Sprinkler Fitters Holiday Party

On December 6th we welcomed back the Sprinkler Fitters Local #314 for their annual holiday party! 

We had so much fun partying with them last year, so we were thrilled that they once again chose Faulkner's Ranch to celebrate.

After spending just a little bit of time with them, it is clear that this group LOVES to get together.  It's no wonder since they go the extra mile to make their events special for their employees.  One aspect of their event that made it extra special was that not only do they include current employees and their families, but they also included retirees from the union as well.  How awesome is that?! That right there is TRUE employee appreciation!

It created a wonderful atmosphere!

Fun for ALL ages!

After enjoying a traditional turkey lunch buffet (yum!), 

the Sprinkler Fitters were visited by none other than Jolly Old St. Nick himself!

 One of our favorite parts of holiday events is when Santa visits and guests get to take photos with him in our beautiful antique sleigh.  The kiddos at this party were all decked out in adorable holiday finery, so were are sure that many of these photos ended up in family greeting cards or on the fireplace mantle.  You gotta love when company parties create memories that will last a lifetime!

Of course, no visit to Faulkner's is complete without seeing the stars of the Ranch - our animals!  Even though it was a crisp day, our guests stayed warm in toasty in our heated petting farm barn.  Our party animals sure loved the extra attention!

We are so glad that Sprinkler Fitters chose Faulkner's Ranch once again as their party venue! It means so much to us when we become part of a tradition, especially when it is with a fantastic company and group of people!

For more info on our holiday parties, company picnics, and more, please visit our website!

Have a great day, y'all!

~ Your Friends at Faulkner's

January is the New December

If you're like most people around this time of year, you've probably noticed that your December schedule is already becoming quite full.  Between holiday parties, school concerts, shopping for presents, baking, traveling, and more, it can be hard to find a moment of free time during this busy season.  That is why many employers are taking part in the popular trend of having their company holiday party AFTER the holidays!

It's no wonder why they are choosing to do this either.

Here are 5 reasons why January is becoming the new December!

1.  It is more convenient for the employees.

It is so much easier to find a free weekend in January than December.  Because of this, your employees will appreciate not have to choose between events or other commitments.  Plus, it is easier for employees to find babysitters after the busy holiday season when they are in high demand.

  

2.  There are more dates to choose from.

There are only so many weekends before Christmas.  January opens up a whole new slew of choices that don't conflict with any holidays or travel times.

3.  It boosts company moral in January!

After the bustle of the holidays, January can be a bit of a letdown.  Thankfully, a January event helps to add some excitement and fun to the schedule.  January events allow your guests to laugh about the holiday stress without being in the middle of it.  Everyone can trade stories and talk about their Christmas break without being worried about everything remaining on their to-do list.

4.  They can easily be mixed with team-building activities.

Bouncing off of #4, January parties can be used to get the team motivated again.  Incorporate some fun team-building activities into your event and encourage guests to participate with prizes.  This is a great way to get the new years started off right.

5. It's cheaper!

Many discounts are available in January.  Plus, it gives you as the employer a chance to look at your year-end books to better decide how much you are able to budget.

For more information on our holiday parties please send us an e-mail today.

Have a great day, y'all!

~ Your Friends at Faulkner's

5 Ways to Make Your Party Not Your Average Office Party

So, you're having a company party!
Maybe it's a post-season holiday party or a new quarter kick-off.  No matter what the occasion, you want to make it the best it can be.  Well, have no fear - we're here to help!

Here are 5 things that you can do to make your holiday party more than just the average office party!

1.  Get The Party Started Before They Arrive

Have the party going before the guests even get to the venue - aka get a party bus!  Not only does this start the fun, but it is a great way to get your guests safely to and from the location, especially if you are having liquor.  Plus, you can keep the party going afterwards by driving around town before heading back to your starting location.

2.  Hire Amazing Entertainment

It's not every day that you get to see a Wild West Show or a hilarious magician.  Give your employees that treat!  Not only are most of these shows interactive which means that it will get them involved, but they will be talking about them around the water cooler for weeks to come.

