Step right in, fellow corporate planners, HR professionals, and anyone passionate about crafting unforgettable business experiences! We’re thrilled to welcome you to the WCF Events’ Blog – your dynamic hub for all things related to corporate event planning and elevating your company culture with an emphasis on team building, company picnics, holiday parties and more!
In this space, you’ll discover much more than just articles; you’ll find a meticulously curated collection of insights designed to empower you. Dive into the freshest industry news, keeping you ahead of the curve on evolving trends and emerging technologies in the events landscape. We share invaluable tips and tricks honed over decades of orchestrating successful corporate gatherings, covering everything from smart budgeting strategies and seamless vendor management to innovative venue selection and maximizing attendee engagement.
Are you looking for fresh ideas to energize your team? Our blog is a treasure trove of the latest team building trends, offering creative concepts that foster collaboration, boost morale, and drive employee productivity back in the office. From interactive challenges to immersive experiences, we explore ways to transform group dynamics. And yes, you’ll find “everything in between” – insightful analyses on event ROI, sustainability practices, hybrid event solutions, and effective post-event follow-ups.
What sets our blog apart? Our articles are penned by WCF Events’ own corporate events industry experts. We don’t just write about trends; we live and breathe them, constantly staying on top of current innovations and best practices. This ensures you’re getting information that’s not only relevant but also actionable and reliable. We pride ourselves on crafting easy-to-read articles that cut through the noise, focusing directly on the topics that matter most to you and your organization.
Read, Learn and Let us know if you have questions, comments or want to hear more about specific topics! We are here to help and get you the content that you need!
9 Corporate Team Building Activity Ideas to Boost Engagement If you’re searching for a corporate team building activity that does more than fill time on the calendar but effectively boosts engagement instead, you’re in the...
Office Olympics: 5 Meaningful Team Building Ideas to Start the New Year Strong The start of a new year is the perfect time to re-energize your team, reset goals and build stronger connections across departments....
14 Charitable Activities for Companies that Care Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives today go beyond writing a check — employees want to personally get involved and help make a difference. When your team comes together...
13 Best Chicago Holiday Party Entertainment Ideas to Make Your Celebration Extra Spirited! The company holiday party should be so much more than free food and drinks — it’s a chance to celebrate, connect, and...
4 Steps to Easy Holiday Party Planning in Chicago Planning a holiday party for your company doesn’t have to be stressful. With the right approach—and the right Holiday Party Planner in Chicago—it is easy to...
Top 16 Team Building Activities in Chicago for Unforgettable Corporate Events Planning a corporate outing that not only energizes your team but also is something they actually enjoy definitely feels like a challenge—but not in...
AI-Integrated Team Events: The Future of Team Building is Here AI has been expanding into every corner of our lives so it only makes sense for AI-Integrated Team Events to be a part of those...
Unlocking Employee Productivity: How Fun Company Events Fuel Office Success The hum of a productive office is music to any business leader’s ears. But in today’s demanding work environment, maintaining high employee productivity isn’t just...
For corporate planners, orchestrating a flawless event often feels like juggling flaming torches while riding a unicycle. From intricate logistics to demanding deadlines, the challenges are plentiful. That’s where WCF Events steps in, becoming the...
Corporate Event Planning Cycle – How to Plan Ahead to Maximize the Value of your Events Whether you are a seasoned corporate planner or just got assigned to this year’s planning committee for the first...
Meetings, Meetings, Meetings. Meetings are an essential part of the corporate world. They are often chock-full of essential information and new learning opportunities. Meetings are also a rare time to get everyone together in one...
11 Summer Outings to Engage and Entertain Your Employees Summer Outings are not one size fits all! WCF Event Experts have pulled together 11 great summer outing event ideas to make it easier to find...
2024 Company Summer Olympics – Go for the Gold! The Summer Olympics may be in Paris this year but you can host your own Company Olympics anywhere you want! WCF makes it easy to add...
Ask the Experts: How to Choose the Right Summer Event for Your Company In this episode of “Ask the Experts”, WCF President and Co-Founder, Murrel Karsh, shares his 25 years of strategic event planning advice...
Every company is different – different number of employees, different values, different issues, different hours, different products and services. And just like companies, summer events are not one size fits all. WCF specializes in tailoring...
Team Building has been around for a long time, and for good reason. Every team benefits from stretching their teamwork muscles and exercising their business skills in a fun and engaging way. But the concept...
6 Ideas for Teacher Professional Development Day Events CPS Vendor Number: 59532 Each school year several days are set aside for teacher and administrator Professional Development (PD). This is important time designated for learning new...
Your Trusted Source for Venues in Chicago, the Suburbs and Beyond! Did you know that WCF Events now hosts 100% of its event offsite? It’s true! And even before we moved to our new offices...
