This spring I organized the Industry Olympix event for the Dallas Chapter of the International Special Events Society (ISES).
The Industry Olympics is an annual event which brings local hospitality industry organizations together for an evening of fun and competition. Each organization has a team and they battle the other organizations for the championship title.
We decided the Dallas Zoo would be a perfect place to host the event and themed everything around it – from the décor to the team challenges. Teams paid a nominal fee to register and select a mascot from a list of zoo animals. Their registration fee was donated to the zoo in order to sponsor their mascot animal. Teams really got into the spirit of things and many wore costumes based on their mascots.
Environmentally friendly, upscale safari décor adorned the open air pavilion. A mixture of animal print and burlap linens added color and texture to the room. In order to keep the animal prints from overpowering the look they were paired with neutral khaki and brown linens which balanced the look. Reusable potted plants and lanterns served as “green” centerpieces which can, and have been reused multiple times. Bamboo table runners and leather lounge seating completed the look and added more neutral touches of brown and white. Finally, animal themed statues and plush toys brought a bit of whimsy to the space.
Guests who weren’t assigned to a team were able to follow the competition, explore the zoo at their leisure or play carnival games at the pavilion such as “whack-a-mole”. Our very own “ostrich jockey” posed with guests for humorous pictures!
This year’s event was a huge success. Thank you to all who attended and to our generous sponsors: Astounding Sounds, Amusement Masters, Cloth Connection, Dallas Zoo, iEntertainment, K&S Photography, LiveWire, Significant Events of Texas, and Ultimate Ventures.
If you would like to participate in next year’s event then visit www.isesdallas.com to sign up for their newsletter.
