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[CASE STUDY] How we put a 6,500-person carnival in a company parking lot
Hey fellow event planners! I love reading case studies here, and I want to share one of ours to help inspire others. I would love to see more people post these! (Video is at the bottom).
Today I want to talk about a huge company anniversary event we planned for 6,500 people. It was for a tech company in San Jose, CA called Supermicro. They were celebrating 30 years and wanted to go big right on their own campus.
We did the whole thing right in their actual employee parking lots and open areas.
If you plan on-site corporate events or big company picnics, you know that using a client's actual property is a giant puzzle. Planning the guest flow and decor so it does not feel like a open parking lot is a huge challenge. Plus, taking away parking spaces for 6,500 guests has its own logistical headaches!
Here is exactly how we did it:
Mapping the Space and Crowd Flow
First, we had to map out the area. We looked at where the entrances and exits should go, and where to make wide walking paths. We needed to find the perfect spot for the main stage so all 6,500 people could gather comfortably at once.
Once we had our main stage set, we spread the other attractions out to the far edges of the property. We did not put all the food and games in one spot. This forced people to walk around, which kept the lines short and stopped bottlenecks. To help even more, we had performers wearing "strolling tables" around their waists passing out treats on trays.
High-Turnover Entertainment
The theme was a circus carnival. We used themed decor and matched everything to Supermicro’s red and blue brand colors.
To keep lines short, we used 15 classic carnival games (like Ring Toss). These games only take about 1 minute per person, so everyone got a turn quickly. We also hired two bubble artists. Huge bubbles drifted overhead, which added entertainment and acted as moving decor for the big open space.
Food Trucks and Band Strategy
For food, we served Chicken and Seafood Paella, Rotisserie Chicken, BBQ Pork Ribs, and Vegan Paella. These were served from high-volume food trucks so the food stayed hot, fresh, and fast. We also had a Tap Truck for beer and multiple water stations everywhere.
For music, we booked the band Scary Pockets (funk covers). Putting a high-energy band on the main stage at the 3-hour mark was actually a secret crowd-control trick. It naturally pulled over 2,000 people away from the food lines right when the catering staff needed a break to restock!
Branding and Security
We used the company's 30th-anniversary logo on all the signs and decor. We even had a Photo Mosaic Wall. We took photos of the guests at a photo booth and placed them on a giant wall to form the company logo.
To close off the open areas and create boundaries, we used perimeter fencing mixed with the vendor vehicles. Security and traffic control teams helped manage the cars. Since we used the main parking lot for the party, we used big signs and staff to direct guests to a designated parking area nearby, just like a large county fair does.
If you are an event planning company looking to scale up to huge crowds, layout is everything!
Drop a question below and I will do my best to answer everyone!
Link to Youtube Video