Dear Loyal WCF Events Clients, Given some confusion from some recent press articles about our sports complex division at 2367 West Logan Blvd closing on August 31, 2023, we wanted to make 100% sure our...
Dear Loyal WCF Events Clients and Sports Complex Friends and Families, As many of you may have seen in the press or heard through the grapevine, the sports complex division at 2367 West Logan Blvd...
Chicago is famous for many things, but a long summertime isn’t one of them. Thankfully, the weather is gorgeous following the official season, and that makes it a spectacular time to host your “summer” company...
To our Clients and Partners, We hope you’re doing well. We’re reaching out with a message of thanks and some exciting news about our nationwide expansion. Because of clients like you, WCF Events has grown...
9 Ideas For Take Your Child to Work Day On April 27th, 2023 Take your child to work day is April 27th. But it is more than just an opportunity for employees to bring their...
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has and continues to be a top priotiry for businesses. In today’s world it is important to show that companies care about making the world a better place, so much so...
To our Amazing Customers and Employees!! It seems impossible to believe that 25 years ago this week, two naïve 20-somethings who thought they had a clue of what they were doing, opened the doors to Windy...
Gamification is transforming corporate events by creating new ways to motivate employees and more importantly, increase employee engagement. Gamification takes something you are already doing and makes it more effective by adding game elements to...
Will Summer 2022 be the True Revival of In-Person Events? The snow is melting and temperatures are warming up. As Chicago begins to feel winter shifting into spring, we are also feeling a change in...
Whether your company worked from home every day or most days, the pandemic had a major effect on the amount of in-person bonding time with your coworkers. It was nice to spend more time at...
Togetherness – The #1 Take Away from 2021 Employee Outings! After a unique and busy summer event season, we think back on how much has changed since the start of 2021. With little clarity about...
There is Still Time to Book Your Summer Outing – 5 Great Employee Summer Event Ideas to Make it the Best One Yet! Summer is HERE and planning season is in full swing! We put...
Summer Events 2021 – Let’s Call it the Comeback Summer! After over a year of saying no to everything except zoom calls, we can now say yes! Yes to the Autoshow, Yes to Lollapalooza, and...
Winter 2021: The Return of the Holiday Party With cities across the country making their reopening plans, the events industry is buzzing with the excitement of summer company picnics and outings. We’re getting back in...
The Team Building Event You Didn’t Know You Needed – A Spring Outdoor Scavenger Hunt With the world opening back up, people are eager to get back to socializing and enjoying time outside of the...
Spy Games and Race to a Million – Two New Virtual Events! At WCF Events, we like to keep things fresh and exciting especially while we are still engaging virtually! We designed TWO NEW and...
Sick of Virtual Trivia Happy Hours? Try These Out-of-the Box Virtual Event Ideas! By now most employees are experts at working from home and Zoom meetings have become second nature. We’ve spent so much time...
8 Ways to Kick Off 2021 with a Bang! Remember back in March when we thought this would all be over in a few weeks. We waited and postponed until we finally accepted our new...
Dear WCF Events, A Holiday Edition DEAR WCF EVENTS: The holidays are coming sooner than I expected and I have found myself in an endless Google Search of potential virtual event options. Everything seems so...
After testing over 15,000 corporate attendees and receiving FDA and CDC approval*, WCF is excited to announce that we have developed the cure for… RZF RESTING ZOOM FACE This syndrome is HIGHLY contagious and depletes...
9 Holiday Party Ideas for Any Phase of the Pandemic 2020 has been a unique year to say the least. We’ve adjusted to working from home and adapted to the new normal. All that hard...
Family Events Reimagined! Does your team and their family look forward to your annual company picnic every year? Although a giant picnic with face painters, bounce houses and delicious barbeque food might not be feasible...
The In’s and Out’s of Outdoor Events in Phase 4 Each Phase of the Recovery process brings on new allowances and new challenges for event planners. Phase 4 allows group gatherings up to 100 people...
Tips for Planning Corporate Events During Phase 3 and Beyond! It may feel like we are in a constant holding pattern while we wait for an update on how to proceed with events in 2020....
Virtual Fun & Team Building That Adds Value To Your Company Companies in the event industry are working quickly to adapt to the new workplace environment by offering virtual events. But, are these events right...
Virtual Scavenger Hunts – Great Team Activity for the New At Home Work Environment Large group gatherings are not possible right now. But, companies like yours still need to engage with their employees and encourage...
Event Planning During Social Distancing – Plan to Reunite the Team Right now your team might look a little different. With social distancing being the new norm, employees are working from home, creating a literal...
