March 17th Around The World

With only a few days left in this abbreviated month, March will be here before we know it. It is a month full of calendar highlights – the beginning of daylight saving time, the first day of spring, and of course, St. Patrick’s Day. Though this holiday is strongly associated with the Irish culture, cities and countries around the world partake in jovial celebrations and share in the cheerful spirit of the day.

The parades in Dublin and New York are two of the most famous, and draw thousands of spectators decked out in knit sweaters, tartan hats, and a few “Kiss Me I’m Irish” pins. However, each celebrating city puts a spin on the festivities to make it unique and its own. In Chicago, its namesake river is turned green using vegetable dyes. Hope that visitors and tourists don’t think the river is always that color!

Not too far from Dublin, Copenhagen’s celebration has a more athletic tone to it. Hundreds of participants engage in what can only be described as a three-legged pub crawl. Along the route, tethered competitors stop at local Irish pubs, drink at least a half a pint of beer, and continue on their trek. Proceeds of the event are split among three charities – one Danish, one Irish, and one international.

Halfway around the world in Tokyo, Japan, marchers parade down one of its most fashionable avenues that has been flanked on either side for the occasion with Irish and Japanese flags. The Irish Ambassador to Japan leads the kilt-wearing, bag-pipe playing participants, who splurge on $7 pints of Guinness! 

For this upcoming St. Patrick’s Day, iconic landmarks around the world are going to “go green”. India's Taj Mahal, Disneyland Paris, the London Eye, the welcome sign in Las Vegas, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and the Empire State Building will all be aglow in emerald green to mark the holiday.

Though you may have to wait until next year for Dublin, see if your local town or city is planning any activities or events. And who says you can’t bring a piece of the Emerald Isle to your backyard and celebrate with friend and neighbors. La Fhéile Pádraig Sona Daoibh!

For more information about Stamford Tent & Event Services and our St. Patrick Day “Irish mist rain plans”, visit our website at www.stamfordtent.com or e-mail us at sales@stamfordtent.com.

By Meredith Vachon

Too Big? Too Small? Just Right!

Spring has finally sprung, and weekend events, summer parties, and outdoor receptions are making their triumphant return. When potential clients contact us to begin the planning process, they often have a general idea of what type of party they are interested in – cocktail, birthday, graduation party, wedding ceremony, reception. However, they usually need assistance in creating an environment that will truly make their celebration a stunning success. As one begins to consider and work through all the possible ideas, items and details that you never considered start popping up. Believe me… It is better to work out these specifics early on in order to avoid waking up in the middle of the night two days before your event in a complete panic!

One of the first questions we ask our customers when discussing their event is, “How many people are you thinking of?” While it may seem like a simple question, the answer is the launching point for the entire process. It provides a baseline of how much space will be minimally required for your party. If you are like me, visualizing an open area has never been my strongest suit. But with a preliminary headcount, you begin to decide how large or small of a marquee you will need.

From there, you contemplate what type of style you want. Are you thinking of cocktail tables located throughout with passed hors d'oeuvres? Or will you have buffet stations line one side of the tent?  Maybe you are considering a seated affair with round tables, and handsome servers easily navigating through the space. In order to provide your guests a comfortable and enjoyable experience, choosing a general layout and style will help give your party a good flow, and hopefully prevent guests from developing bruised elbow syndrome!

Then you can move onto the fun part – entertainment! Are you going to have a DJ or a string quartet or maybe even a full swing band! (My vote is for the swing band by the way.) Each of these options requires you to think about the size of the bandstand or platform you will want to include in order to showcase “the talent.” And if you are going to have music, you absolutely need a dance floor! Based on how many people you are planning on inviting (and how many you think will truly party down!), you can then select a size that is appropriate. No one wants a dance floor that is either too crowded or too empty!

If you need some help getting started, be sure to look at our website. We provide general sizing information and a Wedding Timetable to keep you on track. Though you may not have all of these decisions set from the beginning, having an idea of what you want allows the conversation to begin. Details may change, but at the end of the day, the most important part is that you are celebrating a special occasion. That - and that you have an amazing time at your own party. Good luck and happy planning! 



by Meredith Darts