20 Fall Company Party Ideas for Employees and Families

Fall is the second picnic season, and a lot of companies miss it. The summer outing is behind you, the holiday party is still two months out, and October gives you cooler weather, a harvest theme that decorates itself and a workforce that has been back from vacation long enough to want a day out. A Mechanical Pumpkin in the parking lot, a sculptor carving the company logo into a pumpkin the size of a wheelbarrow and a bracket on the Corn Hole boards is a company party people talk about until December.

Here are 20 fall company party ideas organized by the kind of event you are planning: headliners for a company field day, harvest family day ideas, team competitions and after-work fall parties. Every one of them is rentable from the carnival and picnic games collection at Perfect Parties USA, and each comes with a planning tip on space, power or headcount, whether your office is in Boston, Hartford or Providence.

Headliners for a Company Field Day

One or two of these and the field day has a centerpiece.

1. Carnival Bumper Cars

Carnival Bumper Cars: Five bumper cars in an enclosed arena with an operator, about 45 riders an hour and a ride adults line up for as fast as their kids do. Planning Tip: It needs a 45 by 45 foot footprint and two dedicated 20 amp circuits, so confirm the lot or the field before you book anything else. Rent the Carnival Bumper Cars.

2. The Mechanical Pumpkin

Mechanical Pumpkin: The mechanical bull dressed as a pumpkin, with an operator controlling the ride for every employee who climbs on. Planning Tip: Run a department leaderboard for the longest ride and the whole company gathers to watch the finals. Rent the Mechanical Pumpkin.

3. Bobbing for Apples, Supersized

Bobbing for Apples: Two contestants in bungee harnesses race to fill their buckets with foam apples before the cord pulls them back, about 60 players an hour. Planning Tip: Run it as a manager versus team bracket; the spectators are half the fun. Rent Bobbing for Apples.

4. The Alpine Slide

Alpine Slide: Riders race down side by side for the fastest time, which turns into a timed tournament with a leaderboard on its own. Planning Tip: Run heats by department in the afternoon and an all-comers final before the food. Rent the Alpine Slide.

5. The Rock Wall

Rock Wall: A mobile climbing wall with an operator and harnesses, the piece that gets the quiet engineer to the top while the sales team cheers. Planning Tip: Put it where the whole field can see it; the climb is the show. Rent the Rock Wall.

6. The Mobile Zipline

Mobile Zipline: A trailer-mounted zipline that gives a field day a ride people photograph. Planning Tip: It draws the longest line of the day, so start it the minute gates open. Rent the Mobile Zipline.

Harvest Family Day Ideas

For the company party that invites spouses and kids, the harvest theme does the decorating.

7. A Pumpkin Carved With the Company Logo

Live Pumpkin Sculptor: A sculptor carving the company logo into an oversized pumpkin in real time, which becomes the photo backdrop for the rest of the day. Planning Tip: Send the sculptor the logo a week ahead and place the carving where every family passes it. Book the Live Pumpkin Sculptor.

8. A Pumpkin Painting Station

Pumpkin Painting: A staffed station where every employee’s kid paints a pumpkin to take home. Planning Tip: Hand out one numbered ticket per child at check-in so the pumpkins last until the end. Rent the Pumpkin Painting station.

9. The Corn Maze Inflatable

Corn Maze Inflatable: A 35 by 40 foot inflatable corn maze that runs more than 150 people an hour, the harvest attraction that works for a six year old and a CFO. Planning Tip: Set it at the far end of the field so the walk to it passes the food and the games. Rent the Corn Maze Inflatable.

10. The Jumpin Pumpkin

Jumpin Pumpkin: A 40 by 60 foot pumpkin jumping pillow that keeps the kids busy while the adults eat. Planning Tip: Mark a stroller parking area beside it and give it an attendant. Rent the Jumpin Pumpkin.

11. A Train Around the Grounds

Trackless Train: A trackless train carries up to 18 passengers per trip around the grounds and doubles as the shuttle from the far parking lot. Planning Tip: Run it continuously with a stop at the food tent and a stop at the kid zone. Rent the Trackless Train.

12. The Cob-stacle Course

Cob-stacle Course: A corn themed inflatable obstacle course the kids race while their parents time them. Planning Tip: Post a leaderboard by age group; the rematches keep the line full. Rent the Cob-stacle Course.

Team Competition Ideas

The pieces that give departments something to compete over.

13. A Corn Hole Bracket

Corn Hole: Full-size boards and a bracket on a whiteboard turn a lawn game into the event inside the event. Planning Tip: Seed the bracket by department and play the final on the stage before the awards. Rent the Corn Hole set.

14. Human Pig Racer

Human Pig Racer: Employees in inflatable pig suits race a short course while the crowd cheers, the company picnic’s answer to a sack race. Planning Tip: Save the executive heat for last. Rent the Human Pig Racer.

15. Giant Plinko

Giant Plinko: Drop a puck from the top and the slot decides the prize, from a coffee gift card to an extra vacation day. Planning Tip: One drop per employee, and load the big prizes into the outside slots. Rent the Giant Plinko.

16. A Family Feud Style Game Show

Deluxe Game Show – Survey Says: A hosted Family Feud style game show with buzzers, a scoreboard and survey questions you write about your own company. Planning Tip: Collect the survey answers from staff two weeks out and the show writes itself. Rent the Deluxe Game Show – Survey Says.

