Ground breaking
A short program on a construction site: a podium, sound, a branded backdrop and safe standing room for guests in hard hats.
480+ corporate events · 5 years
Grand Opening Events with Ribbon Cutting Ceremonies
We plan and run your grand opening event so the street sees a crowd, the ribbon photo looks right and guests stay long after the cut. Staffed attractions give people a reason to come early and leave late.
What a ribbon cutting ceremony needs
The cut takes a few seconds. The photo of it gets used for years, and the turnout decides whether that photo shows a celebration or an empty sidewalk.
Most ribbon cuttings follow the same order. Someone welcomes guests and introduces the company and the team. Officials and key guests get named, two or three people speak briefly, and then the ribbon goes. A thank-you and an invitation to look around close the program.
Cities and chambers of commerce often join in. In Columbia, South Carolina, the mayor cut the ribbon for a local paper company's opening. If an official is coming, the schedule bends around their arrival time.
The picture needs planning too: your brand behind the ribbon, light on faces and everyone in frame. Our event branding work covers the ribbon wall, banners and signage.
From ground breaking ceremony to open doors
You get one plan for every opening moment, from the first shovel on an empty lot to the day customers walk in.
Office or plant opening
Tours, a reception and activities for employees and their families. Leadership speaks, the ribbon goes, and then the building fills up.
Store opening event
The goal here is foot traffic. A line outside before opening, a reason to stay inside after it. Our page on events for retail brands covers launches across several locations.
What your grand opening party includes
- Program and run of show. Timing for arrivals, speeches, the cut and the tours, written down for everyone on site.
- Stage and sound. A podium or small stage with microphones and QSC speakers.
- Ribbon, scissors and branding. A ribbon in your colors, a branded wall for the photo and signs that lead guests in.
- Attractions. Simulators, VR and games that hold a crowd. A leaderboard keeps people coming back.
- Photo moments. A 360 photo booth or an AI photo booth with your branding, so guests post the opening themselves.
- Tents and seating. For openings outdoors or in a parking lot.
You choose the parts. Every part comes with the people who set it up and run it.
See stage rental for larger builds.
What sets the quote for an opening
Your quote lists exactly what you're getting, item by item.
Every opening is priced on its own. The main factors:
- Indoor or outdoor, and whether you need tents.
- Expected guests and how long the doors stay open.
- Stage, sound and screens.
- How many attractions and operators.
- Branding: ribbon, backdrop, signs and station panels.
- Your city. Our team travels from one of our two bases, Los Angeles or Orlando.
Here's how we put a quote together.
A workplace open house we ran
Two Flight Simulators for an Aerospace Employee Open House in Irvine
An open house works like an opening: a company opens its doors, and a crowd arrives at once.
- Client
- Parker Aerospace
- Where
- Corporate campus, Irvine, CA
- Format
- Employee and family open house
- Stations
- Two flight simulators
What we did
- Parker Aerospace invited employees and families to its campus to see where they work and what the company builds.
- We brought two flight simulators the day before, around 1 PM, to assemble and test without guests around.
How it went
From about 9 AM, the stations had a near-continuous line. When it grew, our operator shortened each attempt so more people got a turn. Nobody had to leave without trying.
Opening day photos
These frames show the moments an opening needs to capture and where our stations stand.
Permits, tents and insurance
Paperwork for an outdoor opening starts weeks before the cut, and we start it with you.
A tent in a parking lot often needs a permit. Under the International Fire Code, which many cities adopt, tents over 400 sq ft need approval from the local fire code official. Cities change the details, so we check with the local fire marshal for your address.
A landlord or property manager may ask for a certificate of insurance (COI). We send insurance documents to venues and organizers on request.
Why some openings fall flat
Most failed openings fail in predictable ways. Each one has a fix that costs little if you plan for it.
Speeches run long.
Guests drift away before the ribbon. We keep remarks short and put the cut early in the program.
Nothing to do after the cut.
People take a photo and leave. Attractions and food give them a reason to stay and look around.
A bad background.
The ribbon photo shows a parking meter or a blank wall. We plan the backdrop and the light before the day.
Sound that dies outdoors.
A small speaker loses to street noise. We bring a system sized for the space and test it.
How we plan your opening
You'll know every step ahead of time, and one team carries it from start to finish.
Who runs your opening day
You don't need your staff to run anything. They can welcome guests.
- Event lead. Plans the program with you, keeps the schedule on the day and cues each speaker.
- Operators. Run each attraction, explain it to guests and handle the line.
- AV technician. Sets up the sound and the microphones and stays through the speeches.
- Setup crew. Builds tents, stage and branding, then takes it all down.
Openings anywhere in the U.S.
A new branch in another state gets the same team. Our equipment and specialists travel from one of our two bases (Los Angeles or Orlando), and we arrange transport, setup and staff together. We've delivered stations as far apart as California, New York and North Carolina.
Two bases
Los Angeles and Orlando
West CoastEast CoastAll 50 states
Our Orlando office and warehouse is at 310 N Orange Ave, so a store opening in Florida or anywhere on the East Coast is close to our equipment.
Orlando office: 310 N Orange Ave, STE. 201, Orlando, FL 32801Grand opening questions
What is a shop opening ceremony called?
Most people call it a ribbon cutting or a grand opening. For a new building that isn't built yet, the first event is a ground breaking.
How do you open a new office for employees?
Run a short program with leadership remarks and the ribbon, then tours and activities on the new floor. Invite families if you want people to show where they work.
How far ahead should we plan a grand opening event?
As soon as you have a date. Permits for tents and street use take time, and officials book up. Short notice can still work: one client booked a surf simulator two days before its event.
Can you invite the mayor or the chamber of commerce?
We plan the program around officials and handle their timing on the day. The invitation works best when it comes from you.
What if it rains?
For an outdoor opening, we plan tents or an indoor fallback and set the decision time with you.
How much does it cost?
Every opening gets a custom quote, built around guests, site and what you add.
Do you plan anniversaries too?
Yes. A company milestone celebration uses the same planning steps. See our page on company anniversary celebrations.
Check your opening date
Send us the date, the address and how many guests you expect. We'll reply right away with what's possible on that site. Tell us the event type, date, address, expected guests and budget. Add whether the opening is indoors or outdoors and who will speak. Or call +1 213 912 1010
