Planning a corporate event falls under one of those responsibilities that seem easy to assign to someone else until it comes time to actually do it. You have a budget, a location, and people of all ages and titles to entertain at your corporate event. But above all, you’re tasked with making it memorable for everyone involved.
Bad corporate entertainment options can leave guests feeling like the corporate hospitality department didn’t put much thought into throwing a memorable event for them. Conversely, the perfect corporate entertainer can elevate a dining affair into a classic moment that becomes the stuff of corporate legend for years after the event.
In this article, we’ll give you 17 corporate entertainment ideas that will work for just about any company, industry, and event type. We’ll walk you through them in order of recommendation so you can find the best fit for your particular event.
Why Corporate Entertainment Matters
Before we get to the ideas, it’s essential to discuss why corporate entertainment is so critical to your company event. According to event industry research, guests will remember how they felt at an event far longer than they will remember its content.
The entertainment at the corporate event is the factor that will create memories and an emotional connection to your company. It can elevate a corporate function to a memorable experience or turn it into a forgettable party.
Bad entertainment choices can set the tone that for your event and leave guests feeling like your company didn’t take the function’s planning seriously. It can create inappropriate impressions of your company’s culture or even cause HR headaches if the chosen entertainer is inappropriate for the occasion.
With the importance of choosing the proper entertainment for your corporate guests, let’s get to the ideas.
17 Corporate Entertainment Ideas (Ranked and Explained)
Here are the top 17 corporate entertainment ideas for your next event. Each includes a description and an explanation of when and why it might be best suited to your organization.
A Corporate Magician and Mentalist
One of the most consistently effective forms of entertainment for corporate events across industries and demographics is a magician and mentalist. Unlike other forms of entertainment, magicians and mentalists work on a universal scale. Everyone knows the high desire to be surprised by an act and to share that sense of surprise with others around them.
A corporate magician will tailor their show to the audience and the company to ensure it works for professionals of any age. Most corporate entertainers will perform a close-up magic show during cocktail hour to entertain guests and serve as a great conversation starter.
Randy Charach is one of the most well-known corporate magicians in the country. He plays headliner shows at Las Vegas resorts and the Magic Castle in Hollywood, CA. He’s entertained some of the largest corporations in America, including Walmart, Disney, IBM, Microsoft, and Coca-Cola.
He combines elements of comedy, mentalism, and close-up magic into both headliner and roaming acts to entertain guests after dinner or during the cocktail hours.
Best for corporate events such as galas, holiday parties, conferences, sales kickoffs, award dinners, cocktail receptions, and executive retreats.
A Hypnotist Show
Few things will get people as excited for an event as a hypnotist show. You want guests to feel as if the hypnotist show will be unpredictable and filled with laughter. These shows feature a hypnotist who will perform in front of the guests and ask volunteers from the audience to participate in the act.
The hypnotist will make guests laugh and feel good about the act. However, it works best for companies and individuals who are comfortable with humor about themselves. Extroverted sales professionals and tech companies might enjoy hypnotist shows more than others who are more conservative in their upbringings.
A hypnotist show requires minimal setup for the venue. The hypnotist will need a few chairs, a microphone, and a performance area in which to perform.
Best for corporate events such as parties, holiday events, and retreat events for the company.
Live Comedy – Clean and Corporate
Comedians have the ability to make a room of 200 people laugh in unison. They can relieve the tension created by a long corporate conference day. Corporate comedians are familiar with the type of humor that will work in the room and content that will not leave any complaints from the corporate crowd.
Corporate comedians feature content that reflects the challenges and joys of the corporate world. A corporate comedian will perform for 30 to 60 minutes, requiring minimal setup. Their performances can take place in person or virtually, making them perfect for companies with remote or hybrid employees.
Best for corporate events such as conference closing events, parties, holidays, company anniversaries, and virtual or hybrid events.
A Mentalist or Mind Reader
If you’re after the wonder of a magic show but with a more cerebral act, mentalists can work wonders at a corporate event. These entertainers work feats that seem to defy logic and require no props to demonstrate their mind readings.
Mentalists can work as a stage or strolling entertainer for corporate events. Many mentalists have a way of entertaining and telling jokes that work best with corporate audiences. Mentalism falls under the category of corporate magic, such as Randy Charach. His show features both mentalism and close-up magic. This combined act is the most popular form of corporate entertainment for companies looking for a variety within their event.
Best for corporate events such as award galas, executive events, association conferences, and VIP dinners.
Dueling Pianos
Dueling pianos are a great form of entertainment for corporate events seeking something high-energy and impossible to ignore. Two highly skilled pianists can play for hours and entertain guests of any demographic.
