Category Archives: Corporate Event Entertainment

Get up and dance!!!

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Dance floor are perfect for any occasion when you want to get up and boogie! You wouldn’t have a wedding party without a dance floor, a corporate event or a private party. You may be having a talent show night and want the perfect dance floor to stage it. From light up dance floors to chequered dance floors or romantic pretty ones the choice is yours.

Wow your guests with your amazing choice of dance floor. You can fit these dance floors into almost any venue, be it a marque, hall or if you can think it, we are sure our dance floor hirers will have all the solutions. We are sure you will agree a dance floor is the perfect accessory for any up and coming fun event.

Dance floors are very advance nowadays you could have a dancefloor with LED’s which can change colour, mirrors, or even rotating ones. You could have an elevated dance floor, there are so many to choose from all personalised for your particular taste and party. A dance floor will make a venue come to life and your guests will be happy that there is somewhere to get up and dance!!!

Hiring a dance floor is easier than you think, simply scroll down our Red Masque Directory page and see which dance floor takes our fancy. If you need any advice you are always welcome to give us a call and we will be only too happy to help, but we think that the booking process is very simple, just fill out the online booking form and it will go straight to your chosen one. The dance floor hirer will be directly in contact with you to arrange finer details and dates.

Venues in Manchester for your event

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Here at Red Masque directory, we like to give you ideas for different cities that you could hold your event. Today we are taking about Greater Manchester:

We provide a directory for you of fun entertainment ideas and equipment hire.

Why host your event in Manchester?

Crowned the world’s ‘Best Sports City’ in 2012
Ranked as Europe’s Top city for business competitiveness in 2010
Started Manchester Enterprise Zone
Third most visited city in the UK by foreign visitors

If you’re interested in organising a corporate event in the city but want a venue with a difference, here are 10 unique places to choose from:

1. The Palace Hotel, Oxford Road

What could be better for a conference, wedding or charity event than an iconic, Grand Victorian luxury hotel?

The Palace Hotel features a beautiful glass-domed lobby, stunning art deco interiors and 885 metres of space for up to 900 guests- so there’s plenty of room for entertainment equipment.

2. Audit Room, Chetham’s School of Music

Chetham’s School of Music is the largest specialist music school in the UK and the only music school based in the North of England.

If you’re organising an event and looking for a vibrant atmosphere in a setting with gothic windows and 17th century doors, what better venue than a building that is nearly 600 years-old and truly magical.

3. Players’ Lounge, Hotel Football

Want to say that your event is in a building founded by the infamous Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville? The Football Hotel is a unique venue situated yards from the Old Trafford stadium.

The Players’ Lounge is a great space that can accommodate up to 200 standing and 100 guests seated.

4. Main Gym, Evolve

Work up a sweat by hosting a fun, innovative event at Main Gym!

The venue has the capacity for up to 200 people and the combat sports facility comes complete with boxing ring, trapeze, gloves, shin pads and more.

5. Rovers Return, Coronation Street

If you’re a big Corrie fan, take to the Manchester cobbled streets by hiring out the nation’s famous pub.

The venue tour can hold up to 250 standing guests or 80 dining, and you get wine and dined in the main studio, surrounded by the iconic sets.

6. Zombie Shack

Just the name of it is unique and cool!

The Zombie Shack, near Oxford Road Station, is the loudest and wildest Tiki Cocktail Paradise in Manchester. Please note it’s only available to hire midweek.

7. 2nd Floor; K2 Karaoke Nightclub

One might associate a nightclub with an evening of music, drink and dancing but it can be so much more with a cocktail bar on hand and a dance floor space that’s ready for you to throw out some shapes!

The K2 Karaoke Nightclub, located in the heart of Manchester’s China Town, plays host to corporate events and private functions on a weekly basis.

So if you want somewhere different to host your event (and also get your groove on), this place is ideal

8. Chill Factore

The Chill Factore is home to the UK’s longest indoor skiing and snowboarding slope and is a brilliant family day out but it’s also a great place to hold an event whether that’s a team building experience with your business or a conference.

