As we think back on a year of unexpecteds, we could tell you about the events that were cancelled, about how we changed from doing PR for San Diego's most iconic events to crisis PR and mitigation, about the new in-person activations we were excited to bring to life that were abandoned on the drawing room table...

BUT....we're not going to do that (at least not now that we got that off our chests).

We'd rather tell you about the unexpected blessings of the past year, the new areas of growth we discovered, the increased specializations we developed, the inspiring outlets where we turned our creativity to.

This year was full of challenges but we looked 2020 straight in the eyes and said Bring IT On! Event planners are problem solvers so in many ways, this year was made for us!
We took to the greens!
An outdoor activity fit for a Pandemic, golf tournaments gave hope to our fundraising clients with modifications made for distancing and sanitation.

We made adjustments to traditional formats, added tech tools for user experience and surpassed budget goals. All to the tune of positive feedback from golfers (even the ones that lost more than a few balls to the sand).
We drove in!
Challenged to create an equally unique roast-style event headlining the Mayor of San Diego and attended by the City's top business leaders, we headed to an empty parking lot in the East Village...

With premier goody bags, quirky props (like life-sized cut out of the events signature Mayor bobbleheads) and a supreme visual experience, this modern twist on a drive-in made fundraising fun and full of personality.

password: downtownroad2020
We went virtual!
That's right! From community festivals to beer tastings to auctions and donation appeals, we mastered the art of digital events.

The Secret Sauce to virtual is understanding that virtual events are not just physical events online, and we spread that sauce on thick to San Diego Pride Live, La Mesa Oktoberfest Online, Lead the Way by Outdoor Outreach, The heART of Mt. Helix and more!
UPCOMING VIRTUAL EXPERIENCES
We acted like true foodies!
Always following the pulse of our local dining scene, 2020 gave us a new role in helping restaurants transform spaces and adapt to changing regulations as we managed the Gaslamp Quarter Curbside program.

We flipped, switched and evolved the San Diego Restaurant Week platform into a hub for the latest updates on restaurant offerings including a specialty dining campaign for Dine Diego.
We brought the holiday spirit!
As one of the first events permitted to open and conform to Market guidelines, Holiday in the Village in La Mesa was able to safely create a modified craft market experience to bring joy to the community and infuse local businesses with a burst of support. Holiday in the Village was the last public outdoor event we coordinated before the Pandemic and was the first one we were able to do under new restrictions!

On Saturday, December 18, Gaslamp Howl-iday Paw-Tay trots through the streets of Downtown with family friendly Yappy Hours, holiday costume experiences and pup-arazzi!
We created a community!
San Diego Event Coalition
In response to the lack of industry awareness and advocacy, we formed the San Diego Event Coalition, a space of advocation for event professional in San Diego County that works to educate the industry and government officials on standards for the safe operation of events.

Accomplishments of the SDEC since June include:
  • Leading multiple demonstrations for industry aid including the Empty Event Rally, Case March, and Red Alert.
  • Creating thorough Guidelines for the Safe Reopening of Outdoor Events as a roadmap for officials and event professionals and securing local County approvals of the guidelines.
  • Hosting industry Town Halls and conversations with political candidates.
  • Lobbying local and State officials for a pathway back for the industry and targeted aid.
  • Garnering inclusion of the Events Industry in the Dec. 2020 released County Grant.
We started sharing!
The EventTea Blog
In addition to a new website, we launched The EventTea Blog, a resource for event planners of all experience where we spill the tea on all of the tips and tricks we have learned over the last 30 years (and share stories about the time we forgot to order the cleaning crew).