The pianists will play requested songs by the guests and include them in a medley of their own songs and favorites by other performers. They also include comedy routines during the performance. For companies with dance floors, dueling pianos can perform the evening’s entertainment. For corporate events with no dance floor, they can still entertain the audience.
Best for corporate events such as holiday parties, company anniversaries, fundraisers, and large corporate events with dance floors.
A Live Cover Band
One of the top forms of entertainment for corporate events is a live band. Live bands can provide a unique energy to the corporate function that cannot be replicated by any other entertainer. When choosing a band for a corporate event, ensure the band performances for audiences of any age.
An ‘80s rock band might work best for corporate professionals who have been in the industry for years. For bands to impress corporate crowds, they should have experience putting on corporate events.
A live band can play between three to four hours of entertainment for a corporate event that spans from the cocktail hour to the end of the event dinner.
Best for corporate events such as parties, holidays, large dinners, and corporate conferences with after-dinner events.
A Corporate Roast Master
This form of entertainment requires an excellent knowledge of your corporate audience. If you are fortunate enough to have the appropriate culture and traditions within your company, then a professionally organized roast is one of the most memorable forms of corporate entertainment you can feature at your events. Roast masters work with key members of the company to prepare good-natured, humorous material about a specific individual within the company.
These individuals should ideally be the best comedians for your company events. A roast is meant to be humorous and feature the individual being roasted in on the joke. This type of corporate entertainment is best suited for special occasions within the company, such as retirements, anniversaries, and promotions for featured employees.
Best for: Retirement parties, company milestone celebrations, close knit teams with a culture of camaraderie
Celebrity Impersonators
Celebrity impersonators can instantly transform your corporate event into an event worthy of social media features. Musical impersonators such as Beyoncé, Elvis, Frank Sinatra, and Taylor Swift are great options for adding entertainment to your corporate event. They will put on a performance that includes costume changes and feature interactive events with the audience to create great social media content.
Impersonators are also available for events with specific themes. For instance, a 1920s themed party may include an Elvis or Ella Fitzgerald impersonator. Similarly, a themed event in the ‘70s could feature an ABBA tribute band.
These entertainers should look and sound like the artists they celebrate. The quality can vary, so be sure to check reviews prior to hiring these entertainers for your event.
Best for: Themed corporate parties, large holiday parties, product launch parties, and client appreciation events
A Live Game Show
Game shows are some of the best options for event planners looking to incorporate a team-building element into their corporate events. These entertainers will put on a live game show that can feature teams of employees competing against one another. Game shows are the best form of entertainment for team building as they require collaboration between team members. Mobile game show entertainers can perform for audiences as low as 20 guests and as high as several hundred.
Best for: Sales team events, company retreats, onboarding events, team building days, and quarterly all company events
Murder Mystery Dinner
For those who would like to incorporate an immersive event experience into their corporate events, murder mystery dinners are nearly impossible to beat. Each guest will be given a character to portray at the dinner and will have to solve a murder mystery that was seeded into the audience by professional actors.
Murder mystery dinners work best for guests between 20 and 80 guests. Additionally, these events are excellent for the shy guest as there is much to discuss and share at the dinner.
Best for: Team retreat events, company parties for close knit teams and client dinners for smaller groups of guests
Improv Comedy Shows
Improv comedy shows are some of the most unique forms of entertainment that can be hosted at your corporate events. Improv performers will prepare for suggestions from the audience and perform live and on the spot. Some improv companies will also offer workshop performances that guests can get involved in while at the event.
Best for:
- Companies looking for something innovative and unique for their guests
- Team retreat events
- Conferences with an interactive theme
- Companies looking for entertaining guests that like to think on the spot
Circus and Specialty Acts
For those looking to dazzle your guests without having to speak a word, circus acts will do it for you. Acts such as aerialists, jugglers, fire performers, contortionists, and stilt walkers will ensure your guests are begging for more entertainment.
These acts are perfect for cocktail hours and events where guests have to move around the reception area for the event. Many of these acts can be featured for corporate events as long as they have the appropriate theme.
Ensure that fire performers are given a venue in advance for their performances for insurance and safety reasons.
Best for:
- Product launch parties
- Gala events
- Themed corporate events
- Cocktail parties
- Outdoor summer parties for guests
Casino Night
A casino night will transform your corporate event into a Las Vegas night. Areas for games such as blackjack, roulette, poker, and more will be available for guests to enjoy. The use of event chips in place of money is required for these games. Many companies use this for charity events as they purchase casino chips for a specific charity.
Casino nights work best for various guest counts. They can be held during the cocktail hour or after dinner.
This entertainment option is perfect for client appreciation events.