It’s situated just off the M60 so it’s super accessible too!

9. The University of Manchester

It’s not just a place for learning! The University of Manchester offer fantastic conference and event facilities all year round.

Its inspirational heritage and convenient location make it an excellent choice and some of their venues are suitable for up to 1000 delegates which is perfect if you’re planning a large scale event.

10. Museum of Science and Industry

Situated on Liverpool Road, the Museum of Science and Industry is a truly unique venue with gorgeous galleries and state-of-the-art function rooms.

The historic building offers an amazing backdrop for events and conferences and it can accommodate a variety of event sizes from 50 to over 300.

Event ideas for businesses

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There are many ways to create a unique experience for your employees, customers, and potential customers. Hosting a business event like a happy hour or networking event is a great way to get in front of people and more about them at the same time.

Set your budget – How much can you afford to spend for the event? What will you need? Some of the usual costs associated with events include the venue, food, drinks, decor, marketing (printing/postage), giveaways and labour.

Create a guest list – How many people and who will you invite? How many people do you expect to show up? These answers will help you with the rest of the items on this list. Start by looking at your customer base and work from there. Use other networking events that you attend to pass out info about your event, if appropriate.

Select a date – When is the best time for your event? Select a few dates that work for you your potential invitees. Most people won’t be able to take time out from work just for your event. Keep in mind that your date needs to coincide with your venue availability. The more flexible you are, the better your chance of getting a great location, and a good price.

Research locations – Should your event be held at your business, or do you need to check out other locations that might work? How much room do they have? What does the venue include (i.e., food, drinks, staff, audio equipment)? Can you use their venue in exchange for getting more people in their door or in trade for something from your business?

Pick a theme – Having a theme can help brand your entire event from invitations to decorations, food, and drink ideas. Remember, the holidays are right around the corner and people LOVE holidays. Use Pinterest to your advantage for finding inexpensive and fun ideas for your theme.

Questions to ask yourself: How are you going to promote your event? What’s the right way to reach your target attendee, email, social media, print invitation? What will you offer people to get them to attend?

Send invitations – Try using different methods (paper, email, social media) to send out your invitations. You know your audience, what will work best for them? You may want to use multiple methods.

Find a similar or complementary business to co-host an event with you. You can use their customer list to gain more attendees for your event and possibly more prospects for your business.
Get donations from other business that might benefit from your event. They can sponsor different aspects of your event or help with giveaways.
Have invitations available at your place of business (if you have one), and on you all times to pass out. You never know when you’ll need them.
Social media is free! Make sure to use it to your advantage. You can offer invitees a deal for sharing your event with their friends.

Last but not least, play the host/hostess. Make sure during the event that you work the room and keep the event, conversation, food and drinks flowing!

Sugar and Spice and all things nice

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Cotton Candy, also known as Candy Floss, Fairy Floss, Papa’s beard and even Old Woman’s Hair is made by spinning flossine sugar. The first records of Candy Floss in Europe date back to the 18th century, with it becoming popular in 1904 after the invention of the candy floss spinning machine we are all now familiar with. It was in April of that year that Candy Floss was taken to the World’s Fair where over 68,000 boxes were sold for 25 cents each (approx. £4 today), which was half the cost of admission! It was clear from this day onwards that candy floss would be extremely popular for people of all ages.

If this has got you craving some of the fluffy goodness, we can certainly help! At Red Masque, we have a great selection of Candy Floss options for your event amongst lots of other sweet treats.

Candy floss carts are a great feature at any event. Your guests can grab a stick (or bag) of the sugary stuff from our friendly fun experts, or see a demonstration on how to make the Candy Floss, before having a go themselves.

If popcorn is more your thing, then a popcorn machine is just the thing for your event, whether it be a birthday party, wedding or corporate event entertainment you’re after. That sweet smell of popcorn will draw all of your guests in and have them coming back for more and more!

If you really want to be taken back to those childhood days of filling up a paper bag with your favourite sweet treats, then why not hire a Pick N Mix cart to sweeten your guests taste buds. If your event has a specific colour scheme or theme, then why not choose a range of sweets that tie in with theme or personalised rock which will be a special touch.

