Avalon Events Center ENTERS ITS second act

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In addition to the main ballroom and the mezzanine, which offers a bar and table seating, it also holds The Loft — a versatile space that’s hosted intimate dinners, wedding ceremonies and cocktail parties — and dressing rooms for the wedding party.

But there’s much more to Avalon Events Center than the Millennium Ballroom. And although the space is known as a wedding venue (it even won weddingwire.com’s Couple’s Choice Award Winner in 2018 and 2019), Avalon Events Center does a lot more than just weddings.

“I think when people see our building from the outside, all they see is larger events, but we’re really capable of doing smaller events and making them extremely personalized,” explains Andy Richards, Avalon Events Center’s chief marketing officer. “We want people to know that we can do anything. We can do weddings, we can do huge corporate events, we can do small trainings. We also do non-profit events, we do expos.”

A wide range of banquet spaces makes this versatility possible. They’re all equipped with built-in bars, ambient LED lighting and the technology required for presentations, but each has its own unique character.

The Sheyenne Ballroom’s wood wainscoting makes the space feel classic, weighty and perhaps quietly masculine. Across the hall, the Dakota Ballroom’s recessed walls and ceilings, striking chandeliers and stately columns give the room an air of historical elegance that belies its recent construction. Chandeliers fashioned like a tangle of delicate vines grace the pressed copper ceiling of the Prairie Rose Ballroom.

“Our Roosevelt Room is gorgeous,” adds Richards. The warm, welcoming room is completed paneled in luxe, warm wood, making it a cozy spot for business meetings, investor dinners and donor events. “It’s just like taking out a prospect or donors to eat at a high end restaurant, but you don’t have to deal with all the noise around you,” Richards explains.

This focus on events other than weddings is part of a move toward a more community-oriented mission and a very customer-centered experience. The facility is under new management and Richards is very frank about the changes his team has made over the last year.

“Bad news travels so much faster than good news, and one burned bridge that happened three years ago with someone who’s no longer here is a resounding noise that causes a wave we feel today,” he says. “We’ve spent the last year talking to businesses, people that got married here and different professionals to see what we could improve upon. And we’ve been implementing those suggestions.”

As a result, Avalon Events Center is intentional about adding value for customers and keeping clients informed. Prospective customers sip champagne on free VIP tours so they can see the space and sample menu items. Centerpieces and linens are available for no extra charge. The facility waives the room rental fee for non-profit organizations and provides a free limo for weddings. The staff is happy to connect their clients with area vendors. An online CRM system allows customers to create and coordinate every aspect of their event with the staff, while mock invoices provide pricing transparency. These extras really add up.

“There were 22 event centers in the Fargo-Moorhead area three years ago and now there’s over 60, so it’s very competitive,” says Richards. “But it’s better to go shop your dream venue and price everything out, because when it comes to the very final price in Fargo-Moorhead, you’d actually be shocked at how close everything is in price.”

Avalon Events Center is entering its second act. And it’s ready to welcome new partnerships with area businesses and non-profit organizations.

“We are the premiere event space in the Fargo-Moorhead area,” says Richards. “We’re the most beautiful space in town. We’re the most versatile space in town. We’d really like to be able to talk to the decision-makers in the community and engage them in more activities here.”

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