Category Archives: Party Entertainers

5 mistakes Christmas party planners make

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Planning a Christmas party seems quite straight forward, but you’d be amazed at how many people leave it to the last minute. And it might seem a little early in the year to get started but you’d be surprised how much planning goes into creating the perfect Christmas even. So what are you waiting for? 

A few helpful hints to make sure your next Christmas event runs smoothly….

Not laying down a budget

OK, it’s not like Christmas parties – depending on the size of your organisation – are particularly cheap affairs, but foregoing a budget for some entertainment might make it seem more like one planned by Ebenezer Scrooge rather than Father Christmas.

What’s important, as with any budget is that you look to get the most value out of the event as possible and a common mistake is that many planners fail to get the most value out of the oft-overlooked centrepiece for the night’s festivities – the entertainment.

Budgeting the right amount for the entertainment can sometimes be the difference between a good Christmas party and a great one and setting a budget in place means that you won’t spend too much or too little on such a crucial aspect of the evening. 

Not booking it early enough

Christmas parties aren’t exactly surprise affairs and you’d be surprised at the amount of last minute entertainment bookings that take place in the run up to the big day.

Obviously, the festive season is a peak time for many acts, performers, bands, DJs, you name it to receive bookings and as such – the best ones will be snapped up by the early birds.

A common mistake that many Christmas party planners make is that they don’t book their acts early enough and as such; they miss out on the very best entertainers and acts at the best possible prices. Through booking your entertainment early, you ensure that you have more options at more prices levels than if you left it too late. 

Not taking any risks

No one’s an expert in entertainment (although Red Masque directory do have an array of great entertainment) but that’s no excuse for not jumping online and seeing what options are out there to book for your Christmas party – alas it’s a common mistake to just ‘go by the motions’ 

As well as tonnes of resources online (you’re looking at one right now), there are so many options for unique and creative twists on the usual. Christmas jazz bands, a walkabout snowman or a magician, a freestanding aerial artist that looks like she’s on top of a Christmas tree, we have a lot interesting acts to choose from. 

Taking the time to think about more creative and unusual entertainment options means that your Christmas party will be an extremely memorable, not to mention unique, event that will show you’re not afraid to take risks. 

Not thinking about how it can fit into your event

Well this one is a little bit trickier and it’s a common mistake with a lot of Christmas parties – and lots of events for that matter – but many planners forget that entertainment, much like the décor, is an integral aspect of the event’s theme and getting it wrong spells d-i-s-h-a-r-m-o-n-y.

Luckily, there are tonnes of entertainment options out there to help bring your event into blissful harmony. Think about your venue, what your aims with the party are, who your guests are etc… and then look at how you can match the entertainment to all of these aspects. 

For example; let’s say you’re holding a party in a grade II listed building; does a DJ really strike you as ‘vintage’? Well it might if you work with the act a little to get the look right, but surely your theme, and event as a whole is much better off with an act that’s almost tailored perfectly to the venue; a troupe of Christmas carollers or a jazz band that plays Christmas covers will combine for a much stronger impact. 

Not booking any entertainment at all

OK, it’s not like forgetting to book some entertainment for your Christmas party means that it will be the worst one ever and everyone will hate you for it – nor does it mean you’ve ruined Christmas. 

What it does mean is that you’re missing out on tonnes of opportunities to try and give your guests and experience that they will remember as, quite simply, being ‘the best Christmas party ever’. It doesn’t have to be big and it doesn’t have to be fancy, in fact it could be anything from hiring a DJ or a magician. But one thing that will make a good Christmas party great, is having a source of entertainment that has been well thought out and will ensure that your guests’ experience is unparalleled by any other. Do otherwise at your peril.

Engage in the idea…

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Your engagement is a promise to marriage as well as the period of time between the proposal and your marriage. During your engagement you are said to be affianced, betrothed, engaged to be married, or simply engaged. Future brides and bridegrooms are often referred to as fiancées or fiancés respectively (from the French word fiancé).

