It's Party Time!

We like to think of every day as “party time” here at Kimball Farm… but for those who hold corporate or private events here, it truly IS party time, and we’re honored they choose to host their event with us!

We sat down with Paige Batista, Kimball Farm’s Director of Sales & Events, to get some pro tips about what makes private events at Kimball’s so memorable (did we mention the all-you-can-eat ice cream?).

How long have you worked at Kimball Farm?

I started in May of 2019 and I’m currently the Director of Sales & Events. While most of my job is planning corporate and private events, I also track sales, order products for other departments, book bands for our Summer Music Series, dabble in Marketing, and a lot more! In past years I’ve also worked in the Country Store, bartended for events, and even helped out at our “Ice Cream Car Line” back in 2020 during the height of the pandemic.

What do you love most about your job, and what keeps you on your toes?

Oh gosh – there’s genuinely so much I love about my job… some of my coworkers have become my best friends! They’ve really helped me grow and become the person and worker I am today. I love walking around the property on a busy day and seeing guests having fun. A day at Kimball’s really can be so “magical” for people… but sometimes when you work here it can be easy to take the “magic” of this environment for granted. For me, focusing on that really helps put things in perspective.

In the Events department there is SO much we can do to customize a corporate or private event, so the most challenging part is making sure I truly understand what a client is looking for, and accurately relay that to my team. I’ve been told we do a really good job with this — but I’m a perfectionist, so I always stress! I want each person’s event to be truly special!

What makes private events at Kimball’s unique?

Our team is incredible. We all care so much about the Farm, and want our guests to have the best time. Besides that, our food is served fresh off the grill in front of you — you’re not getting a burger from a chafing dish with a cold bun… you’re getting fresh food from local companies that put a lot of pride into their ingredients! And what other event venues serve unlimited Kimball Farm ice cream?!

What are people surprised to learn about having an event at Kimball’s?

People are surprised when I tell them their offerings are unlimited during the duration of their event. For example, they can eat as much ice cream, as many burgers, and play as much Mini Golf as they want! We also offer a lot of activity add-ons, like Moonwalks, Face Painters, and Team Building Relay Games. And myself and our Event Coordinator Brooke book everything. We make event planning easy so people can focus on having fun!

How many people can Kimball’s host at an event?

Up to 2,500 people per time slot, which can be one big group or multiple smaller groups combined. The events are hosted in our expansive outdoor space right in the middle of the property (across from the Driving Range), which many people are surprised to find out exists! We can host up to 6 events per time slot, and typically each event is 5 hours long. Each group gets their own tented area so they are not interfering with others.

Tell us a little about the Event staff and what it’s like to be part of that team.

We have almost 100 people working our event area during the height of the season, from servers to grillers to greeters to bartenders. Before each event we do a lot of prep work — something you may not know is that our famous veggie skewers are hand-cut and prepared for each event! I love walking into the prep kitchen and seeing the assembly line of onions, peppers, and everything that goes on them. We husk all the corn ourselves, and it’s a lot of running back and forth from walk-in coolers to the grills and back. As you can imagine, after each event we do a lot of clean up — and a LOT of dishes. We have a very short time to “flip a tent” and get it ready for the next group.

What type of event is most common?

We host a lot of Corporate Events. It’s fun to see adults get out of the office and be “kids” for the day with their coworkers. Weddings are always exciting (I admit I have teared up a little watching people get married here). But I think Bar/Bat Mitzvahs are my favorite. People go BIG for these events, and their traditions have so much meaning. Plus, 13 is such a perfect age for an event at Kimball’s!

Which menu package is a crowd favorite?

The Great American BBQ is classic and you can’t go wrong with that menu… but the guests that get the Ultimate Clam Bake LOVE this option! We get the steamers and lobsters delivered fresh and they’re cooked minutes before they’re served.

And how about on the activities side – what’s most popular during events?

Bumper Boats for sure…. we have New England’s largest bumper boat pond, so we can fit large groups on all together! My mom actually had her company outing here last season and she says her coworkers always talk about their group ride on the Bumper Boats. Mini Golf is always a favorite, and the Driving Range is also very popular, especially with Corporate groups.

Tell us a little bit about the public events that are held at Kimball’s.

Cruise Night in Lancaster is a lot of fun — we have antique cars, music, face painting, food and so much more. There’s a lot of nostalgia surrounding Kimball Farm as a  whole, and Cruise Night brings that to a whole new level. It reminds me of the car shows I used to go to with my dad when I was little.

Another public event that is near and dear to my heart is Ruff Tales Rescue. They try to come out to our Westford location once a month with dogs they have up for adoption, and set up right outside our public Grill tents. So many pups have been adopted thanks to these events.

In Westford, our Summer Music Series always draws a good crowd. Admission is free and seating is first-come-first-serve. The vibes are great back there, we have string lights hanging, music playing, and craft beer flowing. And when you catch a pretty sunset, it’s the perfect summer night!

What are your favorite things to order at the Ice Cream Stand, Grill Shack and Country Store Cafe?

I love the M&M ice cream… something about the malt vanilla makes it SO good. The homemade vegan flavors are also great — my favorite so far is Strawberry.

At the Grill, my best friends Steve and Nicole always have a Chicken Tender plate or Caesar Salad with buffalo chicken ready for me… some people forget that we have non-seafood options at the Grill Shack, too!

At the Café, a classic Bacon, Egg and Cheese sandwich on a bagel is my go-to… But lately I’ve been mixing things up and sometimes get the Avocado Toast (the kitchen ladies know I like to add a fried egg!). Either way, I always get an Iced Coffee to help get the morning going!

Check out our Private Event packages or request information here, and next time you’re at our Westford location and see Paige running from tent-to-tent, be sure to say hello!