Planning a Corporate Family Day or Summer Picnic in the GTA

A corporate family day is one of the best ways for a company to thank employees and get to know their families. Across the GTA, companies host summer picnics in parks, family days at their own campuses and fall festivals at rented venues, with games, food and activities for every age. Done well, they build goodwill that lasts all year. Done badly, they're long lines, hot afternoons and bored kids.

If you're organizing a corporate family day or summer picnic for employees and their families, here's how to plan it, from venue and permits to activities, rentals and logistics. To plan a corporate family day, book the venue and permits early, plan activities for toddlers, kids, teens and adults, add snack machines and a bouncy castle for families, provide shade and water, assign staff to key roles and confirm vendors and power well in advance.

1. Pick the venue and date

Options include a company campus, a rented park pavilion, a conservation area, a farm or a private event venue. Consider:

• Capacity for employees and families
• Shade, washrooms and parking
• Power for rentals and food service
• Accessibility for strollers and wheelchairs
• A rain plan, such as a pavilion or indoor space

Summer weekends fill quickly, so book early. For public parks, check permit requirements with the city well in advance.

Registration helps with planning. Ask employees to register their family members, including children's ages and any dietary needs. It gives you accurate numbers for food and activities, helps you plan supervision and lets you size snack machine servings and bouncy castle sessions.

2. Plan for every age

A family day has to work for toddlers, school-age kids, teens and adults at the same time:

• Toddlers and young kids: A bouncy castle (LUNO's are for ages 2 to 6), bubbles, face painting
• School-age kids: Games, relay races, a scavenger hunt
• Teens: A 360 photo booth, sports and challenges
• Adults: Shaded seating, food, a photo booth and lawn games

Spread activities across the venue so lines stay short.

3. Snack machines

Popcorn, cotton candy and shaved ice machines are crowd-pleasers at family days. With operators, they serve large groups quickly and free staff from snack duty. Place them in shade, near power and away from the bouncy castle. See our guide to snack machines for school events and family days.

4. Food and drink

Plan food for the crowd and the weather: a barbecue, food trucks or catered lunch, plus plenty of water and cold drinks. Ask about dietary needs and allergies when employees register. Keep food in the shade, and plan for waste, recycling and organics.

A simple schedule posted at the entrance helps families plan their day: when the barbecue opens, when the kids' races start, when the photo booth is busiest and when the day wraps up. Families with young children appreciate knowing when to arrive and when the quieter moments are.

5. Safety and comfort

Hot days need shade tents, water stations and sunscreen. Assign staff or volunteers to supervise the bouncy castle and other activities. Have a first aid kit and a designated first aid contact. Make sure the site has clear paths, accessible washrooms and a lost-child meeting point.

6. Power and logistics

Map power before booking rentals. Each bouncy castle blower and snack machine needs a grounded outlet, ideally on separate circuits. In parks without power, ask about generators and permit rules. Share the site map with every vendor, including where to unload and park.

If you're expecting several hundred people, consider staggered arrival windows by department or a shuttle from the office car park. It eases parking, shortens lines at registration and spreads the crowd across activities through the day.

7. Staff roles

Assign clear roles: event lead, vendor coordinator, activity supervisors, registration desk, first aid contact and cleanup lead. Brief everyone before the event with the schedule, site map and contact list. A well-briefed team makes the day feel effortless for families.

8. Branding and photos

A branded photo booth template or banner makes the day feel like a company event, and the photos are great for internal newsletters and recruitment. Let families know how photos will be used and follow your company's consent practices. See our corporate event photo booth guide.

Afterwards, send a thank-you message to employees with a gallery link and a short survey. What families enjoyed most, and what they'd change, makes next year's family day even better.

Example: a family day in a rented park pavilion

Say your company is hosting 300 employees and family members at a park pavilion in August. Book the pavilion and confirm the city's permit and power rules first. Then book a bouncy castle for the youngest kids, popcorn and shaved ice with operators, and a photo booth for families. Spread them across the site, each in shade with power mapped in advance. Assign staff to supervise the castle and run registration, and post a schedule at the entrance.

When to bring in a rental company

Book rentals two to three months ahead, and share your expected attendance, site map and power details.

LUNO's popcorn, cotton candy and shaved ice machines, bouncy castles and photo booths are available for corporate family days across the GTA. Contact us with your date, and plan the setup with our backyard and outdoor party checklist.