DP TIPS #1! How to’s for event organizers

By Jackie Starker on July 4, 2012 in Festival 2012, Participant Tools

Want to hold an event? Not sure what kind of event to have? We’re here for you.

TIP #1: Planning the most awesome DesignPhiladelphia event, ever. Take a look back at some of the most successful events of DP’s past and be inspired!

Planning a DesignPhiladelphia event can be both exciting and daunting. Our team will be giving event organizers extra support in the months leading up to the Festival. Check your inbox for DP TIPS, get event advice, marketing guides, and more.

DATA GARDEN, THE SWITCHED ON GARDEN AT BARTRAM’S GARDEN

During the 2011 DP Festival, attendees made their way to Bartram’s Garden, the oldest surviving botanical garden in North America, for an interactive exhibition exploring the relationship between plants, music, and technology. Live music, performance, and sculpture blurred the distinction between biological and digital worlds.

Photo by Jackie Starker

WHAT WORKED

crowds loved the participatory experience //  
free and open to the public //
multi-tiered event with exhibitions, live music, entertainment, and food vendors //
new neighborhood to explore //

photo by Louis Cook

TROPHY BIKES, DESIGN BIKE TOUR

Trophy Bikes offered an easy-paced ten mile bike ride, rolling past highlights and lowlights of Philadelphia design. The tour included magnificent interiors, odd vistas, the city’s smallest and grandest squares, and more.

WHAT WORKED

bikers enjoyed the group experience //
required RSVP and low admission fee ($5) ensured a packed tour //
multi-tiered event with a bike ride, sightseeing, and conversation, all shaped around design //

photo by Christina Brown

ANTHROPOLOGIE, JEWELRY-MAKING, LETTERPRESS & BOOK-MAKING WORKSHOPS

Anthropologie held 3 SOLD OUT workshops during the 2011 DP Festival. Attendees created a one-of-a-kind jewelry piece with accessories designer Lenora Dame, made their very own custom books with ebond, designer and founder of roughdrAftbooks, and learned the art of letterpress with design house Two Paperdolls.

WHAT WORKED

workshops with hands-on participation and take-home treats //
local instructors with their own followings ensured SOLD OUT classes //
free and open to the public with required RSVP brought a committed audience //

photo by Alfred For

MOKO BEAUTY SALON, POMPADOUR

The Old City salon MOKO celebrated the popular hair trend inspired by Madame de Pompadour. Attendees sipped cocktails while eye-gazing at models pompadoured in various styles – everything from the Gibson girls to rockabilly to modern-day street couture. They even offered a complimentary gift bag to guests who wore their best pomp to the party.

WHAT WORKED

event married beauty and fashion with design aesthetics //
featured drinks and conversation //
open participation with surprise giveaways //

REGISTER YOUR EVENT

www.designphiladelphia.org/register
Early bird registration deadline is July 13. Event registration closes August 3.

About Jackie Starker

Programming Coordinator, DesignPhiladelphia. Jackie works closely with festival participants on planning, providing event inspiration to logistical tips. She also handles DP’s in-house graphic design, online communications, and more. A graduate of The University of the Arts with an industrial design degree, Jackie lives by the mantra, “homemade and handmade.” Learn more.
View all posts by Jackie Starker →

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  1. Party at Provenance October 10, 2012 | DesignPhiladelphia - July 13, 2012

    [...] Hold October 10th for DesignPhiladelphia’s smashing kick-off event. The 2012 festival, running October 10-14, begins with playtime at Provenance Architecturals, a 10,000 square-foot salvage warehouse set along cobble-stoned Canal Street near Delaware Avenue. Don’t know Provenance? Think again. As the supplier of reclaimed architectural salvage, Provenance is behind the floors at the new Barnes Foundation – wood planks created by portions of a Long Island boardwalk. Dine out much? Provenance has also helped outfit some of Philadelphia’s most distinct restaurants, from Barbuzzo to Oyster House, whose 3-inch marble raw bar was built with landscaping salvaged from Independence Mall.Provenance is overflowing with materials old and new, from Corinthian columns, to stellar globes, Victorian streetlamps, furniture and home decor, monumental stained glass, slate slabs, stacks of wood, and more 19th century milling tools than you could possibly imagine. You’ll have to wait a few months for this blowout party, but we’ll be testing signature cocktails until October, so stop by our new office at The University of the Arts for a taste test, and stay tuned for more 2012 Festival announcements. Interested in planning a DesignPhiladelphia festival event? Check out DP TIPS #1 How to’s for event organizers.  [...]

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