If you have been asked to organise something for Black History Month at work, it is easy to start with the obvious question:
“What should we book?”
We think there is a better place to begin.
“What kind of experience do we want people to have?”
Caterly has helped E.ON Next create Black History Month experiences for several years, and we have just booked another large event with them for October 2026.
That repeated experience has taught us something useful: the strongest workplace celebrations are rarely just a collection of themed activities.
Food can be a brilliant anchor, but the experience around it is what gives people reasons to arrive, stay, talk and participate.
Here are some of the things we have learnt.
Start with the purpose, not the supplier list.
Before choosing caterers, entertainment or activities, decide what you want the event to create.
Is this primarily a celebration?
Do you want to create opportunities for colleagues to connect?
Is there an internal programme or story the event needs to support?
How much time will employees actually have to participate?
Once those questions are clearer, it becomes much easier to decide what belongs in the experience.
Food is a brilliant way in
Food works particularly well at workplace events because participation is natural.
For the E.ON Next experience we are currently helping to create, Caribbean and African street food are part of the event.
That creates choice, introduces different cuisines and gives people an immediate reason to come into the space.
But food does not need to carry the entire event.
Build an experience around it
Think about what employees can do once they have collected their food.
For this year’s E.ON Next event, the wider experience includes social games, live atmosphere, an alcohol-free drinks offer and a studio area with professional headshots and a caricaturist.
There is also thought going into the arrival experience itself.
The point is not that every Black History Month event needs those exact elements.
It is that the experience becomes richer when people have different ways to participate.
Some people will be drawn to the food.
Some will play a game.
Some will want a new headshot.
Some will simply enjoy the music and spend time talking to colleagues.
A good event gives people options.
Create spaces that encourage connection
One of the most useful things an event can do is change how people use a familiar workplace.
A room people normally associate with meetings or work can feel completely different when the layout, food, music and activities give people permission to behave differently in it.
Think about where people will naturally gather.
Where will they eat?
Where can they stand and talk?
Will queues block the social areas?
Are the activities spread out enough to encourage people to move around?
The physical layout matters more than it gets credit for.
Think beyond decoration
Visual identity can help an event feel deliberate, but styling should support the experience rather than become the experience.
An arrival moment, signage, a feature wall or thoughtful use of the company’s own brand can create impact without filling the room with generic themed decoration.
Ask what each visual element is doing.
Is it helping people understand where to go?
Creating a photo moment?
Making the space feel special?
If it is not adding anything, you probably do not need it.
Make the event work for the working day
However good the concept is, it still has to function inside a workplace.
Think about:
• How many employees will attend?
• Will everybody arrive together or in waves?
• How much free time do they actually have?
• How quickly can the food be served?
• Are activities walk-up or pre-booked?
• What are the dietary requirements?
• What access, power and setup time do suppliers need?
• Who is coordinating everybody on the day?
These are not the exciting parts of the mood board.
They are often the difference between an idea that looks good and an event that actually works.
Use real experience, not a checklist
There is no universal formula for celebrating Black History Month at work.
Nor should there be.
The right event should reflect the organisation, the people taking part and the purpose behind it.
Our biggest learning from helping deliver these experiences year after year is not “book these five things”.
It is to create something thoughtful enough to feel intentional, but accessible enough that people genuinely want to take part.
Food can bring people into the room.
The experience around it can give them a reason to stay.
How can Caterly help?
Caterly is a premium service that provides corporate event organisers with unforgettable food and drink experiences. Whether you are looking for food for a workplace celebration or subsidised meals for your employees, we have you covered.
We have a community of caterers who can provide anything from luxury canapes to Mexican burritos in a quirky street food van.
All the caterers in the Caterly Community are required to meet the Catering Excellence Benchmark™, a standard that you know you will receive the very best food, service and experience, from the most hygienic and sustainability conscious vendors.
