When Hybrid Ins’t Horrifying: Planning Events Across Formats
with thoughts on AI from Olive Pique, HOST’s resident event expert and mascot
Hybrid doesn’t have to be horrifying. Yes, planning across formats can feel like you’re juggling flaming jack-o-lanterns on a unicycle with a flat tire. But here’s the secret: when done well, hybrid events don’t double the stress, they double the opportunity.
Whether it’s a sales summit with remote reps dialing in, a holiday celebration with half the team in-office and half at home, or a client event where travel budgets just won’t stretch, the key isn’t cramming everyone into the same mold. It’s creating experiences that feel intentional, connected, and seamless, no matter where people show up.
In this post, we’re unpacking how to pull off hybrid without the horror: balancing formats, leaning on tech that doesn’t give you nightmares, and weaving in moments of joy that translate both on-site and online. Because let’s be real—when connection is the goal, format is just the stage.
Taking a bite out of hybrid events.
Why Hybrid Matters Now
Hybrid isn’t just about hedging bets—it’s about multiplying impact. By blending formats, companies expand their reach across regions and even oceans without multiplying costs. A sales summit in Chicago no longer excludes your reps in London. A client appreciation event in Boston can include your partners in Brazil. Suddenly, the “room” expands without the airfare.
And it’s not just about geography. Hybrid allows for something even more precious: time. For sales and marketing teams stretched thin on staffing and short on hours, hybrid formats cut the travel grind and give back work-life balance. The same holds true for attendees—when you eliminate flights, hotel nights, and days away from family, participation skyrockets.
Even more importantly, hybrid levels the playing field for internal teams. When employees are spread across cities—or continents—budgets and travel schedules used to divide who got access to what. Now, hybrid ensures that no matter where your people are, they can share in the same experience.
According to a 1,000-planner survey, 80% say hybrid events deliver greater reach and engagement.¹
Where Hybrid Gets Hairy
Of course, hybrid isn’t all smooth sailing. The format comes with its own set of fears—the kind that can keep planners up at night.
Fear 1: Two formats mean double the budget.
The reality: Hybrid doesn’t have to mean two of everything. Smart planning reuses content, aligns production timelines, and balances spend across formats. In fact, hybrid can reduce travel and venue costs while expanding participation—so you’re not doubling spend, you’re redistributing it.²
Fear 2: The tech will fail.
The reality: Yes, a dropped Zoom link or a frozen livestream can be mortifying—but tech issues are no longer the rule, they’re the exception. Platforms built for hybrid are more reliable than ever, with markedly richer engagement features.³
Fear 3: Virtual attendees will feel like second-class citizens.
The reality: It’s true—if the in-room crowd gets all the fun while the online audience is stuck watching passively, hybrid falls flat. The fix is intentional design: use professional hosts, interactive games, or live chat features to make the digital side feel just as seen and valued.
Fear 4: In-person will steal the show.
The reality: The truth? It doesn’t have to be a competition. When hybrid works, each format amplifies the other. An in-room moment becomes shareable online. A digital poll shapes a live conversation. Done well, hybrid is less like splitting the spotlight and more like widening the stage.
Pulling Off Hybrid Without the Horror
So, how do you make hybrid feel seamless instead of scary? It’s not about doubling the production or throwing cash at every problem. It’s about weaving formats together with intention—and designing moments that land equally well in-room and online.
Curated Tastings
Food and drink experiences don’t need to split the room. A guided chocolate or whiskey tasting, for example, works beautifully across formats: ship kits to remote attendees, set up stations for in-person guests, and bring everyone together through a single hosted experience. Suddenly, geography doesn’t matter—the flavor does.
Real-Time Travel Tours
Want a wow factor without the airfare? Take the team to Paris, Iceland, or Buenos Aires—live, with expert local hosts. Those on-site can gather around a big screen while remote colleagues tune in from home. Everyone shares the same energy, stories, and cultural immersion in real time.
Music Bingo Parties
Interactive games are hybrid gold. Music Bingo, for instance, has the same rules and excitement whether you’re at a table with colleagues or logging in from your living room. It’s not about who’s in the room—it’s about who’s in the groove.
Professional Hosting Support
The secret sauce to hybrid isn’t just tech—it’s people. A skilled emcee ensures remote attendees aren’t sidelined, keeps transitions smooth, and balances the energy between formats. Attendees respond to hybrid: in one study, 40.6% said hybrid was their favorite format.⁴ Pair that tech with a pro host, and you’ve got the magic mix.
Takeaway: It’s Not Double, It’s Different
Hybrid isn’t about duplicating effort—it’s about designing with intention. When you focus on experiences that translate across formats, you stop worrying about which group gets “the better event” and start building one cohesive story.
Think of it this way: in-person brings the energy, remote brings the reach, and together they expand connection in ways neither could pull off alone. It’s not two shows—it’s one stage, with more seats in the house.
The companies that win in hybrid aren’t the ones with the flashiest tech—they’re the ones who remember that format is just the container. What matters is the content, the care, and the creativity you put inside it.
✍️ A Note from Amy
I wasn’t afraid of hybrid—I loved it from the start. The challenge of figuring out how to make it work wasn’t intimidating, it was invigorating. Hybrid pushed me to think differently, to test, to tweak, and to find out which experiences thrive in this format (and which ones… not so much).
Now, after countless activations, I can say we’ve mastered it. At HOST, we don’t just “offer” hybrid events—we bring road-tested experiences and expert event management that make the format seamless instead of scary. We know how to balance the in-room with the online, how to keep remote guests engaged, and how to make sure no one leaves feeling like a second-tier attendee.
Hybrid isn’t a horror story. It’s an opportunity—and when you approach it with creativity and care, it’s one of the most powerful tools in your event strategy.
At HOST, that’s exactly what we love to deliver: intentional, inclusive events that connect people no matter where they join from.
Let’s figure it out, together.
— Amy O’Neil
Owner, HOST Events | ONAR Event Services
🫒 Olive Has Thoughts
Hybrid gets a bad rap, but honestly? It’s kind of my sweet spot. Two audiences, one experience—it’s like hosting a dinner party where half your guests are in the living room and the other half are FaceTiming in from Paris. The trick isn’t to make them feel the same—it’s to make them feel equally included.
That’s where little details go a long way. Live tasting kits shipped to remote teams while in-person folks sip together. A host who can read the room and the Zoom. Shared games where everyone’s voice carries—whether from a ballroom mic or a home office headset.
Hybrid isn’t horror—it’s hospitality with range. And if you’re still spooked, remember: the best events aren’t about where you sit. They’re about how connected you feel when it’s over.
—Olive Pique, HOST mascot + equal-opportunity hype woman
Ready to Make Hybrid Effortless?
On-site, remote, or spread across time zones—we’ll turn it into one seamless experience. From curated tastings and real-time travel tours to pro hosting that keeps in-room and online guests in sync, HOST handles the details so you can focus on connection.
Let’s Get This Party Started1 Forbes — Hybrid events expand audience reach and accessibility Forbes Communications Council
2 Harvard Business Review — Hybrid work and events as a solution for work-life balance Harvard Business Review
3 EventMB / Skift Meetings — Hybrid events deliver higher ROI when planned intentionally EventMB
4 Gallup — Employee connection drives engagement regardless of work format Gallup Workplace