WCF Events’ Virtual Team Building Featured on Here’s Chicago’s 20 MINUTES IN 2020 Video Series! Our president, Murrel Karsh had the pleasure of being the first guest on 20 MINUTES IN 2020 with Jim Grillo,...
A Transition to the “New Normal” – WCF Events Launches Virtual Team Building Events to Match the New Remote Work Environment The business world has been turned upside down with conferences and meetings being cancelled...
Themes to Enhance Your Next Company Picnic There is nothing more classic than a Company Picnic. But how do you keep this annual event from getting stale year after year? WCF Events has years of...
Corporate Wellness Events New For 2020 – Find The Perfect Wellness Event For Your Team Help employees keep their resolutions and create a healthier workplace with corporate wellness focused events. It is easy to set...
WCF Events 2019 – A Year Of Fun, Charity & Satisfied Customers In 2019 WCF Events had tons of fun, we raised a bunch of money for charity and we left over 300 clients and...
A January Company Holiday Party, Tis’ the Season to Celebrate & Save Typically companies have their office holiday parties in December. But, when you are in the service industry, the holidays are likely a turbulent...
Keep Productivity High In 2020 With the economy doing well, your team is busy closing deals and fulfilling orders. You don’t want to lose momentum after relaxing holiday time off. How do you maintain that...
How to Make the Most of Your Next Team Building Event Your team is having issues. Deadlines are falling by the wayside or maybe quality has been subpar. How do you strengthen the group and...
Help Your Employees Take a “Step” in the Right Direction with the Wellness Scavenger Hunt! WCF Events has elevated the scavenger hunt to an art form. Choose a theme of interest to your group–notable architecture,...
New Holiday Party Trend: Invite the Entire Family! Celebrate this holiday season with a festive gathering that brings together coworkers, significant others, and the kiddos! By adding families to the mix, you can say thank...
Company Holiday Party SOS – WCF Events to the Rescue! Don’t stress, panic or overwhelm yourself with planning your company holiday party on own! WCF is here to help make the process easy from the...
Fall into Autumn Events – Tailgates, Oktoberfests and More! All hail the return of pumpkin spice–it’s finally Fall Festival time! WCF Events is ready to help you take advantage of all things autumn and create...
Summer Picnics 101: WCF Events Puts the Cherry on Top Ah, company summer picnics. Free food, beverages and the opportunity to get out of the office and relax with coworkers. But how can you freshen...
Bring Some Sun and Fun to Your Next Team Building Event! Could your corporate team use a little extra assistance to keep morale high and energy optimized? Why not take advantage of the outdoors while...
WCF Scavenger Hunts Now in the West Loop! WCF Events is already the acknowledged expert on scavenger hunts–for corporate team building, intern training and more. We’re excited to announce that we’re expanding our Chicago possibilities...
Ain’t No Picnic Like a WCF Events Picnic The company picnic – If you want a “can’t wait to go” party that leaves everyone with that “can’t wait ’til next year” feeling, you’ve got to...
Charity Event Spotlight: WCF Events and PNC Make the 15th Grow Up Great Initiative One for the Books! Three weeks. Seventeen different cities. Over 1,200 tricycles and wagons delivered to local charities! WCF Events has...
For Best Results, Educate and Entertain Summer Interns Summer. School’s out, and interns are in. Ask anyone in HR–if your interns leave with a positive impression of your corporation and with the feeling that their...
F is for Food! Corporate Catering A successful event is built on three elements: location, ambiance, and food. And in the words of George Bernard Shaw, “There is no sincerer love than the love of...
Wisconsin Scavenger Hunts in Your City – Lake Geneva & Milwaukee We’re Talking to You! The WCF Events’ team has perfected the art of the scavenger hunt in Chicago, and now we’re sharing our expertise...
Add These New Event Trends to Your Next Company Outing! WCF Events is always your go-to for events that are current, parties that are popular, and gatherings that are ‘gramable–Instagramable, that is! Let us share...
New Ideas for Summer Outings that Millennials will Love (and families too!) WCF Events has the cure for the summertime blues! Supercharge your corporate team with one of three new summer outing ideas especially designed...
It may seem like the holidays were just yesterday, but before you know it, they will be here again. Here are three reasons why you should start planning your Chicago holiday parties before the first...
Why not think outside the trust fall box for your next corporate event and consider jumping feet first into a sea of teddy bears? Maybe opening the toolbox and assembling tricycles is more your speed?...
Ahh summer. The warm air, the cool breeze, the mellow moods. Nothing beats it. We may have just put our swimsuits away for the season, but why not keep the summer feeling alive by starting...
If you are still looking for an impressive venue for your upcoming company holiday party, WCF Events has the perfect solution! We have recently been given exclusive, first-access to a brand new event venue in...