Sweet treats don’t stop there though, if you are planning an event for next summer and would like a sweet treat to cool your guests down, Ice cream bike hire will do just that! Alternatively, if you would like a healthier treat, fruit selection carts would be great.

Plan ahead for your New Year party

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A Roast of the Past Year​

Everybody loves a good laugh! Instead of roasting the guest of honour, hire a Comedian to roast the past year. In this day and age, pop culture is inescapable, so your guests will be roaring with laughter as they look back at the year they’re leaving behind.

​From the year’s most famous celebrities to the moments that will go down in the history books, looking back (and making fun of) the year you’re leaving behind is a great way to commemorate the year and prepare for the next! You and your guests will laugh your way into the new year!

Red Carpet Party ​

​With a long red carpet, some velvet rope, a photographer, and your closest friends dressed to the nines—it’s amazing how a space can turn into a black tie affair! Get ready to ring in the New Year in style—and don’t forget the bubbly!

​For all of us who have practiced our Oscar’s acceptance speech into a shampoo bottle, here’s a chance to make it feel real. You and your guests can arrive in style in a limousine, walk down the red carpet and have photos taken by the “press and paparazzi,” and party like rock stars straight into the new year.

Casino Party​

​They say that the house always wins, so why not bring the casino to your house?

​Renting Casino is easy at Red Masque! Invite your best friends, hire a Barman to keep the drinks flowing, and test your luck for the new year! With slot machines, Blackjack, Roulette and everything in between, your guests will never forget the New Year’s Eve when Vegas came to them!

Disco Party ​

​With a 70’s Disco theme, your party will be “Staying’ Alive” with funk and retro dance steps! Put on an afro wig and your tallest pair of platforms, and you’ll be grooving’ all night to some Disco hits.

​Folks in the 70’s really knew how to party. It’s time to bring back the dance fever! Hire a DJ for some classic Disco hits and hang up a disco ball for the full effect. Break out those old lava lamps, some glow bracelets, and if you’re feeling brave, strap on those old roller skates! A Makeup Artist can match your glitter jumpsuit, and a professional Hair Stylist can really pull your look together with some Farrah Fawcett feathering. Now, let’s boogie!

Cirque du New Year​

​What better way to say goodbye to one year and hello to another than throwing your very own Cirque du Soleil—New Year’s Eve style! A circus-themed party is a feast for the eyes, perfect for corporate event entertainment and is sure to leave your guests raving about their start to the new year!

​From Aerialists to Fire Performers to Stilt Walkers and everything in between, you will find exactly what you need on Red Masque entertainment directory to make your Cirque party a hit.

Times Square Party ​

​So, you couldn’t make it to actual Times Square to watch the ball drop. That’s okay! We can bring the feel of New York City to you.

​Recreating the ball drop isn’t the easiest thing to do. But, here’s the next best thing… make a homemade confetti drop to line the ceiling. This can be a net, drop cloth, or other large cloth with ropes attached to release the confetti when the time is right! Invite all of your friends; it won’t feel like Times Square unless your party is packed. Party all night with your favourite 2016 tunes by hiring a DJ or Cover Band to perform. When the clock strikes midnight, have your noisemakers ready and pull the ropes to release the confetti! For a true Times Square experience, have your loved ones write down their wishes for the New Year on pieces of confetti and create a Wishing Wall!

Go Photo booth mad!!!

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Say cheese! Let’s talk about Photo Booths! Photo booths are more than just the strip of mini pics you used to get in town. Nowadays, photo booths are a popular entertainment for parties, wedding receptions, and corporate events. Having a photo booth at your event lets your guests have a little fun of their own instead of relying on a photographer to capture those moments. However, if your event does require a photographer—like a wedding reception—many photographers also offer photo booth services. Requesting a photo booth from your photographer will usually be more cost efficient than hiring both separately.

