For Sarah Martini-Ricci, Director of Happiness at Fiddlesticks Country Club, no detail is too small when it comes to creative outdoor event concepts.
How do we align our culinary goals with the ever-present sense that people are drawn to outdoor events? It’s simple! We develop event ideas that bring together both worlds: high-end country club cuisine and creative outdoor events that leave a lasting impression.
When our team was faced with celebrating our season opener outdoors, we were determined to fully utilize the outdoor venue and incorporate it into the theme. The idea of “Welcome Home to Camp Fiddlesticks” was developed as a nod to the idea that belonging to a country club is very much like joining a summer camp. There are new friendships to form, activities to try, and a mess hall with food to tempt even the most discerning camper. The options were endless as it related to small details that would pull it all together.
Our “camp counselors” were inspired, and it showed. We staged a photo shoot on the golf course to introduce this theme to the membership on our Fall newsletter cover. It was the first glimpse of the concept and a way to tease the members on what was to come. Each article within the magazine outlined how that department made you feel like you were at Camp, meeting friends, and making memories. It was the perfect way to set up our theme and lay the foundation for a great event.
As our happiness, culinary, and beverage teams met and brainstormed, we were united in the Camp Fiddlesticks vision. Each team met independently and conceptualized what Camp Fiddlesticks meant to them and how it would translate into a tangible detail the members could experience with all of their senses. The events team designed an event logo and created shirts for all staff, a welcome banner, and created a personalized mug for each camper. The culinary team made s’more’s cookies to place in each mug, and we even managed to pull off personalization for the members who signed up on the day of the event. Camp activities included ax throwing, kayak races, and dancing!
The beverage team developed craft cocktails that included a campfire mule passed upon arrival and several other specialty drinks that made the event unique. Our culinarians took the concept and ran with it, creating a menu that was over the top and rooted in the summer camp theme. The centerpiece of the cocktail hour was a large boat with a Camp Fiddlesticks ice carving, shucked oysters, and shrimp. The stations included lots of cast iron skillets, smoked items, and grilled meats. Dessert was over the top! Build your own S’mores was a given, but our culinary team took it to the next level with a grilled banana station. We stuffed each banana with the campers’ toppings of choice, wrapped in foil, and grilled to perfection. What more could you want from summer camp?
When you look for outdoor venues around your club, worry less about logistics and more about inspiration. Don’t just see the space as a location for your outdoor event, but rather as the event concept itself. It will be more work, but the rewards will be greater, the memories will be incredible, and you’ll be left with happy campers all around.