17. The High Striker

High Striker: Swing the mallet, ring the bell, and settle every argument about who is the strongest person in the building. Planning Tip: Post the day’s best hits on a whiteboard; the leaderboard is the prize. Rent the High Striker.

After-Work Fall Party Ideas

For the company that wants an evening instead of a field day.

18. An Oktoberfest Photo Backdrop

Oktoberfest Custom Back Drop: A custom Oktoberfest backdrop turns the office patio or the function room into a fall beer garden for photos, with the company name on it. Planning Tip: Pair it with a photo booth and the pictures do the internal newsletter for you. Rent the Oktoberfest Custom Back Drop.

19. Glow Casino Tables

Glow Casino (category): Glow-in-the-dark blackjack, roulette, craps and Texas Hold Em tables with dealers, for an after-hours party with funny money and a prize auction at the end. Planning Tip: Give everyone the same chip count at the door and let the winners bid on prizes at 9. Rent the Glow Casino (category).

20. A Hot Chocolate Station

Hot Chocolate: A staffed hot chocolate station is the reason an outdoor evening party in October lasts past dark. Planning Tip: Put it beside the fire pit or the patio heaters, where the crowd will gather anyway. Rent the Hot Chocolate.

How to Choose Fall Company Party Attractions for Your Event

Start with the guest list. An employees-only field day wants the headliners and the competitions: the bumper cars, the Mechanical Pumpkin, Bobbing for Apples, a Corn Hole bracket and the game show, and the carnival games for adults list adds more. A family day wants the harvest section and the kid zone, and the company picnic ideas pillar covers the summer version of the same event. An after-work party wants the Oktoberfest backdrop, the glow casino and the hot chocolate line, and the casino night rentals in Boston and New England guide covers the casino setup.

As a rule of thumb, plan for one game or attraction per 25 to 50 employees and one headliner per 150 to 200 guests, and confirm power and footprint for the bumper cars and the rock wall before you book the venue. Companies across Massachusetts, Connecticut and New Hampshire book October Fridays early, so reserve the headliners first. If you are on the North Shore, the corporate event entertainment in Peabody, MA page shows what is nearby, and the fall team building activities guide covers the competitive side in more depth.

Rent Fall Company Party Attractions From Perfect Parties USA

Perfect Parties USA is based in Peabody, Massachusetts and owns hundreds of attractions, including every rentable item on this list, so the games you book are the games that arrive, maintained and ready to play. Every rental includes delivery, professional setup, trained attendants and prizes for staffed games, and complete teardown. We are fully insured, with a certificate of insurance available for venues and schools, and we have produced events of every size across New England and the Northeast for decades, from Massachusetts, Boston, Connecticut and Rhode Island to New Hampshire and New York.

Ready to get this party started? Contact Perfect Parties USA to talk to one of our Party Pros. Request a Quote.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best fall company party ideas?

The best fall company party ideas are a field day with the Carnival Bumper Cars and the Mechanical Pumpkin as headliners, a Corn Hole bracket and a Family Feud style game show for the competitions, a pumpkin carved with the company logo for the photos and a hot chocolate station for the evening. Perfect Parties USA runs that lineup for companies across New England.

What fall company party ideas work for employees with kids?

For a family day, add the Jumpin Pumpkin, the Cob-stacle Course, a pumpkin painting station, the Corn Maze Inflatable and a train ride around the grounds to the adult lineup. Give the kid zone its own corner with an attendant, and the parents get to enjoy the bracket while the kids stay busy.

How many attractions do you need for a company fall party?

Plan for one game or attraction per 25 to 50 employees and one headliner per 150 to 200 guests. A party for 150 employees runs well on the bumper cars, Bobbing for Apples, a Corn Hole bracket, the game show and a pumpkin sculptor. Perfect Parties USA sizes lineups for offices across New England.

Can you rent fall party attractions for a corporate event?

Yes, every attraction in this guide is available to rent, from the Carnival Bumper Cars and the Mechanical Pumpkin to the game show, the glow casino tables and the Oktoberfest backdrop. Rentals from Perfect Parties USA include delivery, professional setup, trained operators and dealers where needed, and complete teardown.

Does Perfect Parties USA deliver corporate fall party rentals in Massachusetts and New England?

Yes, Perfect Parties USA delivers corporate fall party rentals across Massachusetts, including Boston and the North Shore, and throughout Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and New York. The company is based in Peabody, Massachusetts, owns its inventory and provides a certificate of insurance for venues on request.

Are fall company party attractions appropriate for an after-work event?

An after-work fall party works best with the pieces built for adults: the glow casino tables with dealers, the Oktoberfest photo backdrop, the Mechanical Pumpkin and a hot chocolate station on the patio. Skip the kid zone, keep the competitions to a Corn Hole bracket and a game show, and the evening runs on two or three rentals.

How far in advance should a company book fall party rentals?

Book fall company party rentals six to eight weeks ahead, and earlier for the Carnival Bumper Cars, the Rock Wall and the Mobile Zipline, which need site checks and are reserved first for October Fridays. Booking early with Perfect Parties USA also leaves time to plan the layout with a Party Pro.