3.  Give Away Awesome Party Favors

What's great about having party favors is that you can get more bang for your buck if you do it right.  Hire a caricature artist or rent a photo booth.  These will provide great entertainment during the party and give your guests something to take home to remember the fun that they had!

4.  Have a Specialty Drink

Come up with a signature cocktail for the night.  Give it a fun name that is special to your office or what you're celebrating.  Then provide the recipes either at the bar or in an e-mail the next week when you thank everyone who attended!  Check out how Kansas City Internal Medicine did this at their holiday office party with their specialty cocktail called "The Elf."

5.  Get Silly!

Believe it or not, people LOVE to play games at parties, whether it be a scavenger hunt or something like a contest to see who can stay on the mechanical bull the longest.  Need help thinking of ideas?  Hire a Ranch J to lead games for you!  They have a ton of them in their back pocket and are awesome at getting everyone involved.

Trust us, if you do any or all of these things then your employees will be sure to have an AMAZING time!

Now all you have to do is give us a call at 816-761-1234 to schedule your super fun event!  And be sure to check out our website for more info!

Have a great day ya'll!

~ Your Friends at Faulkner's

The Benefits of a Post-Holiday Holiday Party

Christmas may be officially over, but that doesn't mean that the holiday parties have to come to an end!

January is a FANTASTIC time to throw a holiday party for your company!

Want to know why?

Just check out all of the benefits below!

1.  They Help Cure the Post-Christmas Blues

You've probably heard people mention feeling the post-Christmas letdown.  The festivities are done, the gifts are unwrapped, the hustle and bustle has come to a stop, and it's back to the grindstone.  For many, the weeks after Christmas can be a major bummer.  Why not lift their spirits with a fun get-together? Just look at all of the fun that Kansas City Internal Medicine had at their holiday party!

2.  Most People's Schedules Are More Open

For many, the Christmas season can be a busy one with lots of parties, school plays, concerts, church activities, and family gatherings.  All of this in addition to shopping and preparing one's home can be somewhat overwhelming.  By having your company's holiday celebration in January, many of your employees will have a more open schedule and will be more likely to attend.

3.  They Show Employee Appreciation

Company parties are a great way to show your employees that you appreciate all of their hard work and dedication.  By just giving them a night of food, drinks, and fun you can let them know that they matter to your business and you appreciate all that they have done for you in the past year.

4.  They Provide a Great Opportunity for Team-Building

Post-season holiday parties are more than just a fun time for your employees.  They provide a great chance for team-building.  Between group games and getting to socialize outside of the office, employees will be able to better their relationships with each other.

5.  It's a Great Way to Kick Off A New Quarter

Consider it a pep-rally of sorts!  It may be gloomy and cold outside, but by having a party in January you can provide a fun night of motivation to get your team excited about what's in store!  Plus, you can celebrate all of your accomplishments in the past year!

So, as you can see there are a lot of benefits to having your holiday party after the typical holiday party season!

Are you interested in having a post-season holiday party at the ranch?

Just give us a call at 816-761-1234 or visit our website for more information.

Have a great day ya'll!

~ Your Friends at Faulkner's

Word From the Herd: A Party Filled Weekend

Yesterday we told you all about one of the super fun holiday parties that we had at Benjamin Ranch last weekend.  But did we mention that we were also partying it up back at Faulkner’s Ranch?

Yup, meanwhile back at Faulkner’s we were celebrating with our friends from Overland Park Dentistry for their second year in a row.

Let us tell ya folks - these people know how to party!

They arrived via a party bus which is not only a fun way to get the party started, but it is also a nice amenity if you are providing a host bar.  Plus, you can set the tone for your event.  Just bring along a pre-loaded iPod with your playlist and get ready to jam!

Want to know another great benefit to having a party bus at your event?  After the part is over you can keep the party going!  Groups always love it when after celebrating at the ranch they get to drive through Christmas in the Park or head on downtown to see the Plaza Lights.

This group had a few other fun party add-ons like Saphira the Fortune teller and a caricature artist.  Fortune tellers can be a lot of fun at company parties and caricature artists provide a nice party favor to take home.  The more add-ons, the merrier!

