Four event trends emerge in Johannesburg this year and they’re hot as ever

Research to find this year’s eventing trends has been compiled by Flint & Tinder Events, Unicord, The Production Works, EPH Productions, Chillfunk Sound and Audio and CME Décor.

“It was imperative for us to develop a trend report for the industry because our clients trust us to create an experience that is memorable for all the right reasons,” said Nicole Reitz-Chidrawi, co-founder of Flint and Tinder Events.

Read: Six beverage trends to look out for this year

The key findings across event elements such as venue hire, decorations, photography, content and theme highlighted four trends.

• Top tech trends. Eventing apps for mobile devices are making planning and organisation quicker, easier and more interactive, before, during and after an event. The digital swag bag is on the rise, with guests at an event having digital vouchers for gifts sent to their mobile device, which saves time and money. One of the most exciting technology trends is virtual reality, with well-executed VR content able to offer guests an almost firsthand experience, avoiding the costs or logistics of a real-life encounter.
• Food is not so fast. Guests’ food experience can make or break an event, and smart event planners are growing their focus on offering healthy food from sustainable or artisanal sources. Craft beers and meals from food trucks are popular because guests can engage face to face with the person making their meal, learning more about where the food is sourced and how it is prepared at the source. Food labelling is increasingly on trend and in demand giving guests the nutritional information.
• Keep control of costs. Businesses are seeking to achieve more than one objective from an event, often scheduling an evening awards event to follow a daytime conference for the same guests at the same venue. Event organisers have more tools at their fingertips to keep control of their costs. Websites have made venue hunting and building budgets into a less time-consuming and expensive task than it used to be.
• Back to natural elements. Decor suppliers are increasingly looking to nature for their inspiration, with combinations of simple white flowers, woven cane decor and floral fabrics contrasted with monochrome elements being particularly popular. Real plants are making a huge comeback and are beautifully juxtaposed against industrial design and geometry.

Edited by Stacey Woensdregt

Would you incorporate any of these trends into your next event? Tell us how you would do so by commenting on the City Buzz Facebook page.