#yycevents

Spruce Meadows

Summer Concert Series

City and Colour (Solo) [June 15, 2025]

Presented by Excel Homes

Equi-Plex (Indoor)

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🎶

📍

Spruce Meadows, Calgary, Alberta

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More concert footage here:

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I have the privilege of facilitating a short drawing workshop at Calgary Central Library on March 26✏️

Our time will examine negative space as an added way of seeing the subject and applying it as a tool to tighten up proportion, gesture and spacial awareness in drawing. We will explore both the figure and objects as subject matter. Please bring your fave drawing tools.

Now that the gates of 2024 have been spiritually opened for breakthroughs, encounters and much more after our 21 days Prayer and Fasting, what is next?

Paul talked about the things that accompany salvation in Heb 6:9. Let's meet at this Bible Study to review how to position ourselves to see God's will fully done in our lives for the year.

The Value of Hiring a Certified Event Planner

Organizing an event, whether it’s a meeting / conference, stampede event or a corporate holiday celebration, can be a daunting task. From managing vendors and coordinating logistics to ensuring everything runs smoothly on the day of the event, there are numerous details that require careful attention. This is where a certified professional event planner comes in.

A certified professional event planner is a trained and experienced individual who specializes in planning and executing successful events. They have the knowledge, skills, and resources to handle every aspect of event planning, from concept development and budgeting to logistics management and post-event evaluation. Unfortunately, the event industry is not regulated, and anyone can hang a shingle and call themselves an event planner. Here are some reasons why using a certified professional event planner is important.

Expertise and Experience

Certified event planners have undergone extensive training and education to develop the skills and expertise necessary to plan successful events. They have a thorough understanding of the event planning process and are equipped to handle any challenges that may arise. Additionally, they have experience working with a variety of clients and events, giving them valuable insights into what works and what doesn’t.

Save Time and Money

Planning an event can be a time-consuming and costly process. A certified event planner has the resources and contacts to negotiate contracts with vendors, ensuring that you get the best possible rates. They can also save you time by handling all the logistical details, leaving you free to focus on other aspects of the event. We breakdown some of the financial details you need to think about in Budgeting 101

Attention to Detail

One of the most important aspects of event planning is attention to detail. A certified event planner is trained to pay close attention to every detail, from the seating arrangements to the lighting and decor. They will ensure that everything is in place and running smoothly, so you don’t have to worry about anything on the day of the event.

Reduce Stress

Planning an event can be stressful, especially if you’re not experienced in event planning. A certified event planner will take care of all the details, allowing you to relax and enjoy the event. They will handle any issues that arise, so you don’t have to worry about anything going wrong.

Creating Memorable Experiences

Certified event planners are creative professionals who can help you bring your vision to life. They will work with you to develop a strategy and create an atmosphere that reflects your vision and goals for the event. This will result in a memorable event that guests will be talking about for years to come.

Why are Events in 2023 Worth the Investment? (hint: Employee Engagement)

It has been a hot minute since I have had a chance to write a blog post. As I recapped my 2022 – it appears that last year was the busiest year yet for Jennifer James Events – and I know I’m not the only one. Live events are coming back – but what we observed in the last quarter for many businesses is that they hadn’t planned for holiday event season, and many were scrambling to find not only venues but reliable and  reputable event suppliers.

Employee Engagement Fun Facts

If you simply google employee engagement you will find countless studies have shown is that employees who feel engaged and appreciated at work tend to have less absences. The companies facilitating this tend to be more productive and more profitable as a result.

Four Key Pillars for Employee engagement:

Connection

Meaning

Appreciation

Impact

Live events are a great conduit to engaging employees and stakeholders in the four pillars. Here are some tips to help navigate 2023.

Planning Ahead for Events in 2023

Venues After two years of uncertainty and working in less-than-ideal circumstances, events are back. January is when most venues give first right of refusal to the previous year’s clients for upcoming dates. If your organization hasn’t had an in-person event for a few years, this is a great time to reach out and see what might be available.

Teamwork This is also a great time to start building your event team. The event landscape post-covid does not look the same. While there are still some great event related companies, many are rebuilding their teams. The farther out you can book key event partners, the better you can ensure that you have time to negotiate and less endure surprise costs.

Budget Accordingly Speaking of costs, with inflation being a hot topic in the news these days – you need to know that EVERYTHING across the board has gone up since pre-covid. Working with your event planner, you can utilize their expertise and network to maximize your budget. A great event team can help leverage relationships to help create extraordinary events. Interested in learning more about event budgeting – check out this previous post – Budget Planning 101!