ESPA members – this is your time to plan local celebration events!

What is National Celebrate Services Week?

ESPA created National Celebrate Services Week as a time to:

• celebrate the role of the event service professional
• advocate for the event services profession
• give our members a local networking opportunity with fellow event services peers
• give back to your local communities

Across North America, destinations, hotels and venues are encouraged to gather together in honor of this special week.  You are the experts at planning events, and this is your opportunity to plan a Celebrate Services Week event of your own. This gives you an opportunity to put a spotlight on the Event Services teams in your venue or destination.

And of course, ESPA will publicize these events and showcase ESPA’s Event Services network across the country!

This year’s event theme is Services Champions – Going the Extra Mile! 

As the Champions that make all the details come together to make truly winning events, we want to celebrate you. Consider this year’s sports theme as you plan your gatherings. Invite your peers, managers, and executives. Have fun with it! We can’t wait to see the photos.

You can host whatever type of event you’d like but if you’re looking for some ideas to help inspire you, here are few to get you started:

• Destination networking event
  • Simple networking however you want to do it! Invite local Event Professionals and explore your city!  For this year’s theme, consider a sports themed event, local fan attire, outings to a local game or even your favorite sports bar – or you can even host your own competition (cornhole anyone?)  No networking event is too big or too small! Can’t get out and about? Have a networking event in your convention center or arena, catered in with local food or snacks.
• Back in business – Education or Training Lunch & Learn
  • Plan a lunch and learn with fellow members and city partners, bring in food from a local partner, and watch a recent webinar to learn about topics impacting the service industry, followed by a question-and-answer session.
    • You can access recording though our webinar archive in the My ESPA Portal.
• Local F&B events
  • Give back to local partners and plan something to give them a chance to show off their current offerings.
• A health and wellbeing event
  • Come together with staff and partners and take some time to focus on your wellbeing. Organize a walk to see the sights of the city, rent bikes, or host a yoga/meditation class.
• Members may also want to do a community service activity together. There are many organizations in need, and this can be a uniting effort for the services people in your community.

Don’t forget to invite non-member event service professionals in your destination. All services pros are welcome!

Once you have set up your event let ESPA Headquarters know about it.

Headquarters will spread the word about your event to our members. Remember no event is too small! We want to know how you are celebrating your local event professionals.

On the day of your event

Time to see all your hard work pay off. Be sure to follow these simple steps to have a great National Celebrate Services Week:

• Meet and greet your guests…have a welcoming committee.
• Pass out ESPA Flyers
• Collect names of ALL attendees (name, title, address, email, phone) so that they can be provided to ESPA. This is important, especially for prospective members that attend – ESPA wants to recruit them!
• Post on social media tagging ESPA’s Social Channel
  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
• Take pictures!
• And of course, have fun!

Unable to host an event this week?

ESPA encourages you to host an event close to National Celebrate Services Week if July 29 – August 2 does not work for your team. ESPA will still spread the word about your event to our members!

Share How Your Event Went!

Once your event is over, make a note to follow up with your attendees– it is a great way to open the door to more networking with those who know your profession best, meet local colleagues and make new friends!

Every year ESPA highlights events held by our members locations on social media, our website and in event*ure. Send your photos and attendee list to info@espaonline.org to be included!

 Questions?  Contact ESPA Headquarters at Info@espaonline.org