2016 Hot Event Industry Trends

At the threshold of a new year, event and meeting planners are able to take a breather. It's important to keep events fresh, unique and alive, year after year. Devoting quality time to spotting trends can be helpful in shaping future events. Cvent Blog has been discussing a number of them throughout the year. Once again, we have pulled together some of the hot color, food and beverage, and event & technology trends that are expected to emerge in the coming year.

Colors

Cvent Blog previously profiled the Pantone hot colors for Fall 2015/Winter 2016 and gave examples of how they can be incorporated into events. For the first time, Pantone has introduced the dual color palette of Rose Quartz, a pale pink,‬ & ‪Serenity‬, a light blue, for the 2016 Color of the Year. Here is some inspiration for using these colors in decor, flowers, cuisine, and event furnishings.

Hottest Food and Beverage Trends

Technomic has spotted the following food and beverage trends for 2016:

• ethnic spices, condiments, and bread
• elevated "peasant fare" including sausages and meatballs
• Smoked dishes like charred vegetables
• Local, fresh, organic sourcing

Based on their annual survey of 1,300 chefs who are  members of the American Culinary Federation, in its What's Hot 2016 Culinary Forecast, the National Restaurant Association has forecasted the following food and beverage trends:

• locally sourced meat and seafood
• locally grown produce
• natural ingredients
• sustainable seafood
• new cuts of meat (e.g. skirt steak, brisket, culotte/sirloin cap, tri-tip, cheeks)
• homemade artisan ice cream
• authentic ethnic cuisine

  Some of the hottest menu items that the National Restaurant Association has identified include:

• Appetizers: Homemade sausages, seafood charcuterie, amuse-bouche, ethnic inspired (e.g. tacos, tempura, kabobs), skewered appetizers
• Main Course: Grass fed beef, alternative red meats (goat, bison, buffalo), duck, sustainable seafood, game meats (e.g.venison, game birds, rabbit), low-calorie entrees, half portions/small portions, ethnic cuisine
• Desserts: Homemade artisan ice cream, bite-size/mini desserts, savory desserts, gelato, fruit desserts, lemon flavored desserts, classic pastries (e.g. scones, profiteroles)
• Alcoholic Beverages: Craft/artisan spirits, locally produced beer/ wine/spirits, Non-traditional liquors (e.g. soju/sochu, cachaca)
• Non-Alcoholic Beverages: Gourmet lemonade, artisan soft drinks, coconut water, mocktails

 

Event Technology

In a recent webinar, Kevin Yanushefski, Product Marketing Manager at Cvent and Curt Apanovich, Creative Director at AV Concepts teamed up to identify and explore 5 Event Tech Trends in 2016. The hot technology they identified included:

• Immersive experiences: holograms, 3D projection mapping, 4K Ultra HD
• Facilitating Attendee Interaction: beacons, wearables including beacons, timely alerts, and event mobile apps
• Social Media Integration: social walls, live sharing and interaction from events
• Real-Time Event Management: digital signage, digital command centers
• Deep Insights: session tracking, personalized event reports, post event ROI measurement

Webinar Begins at 05:00   Event tech expert Corbin Ball is forecasting 9 Amazing Meeting Technology Trends for 2016 including:

• Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR)
• the dominance of video and images on social media platforms
• wearables
• event intelligence tracking

Based on a survey of 6,000 event industry professionals and data from 1500 start-ups, Event Manager Blog identified 10 Event Trends for 2016 including:

• crowdstreaming with platforms like Periscope and Meerkat
• participant matchmaking
• digital swag bags
• audio beacons

Written by Anne Thornley-Brown.