How advanced planning kept an indoor and outdoor Dublin summer party on track
A corporate summer party built around BBQ food, games and outdoor activities requires plenty of space. For this September event, the client wanted to bring approximately 150 employees together for a fun and relaxed end-of-summer celebration in Dublin city centre.
The outdoor element was an important part of the brief, but it could not be allowed to determine whether the event succeeded. The venue needed enough space for the original plans and a complete indoor alternative if the weather changed.
This effectively doubled the space requirement. Find a Venue needed to identify somewhere that could accommodate the food, entertainment, games and guests indoors without making the wet-weather arrangement feel like a reduced version of the event.
After checking suitable venues across Dublin city centre, we recommended Radisson Blu Royal Hotel on Golden Lane, together with the adjoining outdoor event space at Le Pole Square and its new stretch tent.
The venue offered the combination of indoor and outdoor space required, along with an experienced events and catering team. Working with our event partner, we also knew the hotel’s conference space could be transformed into a relaxed social setting with summer styling, themed props and entertainment.
A DJ, drummer and saxophonist were booked, while the food offering included an extensive BBQ buffet and dessert grazing tables. All dietary requirements were catered for, with clear signage identifying the ingredients in each dish.
When the weather forecast deteriorated during the week of the event, Find a Venue worked with the client, hotel and event partner to adjust the layout and move key elements indoors. The advance planning meant the food, entertainment and summer atmosphere could all be retained, even though the weather prevented the event from unfolding exactly as originally planned.
This is how the event came together.
Event Snapshot
Event Category: Corporate Summer Party
Date: September 2026
Venue Selected: Radisson Blu Royal Hotel, Golden Lane, Dublin 2, with the adjoining Le Pole Square event space
Guests Attending: Approximately 150
Event Duration: 6:00 pm to Midnight
Key Requirement: Indoor and outdoor space for BBQ food, games, activities and entertainment
Key Challenge: Providing a complete indoor alternative without losing the atmosphere or important elements of the planned outdoor party
Services Provided: Corporate Event Venue, Corporate Entertainment, Corporate Party Hire, Event Planning Support
Food and Catering: Extensive BBQ buffet and dessert grazing tables, with all dietary requirements catered for and dishes clearly labelled
Entertainment: DJ, drummer and saxophonist
Event Styling: Summer-themed props and fun accessories for guests to wear and use in photographs
The Brief
The client wanted an end-of-summer party where approximately 150 employees could relax, socialise and enjoy games and activities together. A strong summer theme, quality food and live entertainment were central to the plans, with enough room needed for guests to move comfortably between the different elements.
Food was a major priority. The client wanted an extensive BBQ rather than a limited selection, followed by dessert grazing tables that guests could enjoy as the evening progressed. It was particularly important that all dietary requirements were properly accommodated and that guests could clearly identify the ingredients in every dish.
As the event was taking place in September, the venue also needed a realistic wet-weather plan. The backup space needed to accommodate the full event experience without compromising the games, entertainment or food offering. This effectively doubled the amount of suitable space required.
The brief required:
- A Dublin city-centre venue for approximately 150 guests
- Substantial space for games and group activities
- Indoor and outdoor areas that could work together
- A complete wet-weather alternative
- An extensive BBQ buffet with plenty of choice
- Dessert grazing tables available during the evening
- Proper provision for all dietary requirements
- Clear signage explaining the ingredients in every dish
- A food service setup that would continue to work indoors
- Summer-themed styling and props
- Fun accessories for guests to wear and use in photographs
- A DJ, drummer and saxophonist
- Space for guests to socialise and dance
- An experienced venue and event delivery team
- An event running from 6:00 pm until midnight
The Solution
Find a Venue checked availability across suitable Dublin city-centre venues before recommending Radisson Blu Royal Hotel on Golden Lane. The hotel could provide the indoor space required, while the adjoining Le Pole Square and its new stretch tent offered the outdoor setting the client originally wanted.
The venue was experienced in delivering corporate events but was not widely known among the client’s employees for this type of summer party. This gave guests somewhere new to experience while providing the organiser with the reassurance of an established hotel, catering and events team.
Find a Venue then brought in an experienced event partner to develop the summer theme and transform the hotel conference space into a more relaxed social setting. Summer props were installed, and every guest received a fun accessory on arrival to wear and use in photographs.
