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10 Event Trends that Will Prevail in 2017

2017-event-trends-picture-jumbo A new year, a new beginning. We hope the year delivers all of the promises it holds right now. You try on 2017, see how it fits and we’ll sail ahead to spot event trends coming your way.

1. Hello, Hygge

Events take on hygge (pronounced “hoo-gah”). Expect to see the Danish happiness trend’s influence on events. Hygge is all about simplicity and spending time with friends and family; it’s only natural that events will adopt all of the warm and cozy elements: roasted chicken, knits, candlelight, flickering fireplaces, pillowy pastries, you get the idea.

2. Pairings Beyond the Plate

The forecast shows that combo events will be a big trend in 2017. One example is Seattle Pacific Science Center’s “Science and a Movie” series. The museum partners with a local theater to give science lectures along with movie showings— for instance, the audience views Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and then neuroscientists explain the science behind the movie.

Get those synapses firing and start thinking of the next combo. Cider and crossfit. Whiskey and whirleyball. Truffles and tennis.

3. Inclusion is In

Three cheers for diversity. Inclusion is too significant to be considered an event “trend”; it’s a movement … in the right direction. Attendees are demanding more diversity on panels and trade shows and conferences are stepping up to deliver. “It elevates the profession of event planners from mere executors of tasks to agents of change. 2017 is the year when diversity will be a given, not a luxury, ” writes Julius Solaris, Editor of EventMB.

4. Events Shrink

No more nosebleed seats. One of our community outreach team members says, “I believe folks will be looking for more and more intimate experiences, to build community, and connect much more deeply, so smaller settings will be more appealing.”

Popular author Dave Sedaris is “on-trend.” Though he packed Seattle’s Benaroya hall last year and could do it again, he chose to host his Thief of Finding workshop series in a smaller venue. ” Audiences will have the opportunity to be up-close-and-personal with David as he polishes the final draft of a new book,” the event description reads. That’s a pretty big selling point for any Sedaris fan.

Food and Beverage Event Trends

In general, as small events are on the rise, look for more intimate wine-driven dinners, “undiscovered” neighborhood food tours, and cook-off competitions. And…

5. Wild Game, Local Grains

Last year was the year of the ugly vegetable (which continues); this year delivers wild game and less “popular” meats, such as duck, rabbit, quail, and venison. Also expect to see more fresh veggies at your local produce stand, as heirloom vegetables and rare varieties become more available. More people will start to cook at home with an uptick in made-to-cook meal delivery companies, such as Blue Apron.

And look out local grain. Our food specialists report a renaissance in local grain industries.

6. Dumplings

The dish du your Instagram feed? Dumplings. Fresh from the steamer basket, they’re tasty, adorable and come in a range of sizes. Check out this GrubStreet article and learn all about the different dumplings, how to properly eat a soup dumpling (hint: wait until it cools), and the various shapes and pleats.

7. Healthy Fast-Casual

We all know that sinking feeling. You pull up to a fast food restaurant, hangrily scanning the menu for fresh and green. All you find is fried and greasy. Healthy, fast and fresh is (thankfully) happening. Grab and go with no regrets.

8. Milk that Isn’t Actually Milk

The dairy aisle is about to get nutty. Milk made from nuts, plants or even insects is on the table to meet the demand for milk alternatives. Avocado seed milk, anyone? It’s not as out there as it sounds. Our specialists report increased awareness of food waste, resulting in food waste dinners, more juicing and composting.

9. Fizzy Fermentation

Kombucha, shrubs, brines and other fizzy beverages will continue to gain popularity. In 2017, you’ll see kombucha in more mainstream places and even on tap. And more and more, families are fermenting and engaging in DIY food preservation at home.

10. Big Things in Booze

Natural will be the 2017 buzzword when it comes to wine. Wikipedia defines natural wine as “made without chemical and minimum technological intervention in growing grapes and making them into wine.”

Cider and mead continue to grow in popularity, and so will sugary adult beverages, like boozy milkshakes and rootbeer. Opposite of that, there’s an uptick in going booze-free with the “mocktail madness” trend we reported on last year’s event trends list getting even stronger in 2017.

What trends have you noticed? Ring in the New Year by ringing in below.

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