124 Virtual Event Entertainment Services

A: Virtual event entertainment encompasses a wide range of activities and experiences—from fun to educational and everything in between—all of which aim to make an event more engaging and memorable. For example, a planner may want to offer conference attendees a break with an interactive cooking class or cap off a multiple-day event with a showstopping musical performer. These moments also offer planners the opportunity to incorporate sponsors, such as a branded happy hour or a trivia game where the winners received sponsored swag as prizes.

A: You can search our directory and browse over a hundred listings offering virtual event entertainment services and experiences including musical performances, live sketching and portraiture, speakers, games, comedy shows, DJs, live poetry, photo booths, magicians, an assortment of tastings, team building activities such as cooking and wellness classes, and more. From there, you can reach out to vendors for pricing information and learn about their services, as well as look through examples of past events.

A: Like in-person events, the goals and objectives of the virtual event will determine how much of the budget you’ll be able to allocate to entertainment. Since you won’t need to factor in travel and accommodation costs that are required when hosting a performer, speaker, or artist during an event, the expense for virtual entertainment is generally less than it would be for an in-person event. Since virtual event entertainment encompasses a broad spectrum of activities and experiences, you may want to calculate how much you are able to spend and then consider your options based on price. Keep in mind, if you want to draw more attendees, it might be worth investing in a big-name act so your event grabs people’s attention and cuts through the virtual clutter.

A: This can depend on the popularity of the entertainment act you’re trying to book. Since there probably isn’t any travel involved with the virtual event, you might be able to book closer to the date. In general, planners are booking talent two to three weeks out as opposed to two to three months with an in-person event. If you want to ensure you’ve secured the best entertainment available, you may want to err on the side of caution and book at least a month out before other planners snag in-demand talent.

A: Some virtual event entertainment vendors will have a preferred video conferencing platform like Zoom or their own proprietary platform (for example, for gaming purposes or avatar-based activities), or they might require certain tech specifications like an expected level of video and sound quality, so be sure to address those issues when booking. Generally, though, virtual event entertainment companies are able to integrate into your chosen platform. Of course, remember to plan at least one rehearsal before the event to make sure everyone is on the same page tech-wise.

A: Both. It depends. For example, A-list artists might need to record their performance ahead of time due to their busy schedules. The pre-recorded performance can then be spliced into the virtual event. Pre-recorded content also offers a level of confidence and less risk of tech glitches, and allows performers to add in special effects and upgrade the production value. Of course, it’s preferable to mimic the experience of an in-person event and provide live entertainment, even if folks are watching on a screen. Activities that require some type of interaction with the audience like trivia games or a cooking class are typically live streamed during the event.

A: The programming of a virtual event should be varied, including incorporating virtual event entertainment, to help keep attendees engaged and interested. Consider organizing a virtual wine tasting or a mixology class in order to add an interactive, social element to a large conference, or plan some virtual volunteering opportunities for attendees to participate in if you want to include a community-minded element to your event. Also, activities that require hands-on or live interaction from the audience, such as a trivia game or a painting class, can help grab an attendee’s attention and up their engagement.

A: A general rule of thumb when planning virtual event sessions is to keep them short—shorter than an in-person presentation. This means you should consider integrating virtual entertainment ideas and activities into the event program, possibly slotting them in between sessions, especially during multiple-day conferences and events. In order to combat Zoom fatigue and keep people engaged, virtual attendees need these kinds of moments so that they can clear their minds and stay energized throughout the event.

A: Yes. Certain virtual event entertainment ideas such as trivia games, comedy shows, and sketching sessions are designed to be customizable to the event or group, while many acts like magicians are able to tailor their performance to make it relevant to the audience. Other examples include chocolate tastings and mixology classes that use branded packaging and menus and photo booth experiences that feature branded graphic overlays, filters, and green screen backgrounds. This type of customization offers companies another way to spotlight their brand or sponsors.

A: This will depend on the type of entertainment. For example, a concert can be broadcast to hundreds of attendees, or you may want to make it an exclusive event that only a select group, such as the top sellers at the company, are available to view. Interactive entertainment like wine tastings and ice breakers typically are capped at about 20 people to ensure that all of the attendees are able to participate and ask questions. Of course, some vendors are able to host groups that number in the thousands.