The Client Relationship
This client first partnered with Event Experience on smaller-scale summer picnics. When their event manager moved into a new role, she brought us on to help scale Givetoberfest into a standout annual tradition — one that balances real fun with real philanthropy.
The Challenge
Givetoberfest is a genuinely complex event to pull off: an outdoor, festival-style gathering that also functions as serious corporate volunteering, on a tight three-month timeline (booked in July, executed in October). The team had to navigate unpredictable fall weather, no on-site power, extensive city permitting for a beer garden, and the logistics of coordinating a multi-step hygiene kit-building activity alongside multiple nonprofit partners — all while keeping the day feeling festive, not like a work assignment.
Our Approach
We worked closely with the City of Redmond on permitting and used satellite mapping tools to plan the outdoor layout, ensuring every vendor’s load-in worked around the space constraints of pre-erected tents. The creative concept blended Oktoberfest’s spirit with an elevated fall aesthetic — blue-and-yellow checkered patterns paired with fall tones and floral centerpieces — deliberately avoiding a heavily drinking-centric theme.
Monthly planning calls with the client, IRC, and local nonprofit partners kept every detail aligned. Guests could engage directly with organizations supporting causes like food insecurity and animal welfare, and the day combined hygiene kit assembly with a food bank collection drive and a “cuddle corner” featuring adoptable puppies and kittens from a local shelter. The event itself leaned fully into the Oktoberfest theme with a custom-branded “Givetoberfest” entryway, yard games, a live DJ, a photo booth, and a German-inspired menu — bratwurst, pretzel bites, vegan options, and fall desserts. Event Experience’s own Jimmie Galaites emceed the day, keeping energy high and announcing kit-building progress throughout the event.
The Results
By the end of the event, every goal set for the day was not just met, but surpassed:
- $150,000+ raised, against a $140,000 fundraising goal
- 800 guests in attendance — the highest to date for this now-annual event
- 1,000 completed hygiene kits, up from an original goal of 750, ready for distribution through the International Rescue Committee
- Unanimous praise from the client’s leadership team — for the first time, they had no notes for improvement
“Thank you so much for making the event such a huge success. You are amazing partners and a joy to work with on planning and execution. The kit build was a masterclass in logistics. We received great feedback on all event elements. Looking forward to Givetoberfest 2025!”
The International Rescue Committee called the kit-building activity the fastest and smoothest they had ever experienced, praising Event Experience as a “logistical mastermind.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Givetoberfest is an annual, Oktoberfest-themed corporate giveback event produced by Event Experience, combining festive entertainment with meaningful community impact, including hands-on charitable activities like hygiene kit building for the International Rescue Committee.
Yes — we regularly build team building and corporate events that combine real community impact with genuine celebration. See our CSR programs guide for more on how we approach socially responsible event design.
Yes — Givetoberfest itself is a great example. This client began with smaller summer picnics and has returned to grow Givetoberfest into a standout annual tradition, with each subsequent year marking its highest turnout and impact yet.