Long engagements were once common in formal arranged marriages and it was not uncommon for parents betrothing children to arrange such many years before the engaged couple were old enough to marry. .

Engagement parties.

Some engagements are announced at an engagement party, traditionally hosted by the bride’s parents. These parties are given in the family’s usual style of entertainment. Traditionally, engagement parties were normal parties at which a surprise announcement of the engagement was made by the father of the bride to his guests. Therefore, it is not a traditional gift-giving occasion, as none of the guests were supposed to be aware of the engagement until after their arrival.

In modern times, engagement parties often celebrate a previously publicized engagement.

Because it’s often the case that many guests don’t know each other very well, it’s important to ensure you have plenty of ‘ice breakers’. When two families are coming together for the first time it can be a nerve racking experience and so the more you can put guests at ease the better.

Think about a magician or a caricaturist or maybe even a pianist to play light background music whilst guests arrive & chat.

If you have space then try a jazz band who could play up tempo lively music to keep spirits high and feet tapping whilst you great guests and show off your engagement ring!

Ensure the drinks are flowing throughout the party and in no time the two families will be getting to know each other and soaking up the party atmosphere.

Party themes…

If you got engaged in an interesting location, you might like to theme your engagement party to suit. Hawaiian or beach themes are relatively easy to put together, as are New York, Las Vegas, Mexican, Australian themes etc.

No party is complete without live music so if your budget can stretch to a party function band it will be a sound investment towards ensuring the success of your big night.

It’s important to consider the age range of the guests who will be attending your party as grandparents, although actually some of the ‘most-likely-to-dance’ members of the party might not be quite so keen on hard rock or gangsta rap.

Want to make your CEO happy?

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Here at Red Masque we think we are tooled with some of the best acts for your party which will capture your imagination. So, what are the best of the best for corporate event entertainment acts for your next corporate event in 2015? Red Masque directory have the hottest trends and acts for corporate, and company parties to ensure your VIPs are very impressed and your CEO is very happy.

Circus act entertainers have given the world of corporate entertainment a whole new generation of aerial artists, defying gravity to present unique. Even if you haven’t got a skyscraper to use as your stage, these circus-inspired artists can perform in almost any space, for any corporate event.

Aerialists use aerial circus and dance theatre with dynamic lighting and music to create evocative shows using trapeze, ropes and silks. Available as a solo artist for smaller venue, or as large a troupe as you wish, their show can be tailored to create the atmosphere you require, whether humorous, quirky, elegant. With a range of associated acts, including aerial champagne pouring, we are sure you will find your perfect act on our website.

It may be 52 years since Sean Connery first appeared as Ian Fleming’s ultimate spy, but the fascination with all things 007 is as strong as ever. The difference for 2015 is that people want to be Bond, to immerse themselves in a world where tech is top, and glamour is king.

Offer your guests a total 007 experience: an elegant stately home or iconic venue, set up as a celebrity lookalike James Bond complete with elegant hostesses serving martinis (shaken not stirred by expert cocktail waiters). Then add musical entertainment combining iconic Bond movie soundtracks and characters with dance and spectacle, such as a top party function band with a James Bond set.

Add in some more celebrity lookalikes and a John Cleese lookalike the ‘new’ Q, who sets your guests site-specific missions to test their skills.

Bespoke dance groups provide a superb spectacle that transcends language, and can be precisely tailored to your corporate event theme. From ballet dancers to contemporary rock dancers, your guests can enjoy a show full of energy, passion, augmented by state of the lighting and sound systems.

Whatever the occasion, you’ll find a dance troupe to suit; that can offer themed events such as Arabian Nights, Argentinean Tango, Burlesque, Flamenco, Irish Dancing, Ballroom Dancing, and Vegas Showgirls for example.

Now is the time to organise your Christmas event…

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It may only be Spring 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 entertainment, corporate event or business attraction, here are a few hints from Red Masque 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:

• Circus acts, especially aerialists, or silk acrobats!
• Dance groups who can fill the performance area with music, movement and style!
• Experienced party bands for hire 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.

