Entertainment at Corporate Events in San Francisco
As San Francisco event planners, we know that style and attention to detail make an event standout but what makes an event unforgettable is the entertainment.
San Francisco has long hailed as a hotseat for entertaining. Since the wild west lured miners with dreams of striking gold, the city has reigned as a mecca for artists, pioneers and outlaws alike. The WWII beat generation brought with it poets and wordsmiths, and the hippie and rock-and-roll movement birthed in the 1960’s Haight ushered in a new wave of artists and musicians, forever imbuing San Francisco’s status as a cultural arts + music hub.
We are always on the hunt for great acts in SF to steal the show. Here are a few of our very own Bash secrets to San Francisco Entertainment.
1. Local Street Performers
As a longstanding destination for hopeful musicians, the streets of San Francisco come to life with music. Fisherman’s Wharf is home to 12 designated performance areas for these undiscovered stars. Many of the street musicians you’ll encounter in San Francisco are incredibly experienced in their craft. In fact, many had to file for permits from the City simply to amplify their sound in public spaces. Have a walk through Fisherman’s Wharf and downtown near the trolly turnaround, you never know who’s waiting to be discovered!
2. Golden Bell Music Collective
Trumpets and saxophones and turntables - oh my! If the classic, organic, rock-and-roll rhythm of the greats had a baby with the modern, technologically-enhanced beats of today, that baby would be the Golden Bell Music Collective. One part live instrumental, one part DJ, Golden Bell has mastered the recipe to blend the best of both worlds. Imagine hearing your favorite track played by a live band before a DJ takes it into the original version you know and love. This is the magic that is Golden Bell, a San Francisco corporate event planners’ dream. They pool from a group of talented and diverse musicians to create an experience that is unrivaled in the Bay Area live music scene.
3. Robert Strong: The San Francisco Magician
Speaking of magic, Robert Strong is out of this world when it comes to San Francisco entertainment. At an annual game developer’s conference of ours, his three-minute-magic show was not to be missed! Don’t just take it from us though, Robert Strong won SF’s “Best Comedian” AND “Best Magician” awards - twice! With thirty years of experience, it’s no surprise he’s a wizard when it comes to making audiences laugh - or your pocketwatch disappear.
4. Live Painting & Live Poetry
Welcome the newest kids on the block in San Francisco corporate event entertaining: live painters and live poets. Often when planning a corporate event, what comes to mind for entertainment are the usual: dance and music performances. As corporate event planners in San Francisco, we love calling on the unexpected talents of live painters and poets to bring extra creativity and artistry to corporate events. We’ve found these live artists to be some of the most unique and memorable activities for guests, who are often mesmerized to watch a painter transform a blank canvas into a work of art over the duration of an event, or receive poetry created and typed up for them on-the-spot.
5. Participant Activities
One of our favorite pieces of advice when it comes to San Francisco entertainment at corporate events - get your hands dirty. Being entertained is one thing, but taking part in the fun is in a league of its own. When we plan a #Bash, we love offering ways to participate. If you’re looking for inspiration for DIY entertainment, don’t be afraid to get back in touch with what you loved to do as a kid - and think outside the box. Some of our tried-and-true crowd favorites include dessert decorating, assisted mixology and timeless games like skee-ball, pinball or life-size chess.
If you need more support, consider hiring a San Francisco event planner and leave executing the event surprises to us.