FROM BBQS TO birthdays, our social lives will slowly but surely start to improve over the coming weeks.

Whether it’s in person for a smaller gathering or online for a big celebration, having something to look forward to is a welcome boost after months of lockdown… although your hosting skills might be a little rusty.

So, how can you make sure the next event you host is the best it can be? We spoke to Garvan Rigby, co-founder of events entertainment company Star DJs to hear his top tips. 

1. Give yourself time to plan everything out

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Anyone who has organised a party in their home or in a venue will know the level of detail that goes into planning it – and this same level of attention to detail should go into planning a virtual gathering, too, says Garvan.

You could have the best DJ in the world, the best music in the world, the best friends, but if you don’t have the main ingredients and haven’t done the planning, it’s not going to land.

“Plan an online event like you would a real event. Do we have the right mix of people? Can we do fancy dress? Can we do some sort of giveaway or competition to engage people?” 

2. Don’t shy away from organised fun

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Regardless of whether you’re hosting a birthday celebration out the back garden or a hen party for 20 people, making sure there’s some way for guests to get involved and to interact is key, says Garvan. He speaks from experience, given that Star DJs has organised countless smartphone quizzes and virtual musical bingo nights over the last year. 

“Interactivity is a big thing,” he says. “Whether it’s online or at live events, interaction is needed. Be it someone doing karaoke, dancing, singing or doing a quiz, whatever it is, some sort of interaction involving the DJ or MC gets people playing or taking part.”

An example of an easy way to introduce this for an online party is through a scavenger hunt, suggests Garvan. “Give different challenges, like the first person who comes back with three green items from the house wins. That way you have the same interaction and the rivalry as you would at a live event.”

3. Think about the goal of the gathering

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Depending on the occasion, you might want your event to go a certain way. Garvan’s advice? Think beforehand about what you’d love to see happen at this party, be it chats and catch-ups or a night of dancing. Then, as the host, take the steps to help things along.

What is the overall goal of the gathering? If the goal is to get people singing, then do something that will get people singing.

“For real life parties, if you want people to dance, allocate a dance floor area which can be the focus point for dancing and where people can gather.”

If you want really music to be the focus, Garvan recommends getting a professional DJ to help program and plan the music that they know will suit your guests’ tastes. “Experience counts when deciding what to play where, when and in what order,” he says. 

“A professional DJ will look at the age profiles and the demographics to get the right music, to get the right songs for the right age group.” 

4. Don’t skimp on sound

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Every great party needs great music, and the same applies to virtual events. “Get your sound right,” says Garvan. “Plug in your speakers. Don’t be listening on your laptop speakers. Put in proper speakers, plug in your headphones, or plug it into the sound system in your TV room. This way you’re in an experience where everyone’s singing and dancing along together.”

5. Ask the experts

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If you want to take your party to the next level, the most effective way to do that is to get a professional to help with the entertainment, says Garvan. “Sure I can take photographs of my phone, but I’m probably not experienced enough to know the exact way to take the best photographs. Tom, Dick and Harry can host an event on Zoom, but it’s getting a professional to notice those extra things that people might not think about that will make it great. 

Planning, getting a professional and taking the ingredients of real world parties into online, those three things are guaranteed to make an event successful.

Celebrating a special occasion? Host an event you’ll never forget with Star DJs. Smartphone quizzes and music bingo will elevate your next Zoom, or you can plan for a larger in-person event in the future by booking one of Ireland’s best DJs, live acts and entertainers. See the full range of services here.