Organizing an awesome party or event

isn’t as easy as it looks—that’s the

lesson quickly learned by anyone who

tries to put together a memorable

gathering. Whether you’re a

professional wedding planner or just

someone hoping to throw a

unforgettable birthday bash for a

significant other, you need to figure out

how to inject some novelty into the

festivities. With that in mind, here are

some off-the-beaten-track ideas for your

next event.

There's nothing quite so captivating

as a person juggling batons that have

been set on fire. A professional fire

performer can usually perform this

feat and many others, including fire

eating and limbo dancing.

As you may have guessed, fire

performance can be dangerous if

done in improper conditions. Make

sure that the performer has an

appropriate space in which to work.

A speed painter can create a

portrait of anyone in literally a

matter of minutes. Who wouldn’t

like to have a painting of

themselves?

It’s a great way to give party

guests a portable gift to

commemorate the occasion.

A number of professional speed

painters make themselves

available for private events and

parties.

Dueling pianos usually consists of two

to four pianists who perform songs

requested by the attendees of the

party. The tunes performed tend to be

well-known pop/rock tunes, though

some professionals are able to play a

wide variety of musical genres.

It’s customary for the pianists to

intersperse comedic audience

participation routines into the act.

This is the umbrella name for a number of related

activities that involve musical and/or athletic

performance. These can include the following:

Martial arts demonstration – Skilled

performers execute elaborate fake fights and

other feats.

Beatboxing – This involves vocally mimicking

musical instruments. Professional beatboxers

generally are highly skilled at a wide range of

musical styles.

BMX entertainment – How about some high-

flying bicycle stunts?

The King may be dead, but many

celebrity impersonator services can

deliver Elvis Presley to your next event.

The ―celebrities‖ available depend on

the particular company you contact.

Marilyn Monroe, the Three Stooges,

and Charlie Chaplin are some of the

more common ones.

Some impersonators even specialize in

mimicking famous singers like Frank

Sinatra, imitating both their look and

their sound with uncanny accuracy.

Belly dancing has boomed in

popularity over the last decade or

so. It’s no surprise then that there

are a number of companies that

hire out belly dancers for private

events.

Many of these companies can

stage elaborate shows that also

feature various other cultural

traditions (e.g., music) associated

with belly dancing.

There are a number of companies that

specialize in setting up ―snow parties.‖ This

involves delivering artificial snow to an

outdoor environment, allowing party guests

to frolic in a winter wonderland.

This is popular in warm climates where the

locals rarely see snow in person.

Better still, clean-up is easy—the snow

should melt in a matter of hours.

[seven-degrees] hosts a wide range of

special events—from weddings to

cocktail receptions—in a 25,000 sq. ft.

facility located in Laguna Beach,

California. A full-service event planner,

the organization provides a number of

amenities, including in-house A/V

technology and large-screen projection

systems. Visit www.seven-degrees.com.

To spice up your next special event, consider introducing some

unconventional elements that will make the occasion a

memorable one. Fire performers, celebrity impersonators, and

artificial snow environments—to mention just a few options—can

provide much-needed color to any event.