The entertainment included:
- A DJ to manage the music throughout the evening
- A live drummer to add energy to the DJ’s performance
- A saxophonist who helped encourage more guests onto the dance floor
- Summer-themed props and accessories that allowed guests to engage with the theme from the moment they arrived
An extensive BBQ buffet was arranged, followed by dessert grazing tables. All dietary requirements were catered for, with clear signage throughout the food service areas explaining the ingredients in each dish.
During the week of the event, Find a Venue monitored the weather forecast and remained in contact with the client, hotel and event partner. When it became clear that the weather would affect the outdoor plans, the teams agreed which elements needed to move indoors and adjusted the layout before guests arrived.
The hotel conference space was transformed to accommodate the revised setup while retaining the planned food, styling and entertainment. This meant the indoor arrangement still felt like a corporate summer party rather than a last-minute substitute for the outdoor event.
Find a Venue remained in telephone contact with all stakeholders throughout the day. Sean also attended the venue to check that everything was running smoothly and to speak directly with the organiser once the event was underway.
The Outcome
Approximately 150 guests attended the summer party, enjoying the extensive BBQ buffet, dessert grazing tables, indoor games and live entertainment in a fun and relaxed setting.
Although the weather changed how the venue was used, the advance planning allowed the catering, activities and entertainment to continue indoors without reducing the experience. Service ran smoothly, dietary requirements were clearly catered for, and the saxophonist helped bring more guests onto the dance floor as the evening progressed.
Sean remained in contact with everyone involved and attended the venue to check the setup and speak with the organiser. The close coordination between Find a Venue, Radisson Blu Royal Hotel and the event partner kept the celebration on track from 6:00 pm until midnight.
What Our Client Said
We worked with Sean and Find a Venue to organise an end-of-summer party for approximately 150 employees at Radisson Blu Royal Hotel. We wanted an outdoor summer setting with BBQ food, games and entertainment, but it was also important to have a proper backup plan in case the weather changed.
Unfortunately, the weather was not on our side, but Sean had planned for that possibility from the beginning. He stayed in close contact with us, the hotel and the event team throughout the week, and the layout, food and entertainment were moved indoors without taking away from the experience.
The BBQ and dessert tables were excellent, all dietary requirements were properly catered for, and the clear food signage was a great help. The DJ, drummer and saxophonist created a brilliant atmosphere, and the summer props added to the sense of fun.
Sean checked in regularly throughout the day and attended the event to make sure everything was running smoothly. His planning and personal involvement gave us complete confidence, and the event was a great success despite the weather. I would highly recommend Find a Venue to anyone organising a corporate event in Dublin.
Event Manager
The Summer Party in Action
An extensive BBQ buffet was prepared for approximately 150 guests, with dietary requirements catered for and clear menu information displayed beside the food service area.
The hotel’s conference space provided enough room for multiple games and activities to continue indoors when poor weather affected the original outdoor plans.
A DJ, drummer and saxophonist were booked for the evening, with the stretch tent providing a covered outdoor area for music and socialising.
More Corporate Summer Party Success Stories
Every corporate summer party comes with a different brief. From finding the right venue and managing large guest numbers to entertainment, food, logistics and changes on the day, see how we've helped other companies bring their summer events together.
A Dublin Summer Party for 250 Guests
A company summer party for 250 guests in Dublin city centre, bringing together food, drinks, live entertainment and activities to create a relaxed summer celebration for the team.
Two Summer Parties for 1,700 Accenture Guests
With approximately 3,000 employees, Accenture needed more than one date for its company summer party. Find a Venue organised two full venue takeovers in Dublin, coordinating the venue, food, entertainment and event suppliers for approximately 1,700 guests across both nights.
Summer Party Venue Found in 48 Hours
When the original venue unexpectedly closed just two days before the event, Find a Venue moved quickly to source suitable alternatives. Within 90 minutes, the client had replacement options, and the summer party remained on track.
Planning a Corporate Summer Party?
Tell us what you have in mind, and we'll help you find the right venue and bring the different elements of your event together, from food and entertainment to the practical details on the day.
Explore More Client Event Stories
See how Find a Venue has helped companies plan and deliver conferences, gala dinners, private dining, Christmas parties and other corporate events across Dublin and Ireland.
Tell Us About Your Event
Get in touch with details of your party and we will come back with some fantastic venue options for you to choose from