Calgary venues seeing increase in holiday parties

Calgarians appear to be enjoying holiday parties this year. A couple of venues are booked solid throughout the season.

Barcelona Tavern on Stephen Avenue is hosting a holiday party every night from Nov. 27 to Dec. 23.

“It’s up from last year,” said executive chef Chris Galbraith.

“A lot more larger functions, but also a mixture of a whole bunch of 20- to 40-people kind of functions.”

The tavern will host holiday parties of up to 200 people.

Compared to last year, the establishment’s sales for holiday parties are up 20 per cent.

“At the end of the day, people are spending a little bit more,” said Galbraith.

ATCO’s Blue Flame Kitchen has also seen an increase in holiday parties.

The venue can support up to 700 people.

The venue has seen a volume increase of about 20 per cent compared to last year.

It’s booked every Wednesday to Saturday from Nov. 13 to Dec. 17.

“People are coming back. They want to spend some time with each other. They want to have an event where they can sort of celebrate again,” said executive chef JP Gerritsen.

“It was a dark couple of years in the early 2020s.”

The Event Group is another business feeling the holiday rush.

It helps produce large-scale events, booking the venues, catering and entertainment, and ensures audio and video are ready to go.

“It’s a crazy time for our team,” said founder David Howard.

“We have five events a week that will run all the way up until the 20th.”

Its average holiday party is around 1,500 people.

“We’re seeing kind of the trend that the companies aren’t spending as much money in regard to their Christmas parties,” said Howard.

“They are scaling back on their offerings.”

Howard has seen companies do what is called a “no Christmas party.”

Employees get a package of games and food couriered to their homes.

“This ‘no Christmas party’ saves on expenses for a venue and band and lighting and audiovisual and so forth,” said Howard.

“What they’re trying to do is encourage that family unit to sit down at the table, have a meal and spend the night together.”