Someone from every class must step up to the plate to plan their reunion.

If you stay organized, it doesn’t have to be a daunting task.

This article will teach you tricks on planning the best high school reunion.

1. Start Early

Remember that you’re coordinating an event for hundreds to thousands of people.

This isn’t an easy task that can be thrown together in a week. You should start planning your reunion at least one year in advance.

This will give you time to send invitations, secure a venue, and work out the logistics.

2. Track Down Classmates

It’s very likely over the past 10, 20, 30, or 40 years that you’ve lost track of many of your classmates.

You’ll need to reach out to your alma mater for a list of graduating seniors from your graduation year so you’re sure you don’t miss anyone.

Then, begin tracking these people down on social media or in a phone book. Keep a list of students you haven’t found yet. It’s also a good idea to start a Facebook group for your reunion so you can provide updates as you have them.

You can create a poll within your Facebook group that asks what the best date would be for everyone. Use the response to the poll to pick a date that works for most people.

3. Pick a Venue

You’re going to want to pick a venue that’s big enough for your entire class.

You should also assume that many people will bring a spouse and add about 30% onto your graduating class number.

The Midlothian Conference Center has rooms that can accommodate large sizes.

4. Plan Activities

Sure, it will be fun to sit and talk with your old classmates, but you’re going to need activities as well.

Consider planning a reunion that has the theme of the year you graduated.

For instance, if you graduated in the ’80s, your theme could include ’80’s movies playing silently on tv and workout attire.

Recreate the experiences you had in high school by doing adult superlatives. Throughout the night, have people vote for the same superlatives they did in high school.

Make them choose a new class clown, a new cutest couple, and a new “most likely to succeed.” Then at the end of the night, you can announce the winners.

5. Have an Open Bar

Reliving high school memories can be stressful for some people.

Don’t make anyone sit through a reunion without the benefit of an open bar.

Alcohol will help people loosen up and reconnect. You can create a special drink based on when you graduated or inside jokes of your class.

For example, you could name your drink after a drink in the cafeteria that everyone loved in high school.

6. Promote the Event

You need to incentivize people to take a break from their busy lives and come to a high school reunion.

Do this by promoting the event through digital marketing.

Create a website for the reunion where you can write blog posts about it. Optimize these blog posts for search engine optimization by using SEO techniques.

Your blog posts can explain what people can expect from the event. You can also use the blog to share memories of times in high school.

In addition to a website, you should be promoting the event on all social media channels.

Create content you think your old classmates would be compelled by. Use pop culture references for when you were in high school to trigger their nostalgia.

Once more and more people are liking and sharing your social media posts, more people will RSVP to the reunion.

Turn to Facebook regularly to ask the group of attendees their opinion on different food, drinks, and activities.

7. Send Out Paper Invitations

Send out paper invitations because not everyone in your class is on social media.

Paper invitations are also a good physical reminder that the event is coming up.

People can hang their invitation on their fridge as a reminder.

Be sure to send out invitations at least six months prior to the event. Many of your classmates have moved out of their hometown and will have to take a few days off work to travel back to town. Give them plenty of notice so they have no excuses to skip it.

8. Plan Auxiliary Events

The main portion of your reunion should be held in the conference center and should include dinner and drinks.

However, auxiliary events in the community before and after are equally important to your planning.

As mentioned above, many people will be traveling into town just to attend the reunion. It would be more convenient for them if there was a full weekend of activities planned.

Apart from dinner, make reservations at some of the most fun places in your hometown.

For instance, if the dinner is Friday night, schedule an escape room Saturday during the day, drinks Saturday night, a park Sunday morning, and end the weekend with a brunch.

Having an entire lineup of events will make it easier for classmates to connect with each other. It can be hard if you have a big class to catch up with everyone over a single dinner.

Since people are coming to town anyway, you might as well monopolize the entire weekend.

Enjoy Your High School Reunion

We know planning can be a ton of work, but it’s important to take time to breathe and take in your high school reunion.

Remember this is a time to reconnect with old friends and possible spark relationships again that will last a lifetime.

To check out our conference room spaces and plan your perfect reunion, click here.

The post The Ultimate High School Reunion Planning Guide for 10 Years, 20 Years, and More appeared first on Midlothian Conference Center.