Business Anniversary Celebration Ideas and Examples
Looking for great business anniversary celebration ideas? You’re in luck! We’ve compiled a bunch of them, taking examples from real businesses and the real ways in which they celebrated.
By far, the most popular way to celebrate is to hold a contest or provide giveaways. A common theme among many examples is to somehow relate the anniversary year to the activity. So read some, and think some, and we’re sure you can come up with some great ideas that will fit your business’ culture and budget, while celebrating a milestone that’s a pretty big deal — your business’ anniversary!
Jump to a section by selecting a category below, or just browse the various ideas for business anniversary celebration ideas. If an idea sounds interesting, you can read more about how each business implemented their celebration by following the link to their full business anniversary exclusive.
- Hold a contest or giveaway
- Go back in time
- Offer something unique
- Conduct a grand opening or tour
- Hold a ribbon cutting
- Offer discounts
- Donate to charity
- Engage employees
- Hold a gala or celebratory event
Hold a Contest or Giveaway
- Gave away 50 cases of potato chips each week during their “85 days of summer” celebration
- Grand prize – a trip to Soaring Eagle Water Park and Hotel in Mt. Pleasant, MI
Tim Hortons Donuts – 60th Anniversary
- “Dueling donuts” challenge – customers created and entered their own donut into a contest to win $10,000. The winning donut was also added to the Tim Horton’s menu.
Beltline Bar – 50th Anniversary
- Held a “Burrito Buddy of the Week” contest in conjunction with a local radio station. Participants nominated a friend or co-worker to win a $25 gift certificate to the Beltline Bar. Then once a week – on “Burrito Tuesday” – a name was drawn and the winner was announced on the radio.
Gerald R Ford International Airport – 50th Anniversary
- Kick-off event featuring free cupcakes, popcorn, games, and prizes for passengers and the public
- A contest featured prizes including a $200 car detail giveaway, and three 5-compartment rolling backpacks
- “Love at First Flight” contest – honored couples married 50 years or more offering a grand prize of one night’s stay at an upscale hotel, a $100 gift card to local restaurants, a dozen red roses and hockey tickets.
Chicken of the Sea – 100 Years
- Name the mermaid contest. The winner received $10,000
Morris Animal Foundation – 65 Years
- Contest/fundraiser: eBay auction to attend their black tie gala with Betty White as their guest. Winning bid was $10,300; winner received 2 round-trip airfare tickets, a hotel stay, and VIP tickets to the gala, seated at Betty White’s table.
- Adventurrito Treasure Hunt. Participants pre-registered online. Each day Chipotle released a new puzzle to complete, then selected 20 winners at random each day for 19 days to receive free burritos for a year. On the 20th day, the players that correctly solved the first 19 puzzles were entered in a contest where 20 players won 20 years of free burritos.
Steamboat Ski Resort – 50th Anniversary
- Steamboat ski vacation for 4
- Heli ski trip for 2
- 4 monthly prizes: Rossignol skis and bindings, Burton Snowboard, Steamboat summer vacation for 2, Rossignol skis and bindings
- 50 days and 50 daily prizes including lift tickets, ski and cowboy apparel, sleigh ride dinners, and massages
Robinette’s Apple Haus & Winery – 100 years
- Free souvenir wine glass and wine tasting on select days
Go Back in Time
- Employees dressed in original uniforms from the 60’s and handed out complimentary birthday donuts to passers by
Offer Something Unique
- Customers could purchase one-of-a-kind 50th anniversary travel mugs and reusable beverage cups
- For the entire anniversary year, customers were served beverages in 50th anniversary cups
Chicken of the Sea Tuna – 100th Anniversary
- Toured various communities in the U.S. with the Mermaid herself as host. Distributed samples and offered prize giveaways.
Afton Apple Orchards – 25 Years
- Dock diving dogs, music, face painting, and a beer tent. “Ears to 25 Years” displayed on an anniversary cake.
- Designed a 15-acre corn maze.
Macatawa Resource Center – 15 Years
- Ribbon cutting where 15 doves were released as a symbol of their 15 years
Steamboat Ski Resort – 50 Years
- Live music
- 50th anniversary merchandise tent
- Time capsule opening from their 25th anniversary
- Texas sized birthday cake – 3 ft tall, 700 lbs.
- Torchlight Parade
- Fireworks synced to music – largest display in the resort’s history
- Prizes hidden in gondola cars
- Steamboat 50th Anniversary tap at participating bars
Robinette’s Apple Haus & Winery – 100th Anniversary
- Uunveil a Centennial sign
- Celebrate each fruit “season” in their anniversary year: Peach Festival, Apple Time, etc.
- Create video about the history of the farm
HopCat Brewery – 5th Anniversary
- Crack fries eating contest (house blend seasoned beer battered fries)
- Limited edition release of 22-ounce bottle of Oil Rigger Russian Imperial Stout
Conduct a Grand Opening or Tour
- Kite flying, horse-drawn wagon rides, and tours of their “natural” play area and treehouse cabins.
Hold a Ribbon Cutting
- Macatawa Resource Center – 15 years
- Robinette’s Apple Haus & Winery – 100 years
Offer Discounts
Afton Apple Orchard – 25th Anniversary
- 25% discount on pick-your-own apples
- Free scoop of ice cream with a meal
Beltline Bar – 60th Anniversary
- Draft beer and a burrito for $7.99 on specific weekdays
West Michigan White Caps Minor League Baseball – 20 years
- Specials for each day of the week, Sunday through Friday, including Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital Day where the first 1,000 kids ate free, and Tiger Fridays where former Detroit Tigers come to meet fans and sign autographs plus free giveaways to the first 1,000 fans in attendance.
Robinette’s Apple Haus & Winery – 100 years
- Discounts on gift barn purchases
- Glass of cider and a donut for 100 pennies
Engage Employees
House of Flavors – 66th Anniversary
- Commemorative staff t-shirts for all employees to wear during their anniversary year celebration
- Displayed a large banner in each restaurant declaring their pride in 66 years
Donate to Charity
Chicken of the Sea Tuna – 100 years
- Website contest to nominate an individual, cause or organization to be awarded $10,000. 10 winners in all — total $100,000 for 100 years
Host a Gala or Celebratory Event
Morris Animal Foundation – 65th Anniversary
- Hosted a black tie event “Gala of Hope – An Evening with Betty White.” Highlighted the work of the foundation along with Ms. White’s lifelong commitment to improve the lives of animals. Dinner, music, silent and live auctions.
Little Mary’s Hospitality House – 30 Years
- Prime rib dinner and silent auction fundraiser
Robinette’s Apple Haus and Winery
- Blessing of the Blossoms event – blessing, bluegrass band, speakers from apple, grape and wine councils, free wagon rides, door prizes
- Give Thanks event – limited edition centennial hard cider, wine tasting discounts, % of proceeds donated to a local charity
- Picnic under the Maples event – hayrides, kids games and prizes, free wine tasting, special cherry or pumpkin spice flavored donuts, live opry house style music