based Cheryl Pitout, co-owner of Beautiful Crazy Event Stylists. “We could have a rock band in a dormant soybean field at a drop of a hat—we’re used to the farm and ranch niche.”
Events are still vying for unique outdoor spaces; however, the return of grand galas with live auctions, dance floors, and musical entertainment combined with pent-up demand from canceled or delayed events equates to busy schedules and packed calendars for venues.
“Our events are huge in 2022,” says Elri Nieuwenhuizen, sales director for Occasions Catering in Englewood. “In the first two quarters of the year, we typically had a strong nonprofit and fundraising season pre-COVID. In 2022, the events are even bigger and more grandiose than the close of 2019. We hosted a 630-guest gala for the Latin American Educational Foundation and just wrapped up a 500-person Denver Center for the Performing Arts marketing event.”
Every nuance of the event industry is impacted by the enormous return of impressive-sized events. Operations are transitioning to pre-pandemic formulas.
“We’re moving into a different phase of the pandemic where we are beginning to treat this as life. And, corporate budgets are still very much alive,” notes Deryk Schnepf, general manager for Biscuits + Berries Catering Co. in Golden. “Everyone is excited to be back together. We’re seeing 1,000-person events again!”
Annie Pinkert, director of sales and marketing for Aspen Meadows Resort, echoes the sentiment. “We are excited to welcome back the world-renowned Aspen Ideas Festival this June, which will host more than 750 attendees per day. Big events are coming back in a big way.”
Some venues that had not hosted events, or only could handle small-size events in the past, took the pandemic pause to reimagine their spaces. From new décor to converted spaces with added elements such as prep kitchens, catering areas, and lighting and sound systems, attractions and organizations were ready for the big return.
“We are seeing events in the Pikes Peak Region come back in a big way at both our member attractions and larger community events, and we’re seeing a lot of crossover or community collaboration,” says PK McPherson, executive director for Pikes Peak Region Attractions. “Both the Space Foundation Discovery Center and the Western Museum of Mining & Industry have seriously stepped up their game with events.”
Hang The Chandelier
Décor & Entertainment
During the pandemic, everyone became a master crafter and hobbyist. Pinterest and Etsy projects were on desktops worldwide. Décor specialists also were investing extra time, and the results are impressive. Don’t just hang the chandelier in the middle of the cornfield, light up the entire farm.
“For Aspen Ski Company’s Australia Day on Jan. 26 this year, we held nothing back,” shares Pitout. “We turned the bottom of the gondola lift into an alfresco ski lounge for thousands of guests. We had carpet and lounge seating delivered with an open-air tent. We added lanterns, accent flags, and special pillows to help tie in the theme.”
At an over-the-top VIP event at Dante, The St. Regis Aspen Resort Chef’s Club, a group booked the fountain courtyard for an open-air event. “We provided the lounge seating, cocktail seating, heaters, string lighting, and additional heaters for the small spaces, along with numerous assorted sizes of pampas and fresh floral arrangements, all in cool colors,” notes Pitout. “The showstoppers proved to be extremely dramatic accent trees that were the center of everyone’s photographs and social media feeds, making the event live on long past the evening and during a weekend full of many tantalizing events at the annual Food & Wine Classic in Aspen.”
Pinkert’s team also is bringing back attention to events by offering multiple entertainment options. “We’ve seen everything from live bands and DJs to photo booths, comedians, and more. It’s exciting and definitely adds an extra flair to an event,” she says.
Ashley Okamura, director of events for Grant Hyatt Vail, adds, “Groups are wanting to engage guests from the moment they walk in the door with live entertainment, gifting/branding stations, and food and beverage before they even make it to the front desk.”
Add Sparkle To The Space
Venue Pivots & Upgrades
Standing still is no longer an option. Rather, event planners are in search of updated hotels, venue remodels, and places that have added to their capacity with popular tented dining globes, yurts, and more.
“Everyone has been separated for so long, nobody wants to host the same old meeting that they have seen before,” says Okamura. “Overall, groups want to do something different and exciting while giving attendees new ways to reconnect after two years apart, and an expanded venue that can offer multiple facets such as sport and cuisine is certainly trending.”
Her team is flexing Grand Hyatt Vail’s meeting space in nontraditional ways, such as utilizing outdoor spaces for general sessions and saving indoor ballrooms for larger-scale event productions such as opening receptions and awards dinners.
“We are fortunate to have the banks of the Gore Creek in Vail, where we can really lean into the beautiful nature that is in our backyard as well as offer activities for our groups such as cocktails and casting. Guests get a fly-fishing casting lesson on our Gold Medal waters while enjoying a signature cocktail crafted by our bartenders to fit within their program theme,” she says.
Hilton Denver Inverness jumped on the opportunity to expand venue space during the pandemic. “We knew big events would be back, and we were right,” says Curtis Bova, general manager. “They’re even bigger than we had hoped for in the beginning of 2022. Corporate functions comprise 60% of our business; we have over 40 meeting rooms. We needed to really dial in what we wanted our space to look like when the world reopened. What would the new world of business want?”
The gamble paid off. The hotel converted a prior dedicated wedding area into a new outdoor experiential space. “We wanted to get more out of each event,” notes Bova. “The transformation resulted in a teambuilding landscape that can host up to 250 guests and activities such as early morning yoga sessions, yard games, collaborative team activities, and more.”
Aspen Meadows Resort immediately added snow globes at their on-site restaurant, Plato’s, to accommodate COVID restrictions and extend outdoor dining to a year-round affair.
“Even before the pandemic, our outdoor spaces were in demand due to the amazing views and mountains in Aspen. But the pandemic has strengthened that interest in outdoor venues as people are perhaps even more used to wanting fresh air and circulating freely in the outdoors,” says Pinkert.
It’s Time For Cake
Food Trends
Bring the banquet tables back; there is going to be lots of celebratory cake and everything else leading up to dessert. Buffets are back but hospitality staff are serving the food rather than every guest digging in, and pandemic-inspired nuances such as plated appetizers with sophisticated styling continue to be popular.
Schnepf of Biscuits + Berries says, “We’re not featuring as much single-serve, grab-and-go, and instead, small plates that are curated and prepared for guests.”
Nieuwenhuizen agrees, noting that individually wrapped items are requested more often than in the past, but many times the price does not outweigh the benefits for clients.
“We are seeing a lot of individual appetizer requests at Hotel Colorado, such as personal charcuterie martinis, baba ghanoush, and other hors d’oeuvre-style items,” adds Taylor Thulson, marketing manager at the Glenwood Springs property. “Not only are they aesthetically pleasing, but they also cater to a clientele that now has to factor in post-pandemic-related standards.” Across all channels, locally sourced and sustainable products are a hot commodity.
“We’re seeing healthier food options, more vegetarian requests, and a larger focus on sustainability as people are becoming more health-conscious post-pandemic,” says Bree DiBernardo, sales and events manager for The Gant in Aspen.
“There are more and more requests for local fare at our events,” adds Okamura. “People are being more cognizant of their global footprint, especially with larger gatherings.”
One thing is for sure: The requests for food deliveries to vacant farm lots is dissipating. “You wouldn’t believe how many requests we had to cater events in the middle of farm fields during the height of the pandemic,” says Schnepf. “All the sudden, the agricultural lands east of Denver were a hot commodity.”
The industry forecast is certainly brighter, bigger, and more community-involved. Celebrations and the return of large-scale events and conferences have refreshed meetings and events with new challenges leading to creative returns.
