3 Huge Banquet Entertainment Tips
(Most Event Planners Miss Them All)
If you’re planning a banquet with entertainment, I don’t expect you to already know these. But do yourself a favor and learn them now. You may not realize the importance now, but you will after the banquet…whether you used these or not.
While I started my career just doing my “one” magic show in Charlotte, NC, I was constantly booked as the featured entertainment at banquets. Now, I’m doing corporate entertainment at banquets all over the country. This has had me spending the majority of my career constantly looking at every detail to see what works best in that particular setting. After performing at numerous banquets for corporations, nonprofits, associations, and organizations over many years, I’ve seen a pattern among the best events. It is the textbook opposite from what I see most event planners doing.
If you’re looking for event entertainment ideas for your next banquet, unless the performer specifically requests otherwise, do these three things and enjoy the overwhelming difference.
1. Keep banquet entertainment early.
Most event planners will tell you that the entertainment should be the close of the night. In a lot of cases, I agree. BUT!! How long is the event? If people have been sitting for three hours, ringing in that fourth hour with entertainment won’t have the same enthusiasm from attendees. This isn’t because the entertainment or the rest of the night has been dull. Three hours is just a long time to sit…let alone, pay attention.
Most banquets usually have these elements: cocktail hour, dinner, awards/recognition, raffles, entertainment/speaker. That’s the agenda I typically see. Add up the predicted total of what you have going on…then add 30 minutes for cushion (trust me). If you’re looking at possibly a four hour event, the entertainment is not your closer. Have it right after dinner.
A bonus reason to have the entertainment after dinner is because, if you have a long event, and entertainment is last, you will see people leave before the show even begins…in other words, right after they see if they get an award. If you’ve spent thousands on entertainment, the worst thing that could happen is to have 10% of the people walk out because they’ve been sitting too long.
2. Keep your audience closer…
If it’s very interactive entertainment (like my show), I want the people as close as possible. In fact, my tech rider says the front row should be no more than five feet from the stage. If my closest audience member is 20-30 feet away, that’s an instant disconnect. I realize that five feet seems close, but to prove my point, I’ve had keynote speakers change their technical riders to the “five foot rule” after working the same events as me.
One more thing. Not only do I like the audience to be as close as possible to me, I like them to be as close as possible to each other. Instead of tables being 7-10 feet apart, make them 4-5. The tighter the group, the more energy in the room…and the better the show.
3. No food during the show!
This is the make or break of all banquets. I have turned down events that wouldn’t adhere to this rule and I’ve heard of other top performers doing the same thing. Accept this or not. If people have a meal in front of them, they’re not focused on the entertainer. Period. You may say, “My group is different.” No they’re not. I’ve done three shows in my career where the dinner was held during the show. All three shows were absolute disasters.
Then add the sound of silverware, plates, glasses clinking, and waitstaff walk around. And to cap it off, if people are sitting at round tables, 40% of the them will have their backs to the stage while they’re eating.
If you take one tip away from this article, take this one. Even if you’re pressed for time that night, this one with me is non negotiable.
One thing you also must ensure is that if dinner wraps up just before the show, wait staff must be informed that they can’t clear tables or refill drinks until after the show. That’s almost a bigger distraction than people eating.
Bonus Tip
A great way to keep energy levels up at a banquet is to have upbeat music during dinner/before the entertainment. The music does not have to be loud. However, if the music level is just slightly raised, people will automatically have to raise their voices to have conversation. Therefore, you automatically have a more energetic group.
One more thing!
If you’re booking a magician for a wedding reception (not as crazy as it sounds), there are so many variables. Granted, it is “banquet style” but because it’s a wedding, the entertainer should work with you to make their part fit seamlessly into your night.
In Closing
Notice that nothing I’ve told you here is difficult. It just works. And it’s so much easier to see what works when you’ve seen what doesn’t work. Wish you the very best with your upcoming events!
I am planning a church banquet for December, I love your ideas , in the past I had entertainment during dinner and it’s true, the noise and the distraction is real. I am definitely going to put these ideas in place. I am still struggling as to what to do for the entertainment itself. I also use to have the award earlier, this time definitely at the end. Your ideas all make sense. Thanks for those suggestions.
I like your tip to keep the audience close. I am planning a banquet next month at a nice sports bar and I want to hire a singer for entertainment. The banquet will be great for sure if everyone enjoys the environment. Thanks for the advice!
Thanks for your comment, Annie! Keeping the audience close will definitely keep that energy high! Good luck with your event!