Castle Hackathon for Facebook

The Brief
Facebook were looking to host a two-day medieval themed event in a castle, less than an hour from London for 200 of their team members. The purpose of the event was to provide employees with the opportunity to try something new, conjure up some new ideas and collaborate with other members of their large team in a fun and exciting environment.

The Venue
Uptown sourced the perfect venue for the client’s medieval theme – Farnham Castle. Built in 1138 by the grandson of William the Conqueror, the castle is steeped in history and has played host to many a royal banquet over the centuries. To adhere to the theme, Uptown implemented a number of ways in which to create the all-important medieval feel, including long wooden tables and benches, knights in armour, hanging crest flags, traditional middle-age music and chunky candles. In order for the guests to carry out their work and planned team building activities, wifi had to be installed in the castle which was no mean feat, given the age of the venue and the limited facilities!

The Event
The various rooms in the castle were adorned with unique furniture to create different working environments, with the thought that the stimulating surroundings would spark new ideas in employees. A barbeque lunch was provided in the grounds of the castle, later followed by a full, medieval banquet in the grand hall. True to the middle ages, figs and grape vines scattered the table, a hog was spinning over naked flames, whilst the guests feasted using wooden bowls and cutlery, glugging on beer straight from a wooden barrel. Guests danced medieval jigs before working through the night in teams alongside newly made friends, to crack a code, encouraging teamwork and inter-company bonding. A midnight feast was also provided to rejuvenate the guests and before they knew it, breakfast was being served in the grand hall and it was time to return to the 21st century.