Have Fun with Props

Most photo booth companies will provide various props for you and your friends to play around with. Props may include moustaches, funny hats, glasses, masks, etc. Some photo booth services also provide ways for you to include a message in the photo, like a dry erase board or blackboard thought bubbles. These are great to use as a kind of interactive guest book. Another benefit to having a photo booth at your event is that it inspires your guests to get a little silly. It gives you some impromptu, fun, candid shots of your guests having a good time!

Take Your Memories Home

Aside from creating a fun atmosphere, photo booths provide your guests with a tangible memory of the event. For a corporate event, businesses can integrate their logo or brand in the photos as a reminder of your services. For a private event, such as a wedding, photos can be used for party favours for your guests. We all love showing the world our fun parties and events on social media, but there’s something nostalgic about having the photos in hand or hanging on the fridge.

Let Your Guests Mingle

Hiring party and corporate event entertainment can take any event to the next level, but there’s also an opportunity to immerse your guests into the experience. You may already have a band, DJ or other entertainer booked for your event, but what better way to involve the crowd than to let them provide their own entertainment? It’s also a great way for them to interact with each other if it’s their first encounter.

Photo booths are perfect for almost any type of event and for groups of all ages. You’ll cherish the photo memories for years to come!

Get your Christmas party organised now!!!!!

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Incredibly, it’s November already. Where on earth have the past ten months gone? It seems like only yesterday that we were being wowed by the Christmas lights of Bond Street. But now we look ahead to the next few months and like it or not, Christmas is drawing near. Which means a Christmas party needs to be organised? And Christmas entertainment needs to be sorted. Here are some ‘different’ slices of entertainment for your Christmas party

Magicians are brilliant and tend to navigate the party room with a sense of mystique following behind. Often dressed in a suit, they charm and move on, often somewhat surprising the next group whom haven’t noticed them as they wander the room., a costume could be put together in a bespoke manner for each event i.e. Christmas. Sure to get the crowds talking, they’re also great for a photo opportunity.

Stilt Walkers

Stilt walkers are available and will add surprise proving to be a hit with passers-by and clients alike. Having said that, they are more likely to be booked at Christmas events, entertaining as a meet and greet acts or ripping up the dance floor. The costumes can be bespoke especially for your Christmas event.

Living objects

Even the grumpiest Scrooge in the building will struggle not to smile at a festive circus act in the room. Living Christmas presents that will brighten up your venue. What more could you want? Well, what if the presents sprouted legs, hand out small gifts and get into all sorts of trouble and skirmishes as their competitive nature comes to fruition? A festive treat that has to be seen to be believed, this splendidly visual act can enhance any event at a low cost. A fun and entertaining way to get the room talking!

Photo booths
Photo booths are always great fun and offer up the opportunity to attempt to convince your friends that you’ve been whisked to Lapland rather than Lambeth, but if you’re looking for something even more spectacular this Christmas, a photo booth experience in the centre of your Christmas party! A ski simulator inside an inflatable dome, four people can compete to see who reigns supreme on the virtual slopes.

Virtual Polar Bear

Why have soft toys or a character from Frozen when you can have your very own polar bear at your party? Yes, a virtual Polar Bear exists to put all other Christmas parties to shame. Coming complete with blinking eyes, a sniffing nose, moving mouth and realistic sounds, this Polar Bear is a fully animatronic puppet that even comes with his own inflatable iceberg environment. Grab a coke and pose for a unique Christmas party photo!

Christmas party time

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It is just around the corner; but it’s always best to plan your next Christmas event as early as you can to avoid disappointment. If you want to create your own winter experience, either for a party, corporate event or business attraction, here are a few hints from Red Masque entertainment directory to make your Christmas event wonderful!

If you want a show as part of your event, you’ll need an inside space or warm, dry and well-appointed marquee to hold it in. Acts that look great in marquees include:

• Dance groups who can fill the performance area with music, movement and style!
• Circus acts, especially aerialists, or silk acrobats!
• Experienced party bands that can play in all those cheesy pop hits we love at Xmas!

Make your event great by having sheer variety of entertainment on offer. So, offer lots of different acts to see, rather than one big attraction and people will enjoy the event more.

