FOCUS ON: SUMMER EVENTS
2023 is set for a big summer. Having kicked off in late spring with the King’s Coronation, we are looking forward to the women’s football World Cup, a soldout Glastonbury and much more in between. Progressive Party chats to some key execs about their hopes and expectations for the season, as well as what everyone needs to have on their shelves.
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Inset: Festivals are popular again this year and Boland expects people to spend on partying despite the economic crisis.
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ummer is a great opportunity for the party industry, not only are there some key events, such as summer festivals and hen and stag outings bringing out the fancy dress costumes, but the (hopefully) better weather allows for garden parties, which could work well for consumers looking to host at home rather than incur the cost of going out. Elliott Peckett, director of Smiffys, explains: “After kicking off the summer with Bank Holidays and the Coronation, we believe that more customers will be choosing to host parties at home throughout the season, rather than going out. As disposable income becomes increasingly limited, going out to eat and drink will become less of a priority this summer.” Julie Dommett, head of marketing at Pioneer Europe, continues: “In the UK, the spring Coronation celebrations have us off to a great early start, so that’s
sure to set the scene for hosting lots of gatherings all summer long.” The freedom of the post-Covid era may still get people out partying, according to Erwin van Dijk, account manager at OppoSuits: “I don’t really think people will start hosting more events at home this summer. In fact, I actually think people will more often choose to go outside of their houses because 2023 is probably the first year that festival season is a big thing from start to end since Covid.” Mark Brett, sole UK agent for Boland predicts Right: The class of ’23 are the first to be able to celebrate for some years, and Qualatex expects there to be parties from preschool to university.
a mixture of home parties and events: “Spring has started hot with two coronations - one for a UK King and another for the winner of Eurovision. So assuming the weather plays ball in summer, it could be really big as this is the first year since the end of Covid that events can be planned without fear of a Covid cancellation. “Glastonbury kicked off with selling 160,000 tickets in under an hour (=approximately £66 million) and from what I can tell most other music festivals are experiencing the same effect. This is a really good start to the party market summer even with the cost-of-living crisis, as it is evidence of spending (if you have it) on having a really good time. “All of which promises a great summer of dress up and party decoration. Moreover, those of us who are cash strapped are more likely to spend on a party at home rather than a swanky and overpriced venue.” Others agree that there is likely to be parties at home and further afield. Sarah O’Hara, product manager at Amscan, comments: “Here at Amscan we’re all looking forward to a hot summer and can’t wait to get the BBQ out. “We expect to see a mix of both celebrations at home as well as people still enjoying going out socialising with friends and family. And with a summer packed with events, there’s plenty to entice people outside.”
32 MAY/JUNE 2023 PROGRESSIVE PARTY EUROPE
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20/05/2023 12:09