Beautiful dessert table setup, complete with brownies and fresh apple crisp.

Overland Park Dentistry wasn’t our only party at Faulkner’s Ranch last weekend though.  On Saturday we hosted Pinnacle Career Institute faculty and staff.  This was a great party complete with a mechanical bull, roller roper, and a Ranch J entertainer.

The Ranch J entertainer was a great addition since they taught the group how to do some fun dances and even led a game of Build-A-Santa! Have you ever played Build-A-Santa?  It’s super fun!  First, you call up two volunteers.  Then those volunteers must go out into the crowd and find three more volunteers to create their team.  Each team designates a “Santa” who puts on a red union suit (aka long-john underwear) and a Santa hat.  The team is then given three minutes to blow up as many small balloons as possible and stuff their Santa.  When the time is up the Ranch J counts the balloons as they pop them.  The team with the most balloons wins! 

We also play another version of this called Build-A-Snowman using toilet paper.  Team members are encouraged to "borrow" items from the audience to decorate their snowmen like hats, scarves, gloves, etc.  When time is up, the snowmen have a dance off!  The winning snowman is chosen based on audience applause.

Pinnacle Career Institute definitely kept their guests entertained with all of these activities.  Plus, they gave away raffle prizes every 15 minutes throughout the party.

We weren’t done partying for the weekend just yet though!  On Sunday we celebrated with Anthony Plumbing Heating and Cooling!  This year they added some super fun flair to their party with some special ranch entertainment.  The kicked off the party by having Too Tall Terry outside to welcome everyone as they arrived.

Too Tall greets the guests as they arrive.

Once the guests were settled in, Sheriff T. Texas Terry dazzled the crowd with his 30-minute interactive cowboy show.  It has everything from rope spinning, to gun twirling, to showing off his bullwhip cracking skills.

Sheriff Terry chose a trail boss volunteer to risk his life while he cracks a delicate little daisy out of his hand.

A favorite part of his show is always when he calls up four volunteers to become the “Ding-A-Lings,” his amazing cowbell choir!

The Ding-a-Lings

Overall, it was an AMAZING weekend filled with lots of fun! We can't wait to celebrate with these groups again!

Are you interested in having your company's holiday party at the ranch?

It's not too late to book one!

Post-holiday holiday parties are a great way to kick off the fourth quarter.  Plus, you're likely to have a great attendance since most people aren't as busy as they are during the holiday season.

Just give us a call at 816-761-1234 to find out more information on our January party packages or visit our website.

Until then, Merry Christmas!

~ Your Friends at Faulkner's

Word From the Herd: A Wacky Tacky Christmas Party

Can you believe that Christmas Eve is tomorrow?

For us, it seems as if this holiday season has flown by! We’ve had so many wonderful holiday parties here at Faulkner’s Ranch and at Benjamin Ranch.  We feel truly blessed to be able to celebrate with such wonderful companies and groups.

In fact, just this past weekend we had several great parties, each one unique in its own way!

On Friday night at the Benjamin Ranch we celebrated with Kansas City Internal Medicine.
As always, this was a really fun group!

Every year they vote on a theme.  Isn’t that a great way to get the entire office involved?  By allowing everyone to have a say and contribute their ideas, it not only makes them feel like a part of the plans, but it also makes them more likely to attend and encourage others to attend as well.  Plus, when you pick a great theme it creates some party hype!

We have hosted Kansas City Internal Medicine’s holiday party for the last three years.  The first year their theme was Western (of course!).  The second year it was Hollywood Red Carpet and the third year it was a Hawaiian Luau.  All wonderful themes! This year though their theme was especially fun - it was Wacky Tacky! 

Guests showed up in some really great costumes ranging from characters from Christmas Vacation to the Christmas Story! There were also some really hideous holiday sweaters being sported!

They transformed the barn from classic rustic western to wacky tacky by purchasing different table coverings for every table so they didn't match.  Then everyone from the party planning committee brought tacky decorations from home for the centerpieces.  Aren't they lovely?

