Des Moines has one genuine December advantage: the skywalk system. A venue connected to it means guests park once and never go outside, which in an Iowa January is worth more than anything you could put on the menu.
1. A hosted murder mystery at your own venue
Ours, and first because a party at your own office needs no travel at all, skywalk or otherwise.
It also gets people out of their departmental groups.
2. A skywalk-connected restaurant or venue
Treat this as its own category in this city. It will do more for attendance than the food.
3. A restaurant buyout
Good value here. Book by September for December.
4. A hotel ballroom
Right for a few hundred people, and downtown hotels are skywalk-connected.
5. A brewery buyout
Good value and casual. Non-drinkers need thought.
6. A daytime lunch
Better attended and cheaper, and nobody drives home on ice in the dark.
7. A historic or East Village venue
Characterful and central. Book early.
8. A cooking or cocktail class
Good for twenty to thirty and reliably indoors.
9. Charitable giving instead of an event
Very well received here. Not a party by itself.
Timing
Settle December by the end of September. We ask for about 45 days, so early October is the practical last call.
If you want a party nobody has to step outside for, We bring the host, the storyline and every piece of the game to your venue, and we ask for about 45 days so it can be staffed and prepared properly. Pricing and availability shows what your guest count works out to, you can book a date directly, and the contact page reaches a person if you would rather talk it through first.