The new year is just around the corner and with it, comes the winter blues. The holidays are over, and summer seems like a lifetime away. That’s why the 1st Quarter is the perfect time...
When you live in the Midwest, every second of summer counts. The need to soak up every ray of sunshine means schedules are filled to the brim with weddings, vacations and outdoor outings. That’s why...
The end-of-the-year celebration is one of the most anticipated events of the year. For many companies, it is the biggest party of the year, and it’s the perfect way to show your appreciation to employees,...
Combine 4th quarter team building with giving back, and give employees a real sense of personal worth. When you do good, you feel good. That’s the motivation behind many companies doing something different this...
Rock the rest of your year with 4th quarter team building events. Whether you’re about to enter the busiest season of the year, or you want to refocus your business goals and finish the...
Need help finding a holiday venue that you can trust to provide you with a great experience for your employees at your next holiday party? WCF works with numerous trusted, quality venues throughout the city...
The Best Celebrations Happen When You Plan Your Company Holiday Party Early We know what you’re thinking. It’s not even Labor Day, and here we are talking about planning a company holiday party. Yes,...
Throw the best charitable events on the planet! 3 Great Ideas for the Best Charitable Events Ever Planning an event for a cause can be a lot of work. If this task has landed on...
Plan a summer company event with WCF Events! There’s Still Time to Plan a Summer Company Event For many of us, summer appeared out of nowhere. Schools are getting out, summer camps are starting, and...
Let your themed scavenger hunt take you into the great outdoors. Spring into Warmer Weather with a Themed Scavenger Hunt Are you looking for a new kind of team building event that doesn’t require you...
The Hottest New Trend for Employee-Only Summer Company Outings It’s the most wonderful time of the year…in Chicago, especially. It’s finally summer, and that means your summer company outings are just around the corner! While...
You’re hiring a company picnic planning company, but really it’s more like shopping for one. How do you know which company is the right fit for you? What are they like to work with? Can...
Give corporate tax savings a real purpose: your employees. Reinvesting Corporate Tax Savings with Employee Wellness and Team Building It’s no surprise that investing in employees goes a long way in acquiring and retaining top...
In its 20th year of planning and executing summer events, WCF continues to provide large and small businesses with the best summer picnics throughout the city and suburbs. Whether your event is in the city...
Is your company wellness program exciting enough? 4 Outrageously Fun Corporate Events to Boost Participation in Your Company Wellness Program Ten years ago, the most common employee benefits at a corporation were health insurance, paid...
A Guide to Boosting Team Morale and Building High Performance Teams One of the most challenging tasks as a leader of a company or manager of a group or division is to increase your team’s...
The beginning of the year always brings a heightened sense of awareness on team goals and the ongoing challenge for HR managers to improve team morale. “Let’s Cut the Cake” Team Challenge – focusing on...
On December 1st, 2017 WCF celebrated its 20th Anniversary! So much has changed over the years but one thing that has stayed the same is our appreciation for our loyal staff, clients and customers who...
Top 10 Reasons to Have a Company Picnic The idea to host a company picnic may be nothing new, but it remains one of the most popular corporate events for organizations that want to get...
Upgrade Your Holiday Party Plans with Interactive Add-On Events The season of holiday parties is upon us, and we’re pumped about helping our corporate clients celebrate their teams and the year of hard work with...
Why Pub Trivia Will Be Your Best Creative Corporate Meeting Idea Yet One of the trickiest parts about planning a corporate meeting is making the event enjoyable for attendees. So many of our clients’ meetings...
Make the World a Better Place Starting With Your Company’s Holiday Party Whether your goal is to get your company involved with causes in your community this holiday season or make an impact on a...
5 Great 4th Quarter Corporate Event Ideas By the time September rolls around, we all seem to hit the same stride: panic. The end of the year is closing in, which also reminds us we...
How Your Company’s Holiday Party Can Increase Employee Retention A key strategy to increase employee retention at your company could be your holiday party. It was very common for companies to cut their holiday parties...
How to Make Your Company’s Holiday Party Interactive When you think of the annual company holiday party, do you get excited about mingling cheerfully with co-workers and their dates – or do you secretly wish...
Nothing feels better than helping someone in need, especially during the season of giving. Socially responsible companies are looking for ways to extend their culture of purpose to this year’s holiday party. If this describes...
A Fall Theme Company Picnic in Pictures The arrival of the fall season signals big changes, from kids going back to school to the colors of the leaves and the cooler temps outside. Here at...
Fall company picnics are becoming more popular, especially here in Chicago. Whether it’s due to the cooler weather or it’s just harder to get everyone together in the summer, the fact remains many companies are...