Oh, and did we mention that there was LOTS and LOTS of tinsel?

That’s one of the things that we LOVE about both of our locations.  While they always lend themselves to the western theme, with a little bit of creativity and decorations they can be transformed to fit any theme your party planning heart desires!

But back to the KCIM Party!

One of the things that we really enjoy about this group is that they have traditions that they do every year, another great benefit of having a yearly holiday party.  For Kansas City Internal Medicine, they have a tradition of a huge musical chairs competition.  We’re not joking when we say that these people mean business when it comes to musical chairs!  The winner receives a trophy and of course, bragging rights for the year.

Each year, they also take the opportunity to hand out the bonuses based on the number of years that they employee has worked for the company. If you plan on doing this at your party too, then it’s always a good idea to remember to save these to the end.  Same goes if you’re having a raffle drawing.  Save the biggest prize for the end of the party to ensure that your guests stay the entire time and mix and mingle.

As you can see, this party was a lot of fun!  They even had a photo booth, which is a great way to not only create lasting memories, but also provide some fun party favors!

Oh, and we can’t wrap up until we tell you about the specialty drink they had called “The Elf.” This delicious drink was a HUGE hit!  To make it, just mix together:

1/2 oz Malibu rum

1/2 oz light rum (like Bacardi)

1/2 oz Blue Curacao

1/2 oz Melon Liqueur

Equal parts sweet and sour and pineapple juice

Garnish with a cherry, serve, and enjoy!

Overall this was an awesome night!  It was wacky, tacky, and full of fun!  Great job, KCIM!

Are you interested in having a holiday party at the ranch?  It's not too late! Christmas may be in just a couple of days, but some of the best holiday parties take place after the holidays. Not only are people's schedules usually more open, but they serve as a nice fourth quarter kick-off!

For more info on our holiday party packages, click here or give us a call at 816-761-1234.

Happy Holidays Ya'll,

Your Friends at Faulkner's

Word From the Herd: A Country Christmas with Sprinkler Fitters

It Tis the Season for Holiday Parties!

It goes without saying that we always have a jolly good time at our Country Christmas parties and the Sprinkler Fitters Holiday Party on Saturday, December 8th was no different!

This party had 150 joyful guests, plus one very special guest.  Can you guess who it was?

Santa of course!!!

Yup, Mr. Claus was a huge hit as he sat onstage in our old antique sleigh.  All of the children at the party came up to visit him and each one even received a yummy candy gift.  It was so much fun to watch their reactions!

Afterwards, while the children were enjoying the Wild Western Playground and Ranch Recreation games, their parents mixed and mingled the afternoon away.  

Of course everyone enjoyed our Holiday Buffet complete with smoked sliced turkey, brisket, mashed potatoes and gravy, mixed green tossed salad, skillet corn and warm yeast rolls with butter.

For dessert they ate fresh baked apple and cherry fruit crisps served with a huge scoop of vanilla ice cream.  

By the way, did we mention that they had a toasty fire going the whole time? ;o)

After lunch it was time for awards and recognition.  They also generously gave out raffle prizes consisting of gift certificates to all kinds of amazing restaurant.

And to top it all off, all of the families mosey'd up to the pony place where they took pony rides and fed the animals in the petting farm.

They also had a blast with the cow milking station, Pin the Tail on the Donkey, stick horses, the wagon wheel game, and the rockin' ropers!  It was just too much fun!

All in all, this party was an absolute blast for everyone involved!  

It's always a delight to see companies that provide great entertainment not only for their employees, but for their employees' families as well!
And Faulkner's Ranch is the perfect place to do that.  
We have so much to offer when it comes to family friendly Christmas parties. In addition to everything mentioned above, guests can also enjoy magic shows, face painting, horse drawn sleigh rides, cookie decorating, and more!
For more information on what we offer, click here!

Anyway, stay tuned for more fun holiday fun!

And remember, it's never too late to book a party of your own!  Having a holiday party after the holidays is a fantastic way to kick off the fourth quarter and boost everyone's morale!

Have a great day ya'll!

~ Your Friends at Faulkner's