• Walkabout acts really help build a holiday atmosphere – check out Christmas costumed characters, ice characters and stilt walkers.
• Generate a warm feeling with fire acts to light up the winter darkness
• Conjure up the magic of Christmas with street magicians performing close-up tricks and illusions

Food and Drink
• Hire a hog roast or BBQ for outside cooked goodies
• Offer traditional treats such as roasted chestnuts and mulled wine that fill the air with deliciously Christmas smells!
• Be cool with a Christmas cocktail bar, decorated with ice sculptures serving frosted cocktails or frozen daiquiris (and non-alcoholic drinks for the drivers)

Fun things to do:
Visitors love interactive experiences, (aka things to do). They don’t have to be very fancy, just lots of fun for any age.

• Turn traditional side stalls into Christmas fun, such as a snowball coconut shy.
• Book a winter or “Frozen” themed bouncy castle with integrated rain cover, so the weather doesn’t stop the fun
• Get your skates on and book an artificial ice rink – all the fun, none of the wet! Most ice rink suppliers offer a complete package with chalet, boot hire, and experienced staff trained in the required health and safety procedures.

And if that all sounds great fun but such a lot of work right now, hey, there’s always next year! At Red Masque, we’re already seeing lots of people now booking acts for Christmas 2016, so find your perfect acts now to make your own winter wonderland happen.

All about the Bride

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The big day is almost here and things can get a little stressful and hectic. Planning a wedding can take up months of a bride’s life and can leave her feeling more relief to get the day over with than excitement for the day to come. Because of this, it is important for the bride to take a day off. A day to relax, eat cake, spend time with friends and family, play games and receive some gifts. Throwing a great bridal shower will be just what the bride needs to regain some of her sanity after months of wedding planning. Red Masque has everything you need to help you plan the perfect Bridal Shower. 

Plan Ahead

Usually the maid of honour, bridesmaid, mother or sister will be responsible for throwing the bride her bridal shower. It does not all have to fall on one person though. It is actually a good idea to have two or three people assist in the planning and covering costs. You should allow yourself about 6-8 weeks to plan the shower. Some of the first things you need to work out: What kind of party will this be? Formal or casual? Where will it be hosted? Your home, someone else’s home, a restaurant, a park, etc.? Will there be a theme? Sometimes it can be fun to have a gift theme; such as, lingerie, travel items or kitchen ware. Once you have these basics nailed down, send out the invitations as quickly as possible. Purchase generic ones and fill them out or have specialty invitations printed that match the theme or colours you have chosen. This is a special day to be shared with people that are special to the bride, so have her help with the guest list. 

Entertain (and Maybe Embarrass) Her

Primarily, bridal showers are about both relaxing and getting gifts that are both fun and useful for the bride and groom. However, it is also important that everyone, both the bride and the guests, have a lot of fun. The most popular form of entertainment for a bridal shower are games. There are lots of resources online with lists and lists of different games to play. It’s important to choose games that match your bride’s personality. If she’s a shy person by nature, don’t pick the games that will embarrass her and make her uncomfortable. If the bride does not want games at all and wants the shower to be more of a party, then book entertainment. For a larger party, you might want to hire a jazz band classical ensemble or strolling violinist to provide background music as your guests mingle. It would also be interesting to hire an impersonator of one of the bride’s favourite celebrities for a meet and greet and to take photos with the guests. If the location for the shower is appropriate for it, perhaps you could hire a comedian or hypnotist to put on a short show for the guests. 

For a smaller bridal shower with just a handful of guests, you might instead want to consider something other than a party. Take the bride and small group to the spa for the day, go antique shopping or maybe even plan an entire weekend out of town somewhere the bride loves or has always wanted to visit. Really, it all comes down to what the bride wants, so it’s a good idea to keep her involved. 

