What should I do with a giant ballroom on a Tuesday morning?

September 24, 2009 8:57 PM

I have a gigantic ballroom reserved for a very small lab meeting. What crazy-cool things can we do to make use of this space at 9:30am on a weekday? Party?

I have a recurring lab meeting every 2 weeks with my advisor, other graduate students in the lab, and a few scientists from outside agencies - roughly 10 people. Long story short, the only room on campus I could reserve for our upcoming meeting is a huge ballroom.

So I am thinking party. I'm sure something fun could be done with this huge space, but I am at a loss for creative ideas.

My colleagues are fun-loving, and the meeting is scheduled for 2 hours, but only one hour of actual content. We could potentially invite more people ... or I could keep it secret and surprise everyone. So I ask the hive-mind for some ideas - I am open to even the most off-the-wall suggestions.

posted by tr0ubley to grab bag (19 answers total)

Get a few of those classic, small rubby bouncy balls and throw them around in the room. I used to love getting into a gym and throwing those bouncy balls really hard. Ballroom may not be appropriate, and I'm not sure if bouncy balls are fun once you reach a certain age.
posted by gavtaylor at 9:13 PM on September 24, 2009

RC Helicopters! They are like $20!
posted by lundman at 9:25 PM on September 24, 2009 [2 favorites]

I want to say one word to you, just one word: bullhorns.
posted by Meatbomb at 9:26 PM on September 24, 2009 [1 favorite]

Roller Skates!
posted by alight at 9:40 PM on September 24, 2009

Paper plane contest! Nerf gun fight! Dodgeball!
posted by padraigin at 9:45 PM on September 24, 2009

Set up a table that's just a little too small for everyone in the center of the room. Insist that everyone talk quietly.
posted by cmoj at 10:54 PM on September 24, 2009 [7 favorites]

Ultimate Frisbee
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 11:39 PM on September 24, 2009 [1 favorite]

Dougnut on a string!
posted by ukdanae at 11:59 PM on September 24, 2009

Sock Hockey
posted by Aquaman at 12:28 AM on September 25, 2009

I'm shocked that no one's suggested trampolines or indoor basketball yet...

Running contests.

If only it were longer, later, and beer could get involved...
posted by chrisinseoul at 12:51 AM on September 25, 2009

RC Racecars!
Obstacle course!
Turn the lights off and play blind man's bluff!
Oh, oh! Pony rides!
posted by Acacia at 2:10 AM on September 25, 2009 [1 favorite]

foam party!
posted by Muirwylde at 2:14 AM on September 25, 2009

Indoor kickball (with a Nerf ball so you don't break anything).
posted by shiny blue object at 5:12 AM on September 25, 2009

lundman is so right - flying RC things!! Helicopters, dragonflies... anything you have, can borrow, or can buy. They're hard to control when there's wind, and impossible to keep going if you have to steer around walls. A ballroom would be fantastic for that!

And then the batteries die and it's time for your meeting.
posted by aimedwander at 6:27 AM on September 25, 2009

Make really fancy model airplanes, especially duration models. I could totally see a bunch of science-types geeking out on this.
posted by MrMoonPie at 6:56 AM on September 25, 2009

Volleyball!
posted by torquemaniac at 8:43 AM on September 25, 2009

Yes, airplanes! And more airplanes! Contests! With different classes: paper, helicopters, fixed-wing. R/C, free-flight. Blimps. Hot-air balloons? (Fire danger!)
posted by phliar at 12:05 PM on September 25, 2009

shiny blue object inspires me. kickball?? dodgeball!! of course, nerf is best, but if you wish to live on the wild side... }:-)

also, i would consider incorporating the ballroom into the actual meeting part of your meeting. have your meeting but don't allow anyone to get more than 10 meters close to anyone. You have to project your voice! Or play around with your perspective by holding a tiny meeting in the center like cmoj suggested one day, then the next day set up the meeting in one random corner, and the next time in another random corner.

and if the energy in your meeting ever flags, you've got the space for a kick-ass game of duck, duck, goose...

:-D
posted by leticia at 2:08 PM on September 25, 2009

also, i would consider incorporating the ballroom into the actual meeting part of your meeting. have your meeting but don't allow anyone to get more than 10 meters close to anyone.

Thus the bullhorns. Have everyone evenly spaced out, as far as possible from everyone else, around the perimeter of the space. With bullhorns.
posted by Meatbomb at 4:46 PM on September 25, 2009