Best for:
- Client appreciation events
- Charity events
- Holiday parties for company teams
- Welcoming events for new employees
Scavenger Hunts and Interactive Team Events
For those looking to build teams within their company, a scavenger hunt may be the best form of entertainment. Scavenger hunts for large cities can be created by the entertainers using smartphone applications. These scavenger hunts work best for companies with remote teams that get to interact in person for the first time.
Best for:
- Team retreat events
- Onboarding of new employees to the company
- Teams in remote locations
- Corporate conferences
Virtual Entertainment for Hybrid Events
For companies that have teams working from home or in various locations from the corporate team, virtual entertainment is an area of interest for many corporate entertainers. The difference between performing in front of a live audience compared to a screen is that screen performers require more interaction with the audience. Options for virtual entertainment include magicians, mentalists, and comedians that perform virtual performances for audiences on various messaging applications.
Best for:
- Companies whose teams work from home
- Hybrid company events
- All company events that are virtual
- Virtual holiday parties for companies whose employees work from home
Photo and Video Booths with Live Entertainment
Photography and video entertainers have many options today that go beyond the old-school photo booth. Many entertainers feature 360-degree slow-motion videos, AI photo options, content creators that roam the area, and even green-screen options for entertaining guests with videos.
These entertainers provide two types of entertainment. Not only will they provide options for guests to take entertaining photos and videos of the party and your company, but your company logo will also be featured in the videos guests create.
Photo and video entertainers are some of the most accommodating for guests. Regardless of whether your guests want to interact with the entertainers, they are not required to. Additionally, these entertainers work best with other forms of entertainment for your company events.
In addition to entertaining with their video and photo options, they will also provide digital tablets for the guests to create digital copies of the videos and photos.
Best for:
- Product launch parties
- Branding events
- Anniversary parties for your company
- Holiday parties
- Conferences with exhibitor floors
- Client appreciation events
Live Caricature and Sketch Artists
Caricature artists are some of the most underrated forms of entertainment for corporate events. These entertainers will create a souvenir for each guest who chooses to interact with them and pose for their sketch.
These artists are some of the best for corporate events because guests can come and go as they please to interact with them.
Many caricature artists offer both live and digital tablet sketching options, allowing guests to share the caricature with others on their social media platforms.
Best for:
- Galas for the company
- Holiday parties
- Trade shows
- Cocktail parties
- Client appreciation events
- Executive dinners
How to Choose the Right Corporate Entertainment
There are many different forms of corporate entertainment. When selecting the best form of entertainment for your upcoming corporate events, consider a few factors.
First, consider your audience that will be attending the event. The type of entertainment that may work for an extroverted sales team may not work for an introverted team of engineers.
Second, the entertainment should match the event for which it will be hired. An entertainment act that lasts for 90 minutes may not be suitable for a cocktail hour for your company events, but it may be perfect for a gala. The entertainment for a conference all day may not be the same as other types of company events.
Third, ensure that the entertainer you hire for your corporate event is professional and suitable for a corporate audience. These entertainers should have experience putting on entertaining events for corporate audiences and have great reviews for their professional events.
Fourth, the best corporate entertainers will be able to adapt to your corporate event and your guests. They should be able to adapt and change the schedule for their entertainment based on how your guests will respond to certain activities.
Finally, book your entertainers as early as possible. For entertainers such as corporate magicians, comedians, and mentalists, the entertainers can be booked months in advance for the most popular dates for corporate events. Book early for your entertainers of choice.
The Bottom Line
Corporate events do not have to suck for your employees. With the appropriate entertainer for your company events, your employees will look forward to these events throughout the year.
From corporate magician to game shows, casino nights, murder mystery dinners, and even entertainers such as caricature artists and photo and video entertainers, there is an entertainer for your company events.
An entertainer who works with corporate events might be the best choice for your company events. Individuals such as Randy Charach, have over 25 years of experience entertaining corporate audiences for events of all types.
He has entertained Fortune 500 companies and received five-star reviews from corporate event planners across North America.
Randy Charach is an entertainer who can work with your corporate event planner and bring not only entertainment but a performance that will be a highlight of your company events this year and beyond.
Give yourself time to find, book, and prepare for your corporate entertainers. The 90 minutes after dinner can make or a great corporate event.
Ready to start planning your events? Book your entertainers as soon as you can. Planning your events and entertaining your staff is half the fun!
Author’s Note
If you are looking for ideas for corporate entertainment for your employees or clients, then the forms of entertainment described above may be helpful to you. Do you have any questions? Is there anything you would like to know more about regarding corporate entertainment for your company’s guests? I hope these ideas have inspired you to plan the perfect corporate event for your employees and clients this year!
