For each attendee, the main attraction to the reunion is other classmates. The most memorable part of the evening is getting reacquainted with old friends. Having said that, you are expected to plan some activities.
Top Ongoing Activities
Slideshow
Run a continuous slide show throughout the evening. You may be able to borrow
a projector from the venue where you are having the reunion or from a committee
member’s day job. Get a head start on this early by requesting photos in your first
mailing, or through a special e-mail announcement. You can also use the
slideshow from your class reunion website in combination with a projector.
Contests
Announce a contest for the best school-related story or memory, or hand out a
high school-era trivia questionnaire. Solicit submissions throughout the night, and
announce the winner during the program.
Awards
People have come to expect awards at reunions. Keep them funny and light, and in good taste. If you give out gift certificates as prizes, make sure they are for national stores and restaurants. You will need to collect this information from your classmates through the website or through other correspondence.
Video
Video elements can include a 'now' tour of the school and old hang-outs, interspersed with 'then' footage, interviews of former teachers, and clips submitted by classmates who could not attend the event. If someone on the committee is experienced at shooting and editing video, this can be assigned to them as a task. Done well, it can be the highlight of the evening.
Brief Remarks
The key word here is brief. Include a story or two from your school days. Take a
moment to honor classmates who are no longer with us. Invite a teacher to say a
few words. Announce the winners for any raffles, contests, and the wine cellar.
Distribute the prizes and get on with the party!
Games
Here are three suggestions, but the possibilities are endless.
The host pulls out two names at a time. The contestants compete for the
prize by identifying a jingle or song or commercial or movie from your high
school years. This requires preparation before the reunion.
A small gathering can play Two Truths and a Lie. Each person writes two
truths and a lie about themselves on a paper, which then gets posted on their
back. Everyone else tries to guess which one is the lie. Hand out cards with
everyone's names and pencils, so people can track their guesses. The person
who guesses the most lies correctly wins a prize. Revealing which statements
are true / false is always a big hit.
Each classmate writes a piece of personal information that is not common
knowledge (ex. “I have a pet pig”), and the information is then gathered. Draw
submissions, read them aloud, and let the class guess which submission
belongs to which person. The person with the most correct guesses wins.
Giveaways
There are two kinds of giveaways associated with reunions: stuff that people win, and stuff that gets distributed to everybody (a 'loot bag' full of goodies in the registration kits.) It is a good idea to plan multi-purpose decorations. Some design centerpieces can also serve as prizes for contest winners. Awards can be records, movie posters, games that are already adorning the hall. If you have the extra time, it is always fun to arrange gag gifts for the awards: diaper pins for newest parents, a bottle of aspirin for parents of triplets, some golf balls for first to retire etc...
When you are arranging the loot bags for the registration kits, donated goods need to meet a few criteria: If it is free, legal, and does not offend, include the item in the loot bag. When ordering or creating custom souvenirs, however, try to choose simple yet practical items, which will not show up in next week's trash. You should place an order for any customized items at least 3 months in advance.
Wrap Up
Thank everyone for attending. Upload pictures and videos on the website. Close the bank account and share information with future classes who want to plan a successful reunion.