Filling in the Details

No matter why time of day you have chosen for the shower, you must provide refreshments. Of course, the most important food to be present is the cake. Hire a cake decorator to design a cake that matches the theme or wedding colours. If the time of the shower lands between meals, then cake may be all you need in regards to snacks, but be sure to provide beverages as well or an alternative treat for those crazy guests that might not like cake. If budget allows, have the shower over a meal and hire a caterer to plan the menu and a waiting staff to handle all the work involved. If the caterer does not provide a bar service and you do want drinks provided, you might want to hire a bartender to serve cocktails, wine or champagne. Or to spice things up a little, hire a cocktail waiter! The guests can be entertained by juggling, flipping and magic tricks while also enjoying professionally mixed drinks! 

Once you have all your ideas and plans in place, it is time start putting them into action. Set the scene with some great decorations that match the theme you’ve chosen, or if there is no theme, then just decor or flowers that match the wedding colours. It is also a good idea to provide some sort of party favours to give to the guests as a thank you for their attendance and contribution to the bride’s special day. Some good favours for a bridal shower would be candy, candles, picture frames or for smaller gatherings, something personalized for each guest. One fun idea is to have each guest take a picture with the bride-to-be and have a copy of the picture for both the bride and for the guest. You could have the photos printed on the spot, perhaps in a photo booth style set up, or just have them printed after the shower and the bride can send each picture to the guest with their thank you card. You can handle all the picture taking yourself, assign it to another guest, or for a bigger event, you may want to hire a photographer to be there so that everyone can focus on the fun and no one has to worry about capturing it all through a lens. 

If all of this sounds like a lot to take on, you could always hire a party planner to handle it for you. However, with the right resources, and maybe a little help from friends, you can do it yourself and have a lot of fun doing it!

25 creative entertainment ideas

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If you are a planner, you’ll probably in need of some creative entertainment ideas for your event or meeting, so because of that, we at Red Masque have put together a nice list.    

1.          Hire a comedian who can poke some fun at your CEO, do an impersonation of him, or even make light of your industry as a whole.

2.          Hire a magician that can incorporate your sales message into his magic, or cut your CEO or receptionist in half. He might even be able to vanish the CEO, much to the delight of the employees.

3.            Book a vocal improvisation group to take requests and spin them into a funny performance.

4.            Have a musician write a song about your company and play it at the event.

5.          Hire a celebrity impersonator to come to the event and sign autographs and take pictures with guests.

6.          Book a caricature artist to draw personalized sketches of each employee at the company. These are fun souvenirs as well.

7.          Book a digital caricature artist who composes his or her photos digitally on a computer right in front of your eyes. They can even personalize the backdrop to reflect the company or event. This is a great souvenir for the guests to take home.

8.          Book a balloon artist that makes the life size figures such as Disney characters, scenery like palm trees, huge company logos, and more. The balloon artist can do these figures with everyone watching making it an experience to watch the balloons being put together.

9.            How about a strolling juggler who can mingle through the cocktail hour.

10.        Book a stilt walker to make a big announcement for your company at an annual conference or meeting. It is a fun and guaranteed way to get everyone’s attention.

11.        A clown is a great option for events with children or families. There are also evil clowns for events with no kids or around Halloween.

12.        Book a palm reader to make psychic predictions about the future of the company or to tell people’s fortunes.

13.        Hire a reality TV star to interact with guests. They are far less money than big time Hollywood celebrities.

14.          Book a tribute band to play the songs of an artist that is popular among the guests.

15.        An a cappella group can perform on stage or stroll through the event during a cocktail hour or dinner.

16.        Hire a symphony orchestra to play at the event. You will need to consider space requirements for this type of an act.

17.          You could have a mime act out a corporate message to employees or event customers.

18.          Book a DJ to play only requested songs or songs from a certain era such as the 80’s

19.        Break dancers can be lots of fun. They are generally young, hip, and add a sense of youth to an event.

20.          How about a mariachi band for some festive music.

21.          A steel drum band can be a nice addition to a high end gala event.

22.        Booking a fire eater can be a great way to kick off the launch of a hot new product or service.

23.        Carollers can be nice addition to the Christmas season

24.        A living statue can be a great idea for almost any event. Make sure you ask for a living statue that matches closely to the theme of your event or meeting.

25.        Booking a circus act is a great idea when the event needs something remarkable or to get a buzz going. Make sure you can accommodate for the space some of the circus acts require.