Meeting & Event Services
After a long day of business meetings,
Dallas/Fort Worth hosts a plethora of entertainment
options for groups of all sizes.
Take the time to explore some of the Metroplex’s
best entertainment destinations. No matter
where you’re planning your next meeting,
there’s always something new to see or do.
This chapter features a compilation of the
hottest entertainment complexes highlighting
live music, comedy clubs, nightclubs and
bars. It also features the very best entertainment
companies in the area that provide
music, game rentals, comedy and much more.
Nightlife
Dallas’s West End Historic District features
great restaurants and bars. The streets
are accented by horse-drawn carriages, sidewalk
artists, entertainers, and seasonal events
such as outdoor ice-skating and concerts.
Deep Ellum is located just east of downtown
Dallas and is popular for its live music
venues. The avant-garde district originated as
Dallas’s blues scene in the 1920s and ’30s.
Greenville Avenue begins east of downtown
at the top of Ross Avenue and parallels
North Central Expressway. “Lower Greenville”
features cozy bars, restaurants and shops intermingled
with quaint cottage-lined side streets.
From Mockingbird Lane North, Greenville widens
and so too does the array of shops and restaurants.
The “upper” section of Greenville can be
reached from downtown Dallas by way of
DART’s light rail stations at Mockingbird,
Lovers Lane and Park Lane.
Knox-Henderson is located a few miles
north of downtown on either side of North Central
Expressway. Boutiques, cafés, clubs and
brew pubs nestled within this area are serviced
by the historic McKinney Avenue Trolley.
Uptown combines the rich blend of old and
new just north of downtown. The narrow brick-paved
street features intimate nightclubs
and delicious restaurants tucked in between
trendy condos and high-rise office buildings.
One of the newest features of the area
is the entertainment district’s Victory Park.
Home to Dallas’s state-of-the-art sporting
event, entertainment and performing venue as
well as one of the most vibrant and innovative
mixed-use urban developments in the country.
Oak Lawn offers a unique charm all its
own, including many of Dallas’s most famous
restaurants, trendy clubs, shops and apartment/
condo communities. At the higher end
of Oak Lawn, the street gently turns into the
legendary Preston Road which leads through
the city’s most prestigious residential community,
Highland Park.
Addison is not only a North Dallas suburb, but
it also describes the North Dallas Tollway and
Belt Line Road West line-up of notable clubs.
The Shops at Legacy, located in Plano, is
gaining a reputation as one of the Metroplex’s
sophisticated hot spots. In the heart of Legacy
Town Center, experience a mélange of retail
establishments, a full-service hotel, restaurants
and upscale lounges.
The Fort Worth Stockyards feature Billy
Bob’s Texas—the world’s largest honkytonk—
but there are other places to scoot your
boots as well. Throughout the Stockyards, you
can find Texas or Tejano music to dance to or
just have a beer and listen.
Sundance Square is downtown Fort Worth’s
premier entertainment and retail district. The
square offers many different dining, nightclub
and entertainment options. Everything is within
walking distance, so visitors will find it easy
to explore!
• If you have not booked entertainment
before, your safest way to ensure a successful
event is to ask your venue contact for
entertainment options or agencies they trust
with their entertainment needs. A majority
of venues have a “Preferred Vendor List.”
• Power requirements for musical groups
are often thought of last, along with staging.
Power problems can make or break
your successful event. Without power, your
10-piece party band might as well go
home. Without sufficient power, circuits
will blow resulting in damaged equipment,
and your client and guests being left in
the dark; not to mention safety concerns
while the lights are out. Check with your
entertainment to verify power requirements
for the venue when you contract
the performer and pass it along to your
venue coordinator. Your performer, band
leader or entertainment agent will know
exactly the power requirements needed for
your event.
• When having an event that is three hours
or longer, it is a good idea to have a breakroom
with food and beverages for your
entertainers. This gives them a quiet place
to go when not performing that is out of
the way of your guests. It also keeps them
on-site in case of last-minute announcements
or adjustments to the schedule.
• Often thought of last, along with power
requirements, is staging for your entertainers.
Securing enough space is crucial
in the layout of your meeting room. Check
with your entertainer or consultant for
proper staging dimensions. If a stage is
needed, make sure the stage will be set
prior to the band’s arrival.
• Set-up times are important to consider.
Check with your entertainers to see how
long they need to set up equipment. If
planning a larger event with a band, they
may need up to three hours or more to set
up lighting and sound. Check with your
venue for set-up times for your room and
make sure the entertainers have adequate
time to prepare for you and your attendees.
Other entertainers may only need a
few minutes to set up.
• Additional resources for securing entertainment
are professional organizations
such as the Society of Texas Entertainment
Professionals (STEP), Meeting
Professionals International (MPI), International
Special Events Society (ISES)
and the National Association of Catering
Executives (NACE).
Orchestrating an impeccable corporate
meeting or hosting an event requires the
accumulated efforts of an experienced
team of professional service providers to
help streamline the occasion’s ultimate
success.
The Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex is an
ideal place to find a wide variety of service
providers specializing in various trades and
amenities to accommodate your function. To
further assist you, this chapter highlights
some of these experts and provides contact
information for your convenience. Some of
the more popular services to consider as you
launch your meeting or event include:
• Advertising
• Audio/Visual
• Catering
• Event Coordinators
• Florists
• Photographers
• Promotional Products
• Security
• Signs
• Speakers
• Temporary Staff
• Tours
• Translators
• Travel Management
Capturing the essence of a great event
frequently depends upon the level of creativity
and flexibility allowed. So, keep your
options open. Try using promotional products—
our newest service category—to give
your meeting or event a distinct and unforgettable
lasting impression. The details make
all the difference so let the savvy service
providers usher in something positively sensational
while still remaining cost conscious.
For instance, consider implementing some of
these services at your next meeting event:
• Awards/Trophies
• Balloon Decorations
• Banners/Flags
• Exhibit Design
• Formal Wear Rental
• Golf Services
• Health/Body/Beauty
• Live Music/Entertainment
• Models/Hostesses/Demonstrators
• Promotional Products
• Special Effects/Fireworks/Lasers
• Team Building
Brainstorming innovative meeting services
can give new meaning to a standard meeting
event. While you will want to maintain a level
of professionalism and practicality, adding a
splash of the unexpected will capture the
attention of attendees who may have grown
complacently accustomed and unmotivated
to the cookie-cutter style.
We hope this chapter is the beginning of
something amazing for you and your company.