I couldn't help but grin as I read the post-conference email from Tina, the meeting planner for the American Association of State Compensation Insurance Funds (AASCIF). It wasn't long, but it made my day: "Thanks for all your help. You were so amazing to work with. Love how you make things happen. 😊"
I'd always known that The Capital Grille Providence's patio was the perfect spot to view WaterFire. Hearing how much Tina and her colleagues enjoyed their experience confirmed that it was the right choice. It had taken some work to pull all the pieces together, but one of the best things about working in Providence is that we almost always "know a guy" who can help.
Local AASCIF member Beacon Mutual Insurance Co. was instrumental in bringing the conference to Providence. In recognition of their efforts, we'd presented President & CEO Brian J. Spero, Esq. with an Ambassador Award as part of GoProvidence's Recommend RI initiative. And because of their local connections, they were able to arrange for AASCIF to sponsor a partial WaterFire lighting during the conference.
Photo by Tom Backman
When I shared this with Tina, she was so excited. WaterFire is Providence's signature event — an award-winning fire sculpture installation on the three rivers of downtown. Not every group is lucky enough to have a WaterFire scheduled while they're in town.
Then, panic set in. With the number of people who attend most WaterFire events, finding a private space for the group to gather and network, while still enjoying a view of the basin could be tricky. The original idea to have a food truck event in the park was going to be a challenge. There would be no way to keep the event private. After some discussion, we decided on a patio view. And, I knew just the patio. I only hoped it would be available.
Relying on the tight-knit Providence hospitality community, I made a quick call to Chris Phillips, general manager of The Capital Grille Providence. Their patio borders the basin of Waterplace Park, and is a prime viewing location for WaterFire. We were in luck. Chris could offer half of the patio for the night of the event. It would mean a smaller number of people could attend, but we'd try to make it work.
Photo by Paul Darragh
It wasn't too long after our initial conversation that Chris called me back. He had secured the entire patio for AASCIF's event. The group could now fit comfortably in the space, network to their heart's content, and watch the WaterFire in comfort. It also provided easy access to the park for those who wanted a closer look or were participating in the lighting.
I ordered green wristbands to identify the attendees and worked with our in-house marketing team to provide signs for the patio. We were even able to arrange for members of the Downtown Improvement District to direct the group from the Omni Hotel over to The Capital Grille.
With the conference behind me, and with positive feedback from all involved (including this post from Michelle Pelletier at Beacon Mutual), I was ready to write up a recap for the GoProvidence blog. I had just one problem — no pictures. The group had been so busy enjoying themselves that no one had pictures to share. Then I remembered — I know a guy. Or in this case, a gal. One quick email to Laura Duclos, director of creative services at WaterFire, and I had a whole folder of images to pick from. You've been enjoying them as you read this post.
Photo by Paul Darragh
Whatever your group's needs, whether it's a big event or the smallest detail, there's a pretty good chance that the GoProvidence Convention Services team knows exactly which guy (or gal) to call. It's one of my favorite things about working in Providence.
