Have you ever had a project on your mind 24/7? An event circled in red on the calendar with an official countdown? For me, that was Joe’s 30th birthday celebration.
Being a huge fan, Joe wanted to celebrate this milestone: Amazing Race themed.
For 3 months straight, I ate, slept, and breathed the Amazing Race show. I watched past Amazing Race seasons like a football player watches film of their gameplays. I studied, took notes, and researched daily.
But with high preparation… came high reward!
First, I met with Joe to get to know him more and discuss his hopes for the event. We discussed many aspects of the day– from venue options, budget, & food preferences, to guest list and station ideas. This gave me a clear idea of what was important to him and how to prioritize the ideas that aligned with his vision.
Once the core plans were finalized, then came the fun– decor! From decorating yellow envelopes with pull tabs to a world map vinyl display, these details were essential to carry out the theme throughout the day. (see below for a link to my inspiration found on Pinterest!) Here’s a quick peek at some of my crafting inspo:
Clue Box displays by Jolly & Happy
Amazing Race Pit stop map from Chica and Jo
Race Badges, envelope labels, clue cards, and Winners Pit Stop Decor from Press Print Party
In addition to these design elements, I was able to incorporate the theme using red, yellow, and black throughout the event to tie everything together!
On race day, teams met at Lincoln park for the starting line . Racers received lanyards with two QR codes: one linked to a shared Google album to upload photos along the race and the other was a curated spotify playlist made by the birthday boy himself! The teams also picked snacks for the road (they raced for 6 hours!!) and fun temporary tattoos. Party attendees locked in their teams when they RSVPed.
When everyone had checked in, I provided the rules for the race and alluded to an elimination round. In the spirit of the legendary host, Phil Keoghan, I sent racers to the course announcing, “Tacoma is waiting for you. Good luck. Travel safe. Go!!”
Thirteen stations were placed throughout Tacoma and facilitated by volunteers, trained and provided with supplies ahead of time. Racers received an envelope that gave them a location or gave them directions on how to complete a task. Some station tasks included: sending a card to the birthday boy from the post office, playing a card memory game, completing a Tacoma themed crossword, locating items during a mall scavenger hunt, blind taste testing different root beers, and obstacle course. I even collaborated with a Tacoma famous shop, Hi Voltage Records, to hide a copy of Joe’s Spotify hit amongst their vinyls (my proudest moment!!). The stations reflected Joe’s interests while also keeping to the integrity of the show.
The race ended with teams crossing the finish line at Peaks and Pints, a craft beer, mountain themed tavern & bottle shop in the Proctor district. Joe’s team won first place (not rigged, I swear) and teams were awarded prizes at closing ceremonies in the taproom’s Events Room. Peaks & Pints provided a wide variety of appetizers, sandwiches, & beverages to choose from, which were easily pre ordered ahead of time. The staff was kind, quick with food service, and answered many questions leading up to the event–so grateful!!
This event was a wild success and I had a blast planning Tacoma’s own Amazing Race! Joe’s Amazing Race will always hold a special place in my heart because it fueled my passion for event planning & sparked my vision of creating Puget Parties. Without this event, my aspirations would have been just dreams.
Thus began the start of my Amazing Race (get it?).
Click on the link to see my inspiration found on Pinterest! https://pin.it/7DUaCcsSg
