OpenField x SocialLife Aftermath!
It’s taken us a few weeks of rest, and snapping back to reality to comprehend what an awesome weekend Berry had during the first OpenField Festival! For those of you who missed it, we’re sorry and we hope this recap is what you need to get you amped up at the possibility of it’s annual return. For those of you who were there, thank you!
SocialLife was the partnering bar service in the main festival hub, the Berry School of Arts. From the first night we knew it was going to be a fantastic move.
Night one welcomed all the sponsoring partners, artists and families, and other VIPs for the official opening of the multi-disciplinary arts festival. We spent the entire Thursday racing around to install what turned out to be an epically festive pop up bar! With branded shirts, major sponsors such as Four Pillars, Campari, and Cupitts winery, we were ready to serve!
Friday, night two, was where the festival vibes really began. With the event officially opening up to the public, crowds began to visit incredible installations and prepare for a night of acoustic tunes from some of the musical talent Berry and surrounds has to offer. Although a seated event, the bar was heaving. I don’t think the team has ever mixed so many Negroni’s in our entire two years of operating.
Then came Saturday, electric night. We started off with an array of artists panels and discussions that had a turn out that pleasantly surprising many organising the event. After the panels wrapped we had an hour to transform the school of arts into an electric hub for musicians and DJs to enthral ticket holders. We also had to ensure we had a game plan to minimise the bar line and maximise customer satisfaction. In hind sight, this was definitely achieved. We had a fantastic time pouring drinks and staying on top of the sheer number of orders coming in from the festival goers giving Saturday night a good crack! For a team used to a more chilled out environment over at our sunny little Albert St space, we LOVED the change of pace.
Our fourth and final night was Sunday, and we were down with the serious case of Sunday blues. Although it was the last night, the OpenField team wanted to ensure the production and planning continued right up until the final hour. Hosting a movie night, an audience sat in the School of Arts and enjoyed the Terror Nullius film by SODA JERK. They hired a popcorn machine, had a candy stall, and SocialLife served beer and wine at a slower, more Sunday appropriate pace.
By Monday we were ready for a week long nap, but we were beaming from the incredible weekend we were blessed to be a part of. Thank you to the sponsors, organisers and creators who made this wonderful event possible! We hope to see you next year.
