Chicago Picnic Theme: Superhero Themed Picnic
Every year, Scot Forge employees look forward to the annual company picnic in Spring Grove.
This year, Scot Forge wanted to build upon prior event success while making sure each guest would think, this is my kind of picnic.
On Saturday, July 18, we welcomed Scot Forge Superheroes to The Shores of Turtle Creek for a day of endless picnic games and award-winning Chicago picnic catering.
Planning a Superhero Picnic Extravaganza
Choosing a Great Picnic Theme
We help clients align their picnic theme with their company values and picnic goals. In this case, Scot Forge wanted to emphasize its commitment to the idea of “less is more.”
By reusing the materials from the parade float designed for the 2014 Spring Grove July 4th festival, the company was able to save money and materials on the theme decorations and still attract guests of all ages to an afternoon of old-fashioned picnic games and food.
Inviting Guests to “Pick Your Own Picnic”
Guests chose from a wide variety of picnic food grilled on-site between 11:30am and 2pm. From the traditional juicy burger to our savory chicken, Tasty Catering’s grill masters had all these delectable seasonal foods on the menu:
- Black Angus 1/3 lb. pure beef hamburgers
- 1/3 lb. vegetable garden burgers
- Jumbo black Angus hot dogs
- Garlic & herb chicken breast
- Bratwurst
- Summer taco salad: Chopped romaine, Roma tomatoes, pinto beans, corn, red onions, shredded cheese and crushed tortilla chips with cilantro chili dressing
- Loaded baked potato salad: Baked potatoes, sour cream dressing, bacon, cheddar cheese and scallions
- Macaroni & cheese
- Roasted corn in the husk
- Sliced watermelon
Offering Carnival Foods at a Corporate Picnic
Guests would not want to miss these childhood favorites to keep them moving the rest of the afternoon:
- Ice cream: Three carts circulated the event offering 1500 different ice cream novelties. We even brought a cart to the main entrance at 5pm for guests to enjoy a refreshing treat on the road.
- Sno cones
- Popcorn machine
Bringing the Superhero Theme to Life
Scot Forge picnic guests were treated to live entertainment with a DJ on stage and Superman, Batman and Captain America Characters wandering the Shores of Turtle Creek.
Children soared around in capes decorated with the Scot Forge logo and completed their ensemble at these stations:
- Crafts: Attendants helped kids decorate make-it-your way cuffs, masks and parade decorations
- Glitter tattoos artists
- Face painters
- Balloon twister
With costumes complete, many kids jumped on the trackless choo choo train that took them to the Fun HQ. Here they met their superhero games leaders to take on wacky challenges and relays.
At 1:30 pm, these Fun HQ performers and costumed characters led guests to the start of the highly anticipated parade.
Entertaining the Crowd
Our picnic games were designed to get everyone involved in some friendly competition. Employees teamed up to battle against other departments at these games at the Superhero Challenge:
- Bucket extravaganza
- Human chain
- Balloon bust bonanza
- Water balloon toss
- Tug of war
- Wacky trikes
- Pipeline pass
- Big foot races
The 1,350-person guest list meant that everyone could mingle with old and new friends while taking part in one of these attractions:
- 26’ Slide
- Climbing wall
- Tank of Doom” dunk tank
- Moonwalk
- Slip and dip
- Tot town
- Boom blasters
- Hi striker and kiddie striker
- Limbo
- Volleyball
Preparing for Inclement Weather
As guests roamed the vast grass lawns of Turtle Creek, signs directed them to special events like Bingo the Scot Forge raffle. They also found water stations, misting fan stations and cold compresses to help them manage the high temperatures and humidity. Our staff made sure to plan and execute the activity set-up well before the day of the event. The tornado warning and downpour was not what we had in mind during our limited lunch menu, but it just added to the excitement of the day. We offered these subs to any guests willing to tolerate the rain:
- Veggie sub: Lettuce, roasted Portobello mushrooms, zucchini, cucumbers, carrots, red and green bell peppers and tomatoes
- Turkey sub: Roast turkey breast, Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato and pickles
- Roast beef sub: Roast beef, cheddarella, lettuce, tomato and pickles
- Cold cut combo sub
Guests left the Scot Forge picnic with a gift in hand and a superhero smile.