We recently sat down with entrepreneur and owner of Picnic Party Cleveland, Kelly Testa, to learn about her business and how it all began. Summer soirees can be so much fun, especially when you include an element of surprise! Picnic Party Cleveland might be just the sublime shock value we want to give our gathering. Join us as we get to know Kelly!
How did you get started with Picnic Party Cleveland?
I had been interested in starting a business for a while before learning about luxury picnics. I had a minor in entrepreneurship & was looking for a way to be creative outside of my full time job. Luxury picnics seemed like the perfect fit that combined all of my interests & past experiences.
I first started thinking about Picnic Party in the fall of 2020. I reached out to our sister company, Picnic Party Seattle, who helped us through the initial stages of building our business. I consider January 1, 2021 as our launch date. This is the day I registered with the state & made it official! Our first picnic was in March of that year, and we haven’t slowed down since.
What is your goal for the business and/or for the experience you provide to your clients?
Picnic Party Cleveland was born out of the love of community. The most special relationships are largely built around a table: a first date, a Christmas dinner, a kitchen counter. When our world looks different, uncertain, and scary, we come back to the basic elements of human connection: our people, some good food, and the ability to be present with each other. I hope that Picnic Party Cleveland can play a small part in the connection with your people. We are here for small gatherings & big memories.
We think that there is something so special about quality time with your loved ones. One of my first dates was a picnic with my husband. He borrowed a picnic basket from his family & brought it out to the camp we worked at together. We only had a short amount of time to sit down together, but he made the experience memorable, thoughtful & loving amidst a hectic day. We hope we can provide the same feeling to others as well.
What is the most creative picnic you’ve been asked to do?
We have a couple of unique picnic themes that have been a blast to put together. We did a ‘Rock Candy’ style picnic for a group of girls turning 7 & 8. We also are launching a ‘Lavender Haze’ theme, complete with disco balls & a sparkly table runner.
How do people get in touch with you?
You can reach me at kelly@picnicpartycleveland.com or visit our website at www.picnicpartycleveland.com. We can also be found on Instagram & Facebook.