Xplosive Blog

June 24, 2015 • No Comments

Did you high school have one last sendoff to celebrate your commencement? Do you remember what you did that night? Schools all across the country have been jumping on the bandwagon of hosting a “Project Graduation” or “Post Prom” party. The idea is to have a fun, safe, and memorable night for graduating seniors to enjoy before the big Summer break.

What steps can you take to plan an incredible project graduation? This short blog will highlight some key ideas to ensure a successful night? (Success for the sake of this story is measured in ticket sales, pre-party excitement, and manageability).

The first decision a committee needs to make is whether or not the event will take place in the school or off-site. Off-site offers an attractive allure, yet instantly puts the costs through the roof. You will need to find a venue that is willing (and legally allowed) to stay open into the wee hours of the morning (most project grads end around 4am or 5am, after starting around 10pm or 11pm). Next you need a venue that can accommodate a couple hundred students. You need this venue to offer a wide range of activities for young adults with short attention spans. And most importantly, you need a safe location which will carefully ensure that under-age drinking isn’t tolerated. Amusement parks, college recreation centers, fitness clubs and entertainment complexes are all good considerations. Expect project graduations in NJ venues to cost around $60-$90 per student after factoring in activities, food, security, etc.

What if the budget doesn’t allow for an outside venue? A senior sendoff within the school isn’t a bad idea. Especially if you can plan a fun night and promote a transformation to the school. Here at Xplosive Entertainment, we are proud of our project graduation event concepts. We work hand in hand with the school’s committee on every aspect of the night. First, we begin with helping brand the event and create an attractive identity to the event. This is done through a combination of radio styled commercials to play within the school’s PA system, nightclub inspired flyers, and an online social media presence. After the theme and marketing plan is designed, an overall entertainment schedule is created. Within the typical 5-7 hour project graduation, a varying range of event activities need to take place. When possible, we try to utilize both indoor and outdoor elements. We infuse nightlife trends into the event. These concepts include unimaginable light, sound, and video shows, black light/neon UV parties, staging, etc. We also bring physical activities into the night’s program from volley ball, to basketball, scavenger hunts, billiards, darts, air hockey, ping pong, and more. There should also options for those looking to enter the state of zen. Yoga, massage therapists, and hypnotists are common options to consider.

Are you overwhelmed yet? Often the reason for a committee to fail in their planning of a project graduation is that the committee doesn’t agree, they don’t see eye to eye, and there are too many moving pieces for volunteers who often have work obligations, family commitments, and are planning their own family graduation celebrations. Xplosive Entertainment, different than most other DJ based entertainment firms have full time event planners on staff. Xplosive offers a slew of event activities in house. From photo booths, to video gaming, to virtual reality, to lounge furniture, fun food stations, themed props, magicians, aerobic/zumba/dance instructors, and more are all offered in house. We become a one-stop shop for the committee. Imagine the ease in dealing with an event coordinator who will handle the bulk of the planning for you, then be on site throughout the setup, event, and breakdown.

By doing a project graduation within your school and contracting an experienced and professional entertainment firm to handle the logistics, you are guaranteed that the graduates leave the school with an amazing last memory roaming the halls of their ala mater.

For photos and a video recap from Hamilton West’s 2014 Project Graduation Celebration with Xplosive Entertainment click these links:
PHOTOS: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.564815870295561.1073741899.270083766435441&type=1
VIDEO: https://vimeo.com/101740925

For more information, details or to begin planning your upcoming project graduation, contact Xplosive Entertainment: www.XEevents.com 732-866-1620