 

What does the future hold?

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Trying to work out the future is something that ‘gifted’ people have been doing for centuries, whether it’s reading somebody’s palm, Crystal ball reading, or reading cards.  Each have their own unique way of interpreting what the future may hold but nonetheless all very enchanting and mysterious.

You could be having a charity event where a hired Palm reader, Crystal ball reader or Tarot card reader could be used to raise lots of money with your paying guests. Or you could be having a fete where acts such as these would draw a crowd and keep the guests entertained.

You can be sure that all the acts you see advertised are professional in what they do and are the best of the best. Our Red Masque directory will give you a brief insight into each act and then it is up to you to decide which you would like. Once you have decided you are able to fill out an online form which will go straight to your act, they will be in contact to discuss dates and services.

Stars & Celebrities

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From the king of pop to the queen of England, having a celebrity lookalike at your party is always guaranteed fun and a chance for your guests to get some fun photos.
Add the wow factor to your party by hiring a celebrity lookalike, they make the perfect surprise addition for any occasion.

Everyone feels a bit ‘star-struck’ when they think they have just seen somebody famous. Imagine having your very own favourite celebrity lookalike at your party, why not have 2 or 3??  Your teenage child will be the envy of all his/her friends if you book a very current Celebrity Lookalike.

Why not get your guests to mingle with the stars having a ‘themed celebrity night’ – now, nobody is going to look as good as who we have on our books!!

Whatever your occasion we are sure a Celebrity Lookalike will be well received.  Just take a look at some of the ‘stars’ we have and once you have found your favourite, simple fill out a form there and then and your Celebrity will be in contact to discuss all your requirements.

Find A Knife Thrower

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Now if you were thinking that this would be a good way to get rid of your boss at this year’s Christmas party – think again as we have the most professional Knife Throwers advertised with us here at Red Masque entertainment directory.

Amaze your guests with nail-biting acts from daring knife throwers and their brave assistants. The act itself might be centuries old but the wow factor still remains and this is one form of event entertainment that’s always going to remain as compelling as ever. A great choice if you want to add something that’s both enjoyable and exciting to an event.

This act is terrifyingly dangerous and you will have one eye open when you see the Knife Thrower in action. Toe curlingly good and great entertainment for any event that you had in mind.

We have only the best and you can hire a knife thrower very simply by filling out an online booking form on our website. The booking form will go straight to your chosen act where they will be in contact with you direct to arrange finer details.

Hula Hula

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We’ve all done a bit of Hula Hooping in our time as a child, but doing it now seems to take a bit more effort and practice and to Hula Hoop for a long time takes skill.  Your hired Hula Hoop performer could have many on them on different parts of the body – great party entertainment and a great way to keep fit.

Children and adults alike have played with hoops throughout history but the few who master the act take the art to a whole new level… This very popular act has been turned into a world class art form with stunning costumes and spectacular feats that are crazy and daring, highly impressive and highly entertaining.

If you needed a Hula Hoop act to teach you the art then why not contact one of our Acts direct to see what they can do for you? You maybe organising a launch party, corporate event, children’s party, or a sports centre where Hula Hoop act would be quite entertaining.

Top Snake Performers

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A Snake dance no doubt will be a talking point if you decide that a snake dancer would be perfect for your event. Captivating the audience with amazement and somewhat fear, they won’t be able to take their eyes of this amazing act.

Why not interact your guests with the dancer and the snake, where the snake can be passed around (humanely of course) and let your crowd get involved. From an interactive walkabout snake dance to a dynamic staged performance. This hypnotic form of party entertainment will immediately grab the attention of your guests with performances that will create the wow factor for your event.

 

The Snake Dancers for hire are trained to handle the snakes and are always professional at all times. If you think your party could handle a snake dancer why not hire one. By filling out and online booking form located in the act of your choices profile, you can have the perfect entertainer booked for your party.