Working with  Your Bailliage "To Plan the Season"

Let's assume, for the sake of discussion, that a Bailliage likes to conduct six to nine events a year. It's obvious that any Bailliage that active must plan ahead. An Officer's Meeting, most appropriately the last one of the season, should be designated as the planning session for the following year. (June is a good time to plan for the following September-through-June year.) Open some great wine, pass some tasty appetizers and settle in to brainstorm some seriously fun parties for the coming season. As a general rule, most Bailliages plan the Induction Dinner to be the pinnacle event of the year, so establishing the date (or dates) of the induction is probably the first order of business. The rest of the season's calendar can be built around the Induction Dinner date. There are many types of functions to explore. The more unique the party the more the reputation of the Bailliage is enhanced. It's a challenge to keep party ideas fresh from year to year; however, that's also the great fun of leading a Bailliage. The list of party possibilities is almost endless but includes: formal and informal events in restaurants events in private homes and other special sites luncheons, brunches, wine, and other, tastings, picnics, teas visits and tours of culinary and wine establishments and regions cooking classes and demonstrations barbeques dances combined with food and drink Choices definitely must be made and since variety is the spice of life be sure to balance your season with a little something for every taste. The brainstorming session might proceed with some of the following topics: Number of events to be scheduled. Most successful events the Bailliage has sponsored. Should any past event be repeated? With updating, of course. What about events of other Bailliage's? Reinterpreted with local style. Legendary parties of the past (Black and White masquerade party hosted by Truman Capote during the 60s). Parties, other than La Chaîne, Officers have attended, read or dreamed about. New foods to try? Exotic or rare wines? Themes? There are thousands of party idea/theme possibilities (See Party Theme Ideas in Resources section). The list is limited only by your imagination. Of course, some themes lend themselves better to invitations, decorations, food, and wine than others. You might want to try the exercise in the Resources section of this guide to get an idea of how to work through a theme notion. A list of fifteen to twenty party ideas is ideal to work with for a season of six to nine events. There will be ideas which are unsuitable for obvious reasons: unavailable appropriate space, no local restaurant or caterer able to prepare the type of food required for the party, insufficient enthusiasm from the Officers, etc., but enough workable ideas can be sifted from that number to create a tentative calendar. (When the calendar is finalized copies should be sent to the membership before the season starts so that dates can be reserved. Busy people will appreciate your consideration and you may find that attendance will also increase.) Over the next few months, the suggestions and the notes from the Officer's Meeting should be worked into the final six to nine events for the year. The Bailli, either independently, or with the assistance of the Officers, must now call the restaurants, caterers, etc., to pin down precise dates. Themes, if applicable, must be assigned to the events, and it's a good time to begin thinking about (and shopping for, if necessary) appropriate invitations. By the time the first Officer's Meeting of the new year is called, the Bailli is ready to organize the first event of the season. This cannot be effectively done without a good solid plan in place. | back to top |