Speaking from three years of hands-on experience and many years of attending other peoples’ parties (OPP?), it’s tough to throw a good reception. You want to get a combination of relaxation and excitement, where people want to chat and can do so without having to shout over the noise of a DJ.

Few people know how to consistently throw an evening reception better than Jeff Pulver of pulver.com and I think it’s because Jeff thinks "Fun First" rather than getting caught in the overpropagandization that most companies try to engage in at evening receptions. At the end of the day, you want to kick back and relax, not have a sales presentation shoveled down your throat in exchange for a few free drinks.

A good party takes advanced planning. Securing a location should be done at least 6 months in advance and special guest performers will take at least that long to lock-down.

A Few Vegas Party Locations to Consider

Five free party tips

1. Maps on your invitations
2. Avoid roast beast
3. Offer chairs
4. Memorable location
5. Good favors

C2K – The Venetian

Hot dance clubs have become serious business in town. The Luxor hotel has Ra, MGM Grand has Studio 54. C2K is The Venetian’s answer. It’s big with a capacity for 2000 people, multi-storied with a stage and dance cages, and it’s got a sushi bar. Don’t even think about this place unless you want a BIG party. Good news is that the location-location-location requirements are met if you’ve got a convention at the Sands; C2K is a short indoor walk from the exhibit floor.

Harley Davidson Café – On the Strip

It’s got attitude and atmosphere, although not as much biker spirit as you might expect. Two floors, a stage, decent catering and motorcycles throughout the joint. For smaller receptions, take the upper floor with the bar; if you have larger crowds get the whole place and put an act on stage.

Quark’s Bar – Las Vegas Hilton

As noted elsewhere on the site, Quark’s Bar is embedded with "Star Trek: The Experience" theme ride. The catering is surprisingly good and the Klingons add an amusing touch. It’s a bit of a walk from the LVCC exhibit floor, but at least it’s within walking distance, so you don’t have to fight the cab lines.

Lion Cubs, Oh my! -- MGM Grand

Symbol of MGM Studios, the lion exhibit at the MGM Grand Hotel attracts thousands of people a day who want to spend $20 to spend 30 seconds or less next to a cute little cub, then walk away with their picture. If you happen to hold a reception at the MGM Grand, you can have the lion cubs – and their photographer -- as your special guests. Don’t expect to get quality time with the little suckers; the cubs have short attention spans and the MGM people are VERY careful around them, as you should be with baby carnivores with teeth and claws.

Five free party tips

1. Maps on your invitations
   

You want to make sure people know where your party is at, so take the 15 minutes to check the location and have a graphics artist draw up a simple map on how to get there. Include bus times and transport routes if you have to arrange such headaches.

2. Avoid roast beast
   

It seems like everyone starts with roast beef on the reception menu. I’m a carnivore at heart, but you can find some tastier dishes to offer other than the cliché red meat round sliced by a guy in a white top. Think Thai (other than satay!), think Indian, think sushi. Having a few vegetarian dishes on hand doesn’t hurt.

3. Offer chairs
   

People have sore feet and they like to sit down as they eat. If they sit down, they’re likely to stay a while. If they stay a while, there’s a better chance you’ll be able to have a chat with them. I was at an Internet:Press reception a few years ago in New York City. Wonderful buffet, pasta, the sort of thing that saves you from having to find a restaurant… but it was standing-room only. Ugh!

4. Memorable location
   

Don’t all ballrooms look alike? Even if you add a DJ and a little jazzing up, they’re still generic locations with round tables and folding walls. They have no heart, no soul, no pizzazz.

Go to a museum, preferably a museum with some interactivity. The Tech Museum in San Jose, for example, has wonderful toys to play with. The key word is PLAY.

If you are stuck with a generic location, try to bring something in to engage people. Inktomi threw a more memorable reception at the Hotel DeAnza for ISPCON. A climbing wall dominated one end of the courtyard while the other end was set up for the in-house band to rock out with special guest performer CEO David Peterschmitt. Oh, and did I mention that the DeAnza had wonderful food without a single piece of red meat on display?

5. Good favors
   
   If you are going to spend $45-55 a head for a reception, you might as well go an extra $10 to $20 (at least) for a memorable party favor. The ideal party favor is non-plastic, small enough to be tucked away in a pocket or under an arm, and can pack easy enough in luggage.
   
   DON’T WASTE MY TIME: Coffee mugs and pens. I have a gazillion pens, between plastic throwaways and more expensive metal versions. While the metal versions are cool and could likely be used to kill someone in an emergency, I’m only going to carry around and use one at a time. Coffee mugs are a dime a dozen and break too easily.
   
   ULTIMATE DROOL: Sun Microsystems threw a three day invite-only ISP developer conference in downtown San Francisco. Evening two’s reception was held across the street in NikeTown, with every attendee receiving a $100 (one hundred dollar) gift certificate good for Nike merchandise.