A Signature of One’s Own

There’s in the box – a gala dinner-dance with choice of chicken or salmon entrée (or, these days, no choice).

And there’s out of the box – a theater party with the opportunity to converse afterwards with the playwright about the issues (relevant to the nonprofit’s mission) that are brought up by the play.

And then…there are the groups that go above and beyond to create an event that’s all their own.

Such is the Mermaid Parade, back in the day when it was a small civic-booster event for Coney Island USA.

(Photo credit: Maia D'Egidio) 

Such is Transportation Alternative’s 100-mile bicycling fest on New York City Streets – the NYC Century Bike Tour.

(Photo Credit: NYC Century Bike Tour) 

And to join these once-in-a-lifetime who-else-could-have-done-this adventures, such is the Brooklyn Ballet’s “Baseball Meets Ballet At the Brooklyn Cyclones.”

A History of Ballet in Nine Innings, performed in between the innings of a Brooklyn Cyclones game – the very definition of audacity, imagination, and a unique flavor reflecting and pushing at the boundaries of nonprofit identity.

And to top it all off: “Any fan who wears a tutu to the ballpark that evening will receive a voucher for a free hot dog and soft drink.”

Who could resist?

Going all the way. Beyond a wild and wonderful sounding evening, there’s something important about individuality and embracing, even exaggerating who you are – to create a signature that’s all your own.

One of the mantras of event planning is that “People come to nonprofit special events because of who invited them – not because they thought that dinner and a speech from your board chair was a good use of their Thursday evening.”

But, sometimes, a nonprofit develops an event that so reflects their identity and extends their core strengths that people do, in fact, come for the event, for the distinctive experience – and learn about the nonprofit in the balance.

Strive for it. A true reflection of your unique identity.

It might, just might, have legs…