Event setup styles

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Theatre style

Rows of chairs are set up to face the front of the room or the projection screen. Often there is a dividing line up the center and/or sides of the chairs which functions as an aisle. This is the best way to seat as many participants as possible in one room. The setting works best for presentations where minimal note-taking is required and with presentations of 2 hours or less in length.

Classroom style

Rows of tables are lined up with chairs on one side all facing the front on the room. This is particularly appropriate for informative sessions where there is some dialogue between the presenter and audience. It is possible to set up a head table for a panel discussion. The setup allows for note-taking but limited interaction between participants.

U-Shape

Conference tables are placed end to end in the formation of a U. Chairs are placed around the outside of the table. This is best for presentations with audiences of 25 people or less. This setup is often used for meetings or discussion groups where there is a speaker, audio-visual presentation or other focal point.

Conference style

Can be set up either as several rows of tables or as a single conference table. This all depends on the number of participants. The conference style setting is perfect for interactive sessions where there is a good amount of workspace for each person and good communication/visual lines for the participants.

Banquet style

 

A banquet setup is for events that include seated dining. This banquet style setup places participants at long rows of tables placed parallel and with the option of having a table for presenters of a panel at the front of the room. Participants can hear and see the presenter but have primary focus on fellow participants at their own table.

Banquet rounds

This type of setup is generally used for food functions and is made up of standard round tables that seat 8 people. Banquet style setup allows for lively conversation and interaction amongst participants and breaks a large audience into smaller groups.