Reaching a major company milestone is about far more than marking another year in business.

The best corporate celebrations bring people together — staff, clients, former colleagues and family members — and remind everyone why they are proud to have been part of the journey. They create an evening with genuine warmth, energy and meaning behind it.

When MSM Contracts celebrated 40 years in business at Seagoe Hotel in Portadown, that is exactly what happened.

Four Decades of MSM Contracts

From humble beginnings in 1985 to becoming one of Northern Ireland’s leading construction companies, MSM Contracts have built a reputation that extends far beyond the projects they deliver. The company’s success has always been rooted in the people behind it — and that was evident throughout every moment of the evening.

The celebration brought together more than 100 guests across dinner, interactive entertainment and an atmosphere that felt far more like a family gathering than a formal corporate function.

Alongside current staff were retired employees, long-serving team members, family members and people who had contributed to the company’s story at different points across four decades. Every conversation in the room reflected genuine pride in what had been built — not just in business terms, but in terms of the culture and relationships that had made it all possible.

One guest, Dawn, captured that spirit perfectly. She shared how she had originally joined MSM Contracts for what was supposed to be a temporary role lasting just a few weeks. Nearly thirty years later, she was still proudly part of the team — and her two sons, also attending the celebration that evening, had practically grown up around the office during their childhood.

Stories like that give a milestone evening a depth and meaning that no amount of planning alone can create.

Setting the Scene – Seagoe Hotel, Portadown

The Seagoe Hotel provided an ideal setting for the celebration, and Epic Event Design transformed the venue beautifully. Their attention to detail helped create a genuine sense of occasion from the moment guests arrived, with every element of the room reflecting the significance of MSM Contracts’ 40-year milestone.

With the venue dressed perfectly for the evening and more than 100 guests in attendance, the atmosphere felt welcoming, professional and celebratory without ever becoming overly formal — exactly the right balance for an event centred around people, relationships and shared achievements.

Dinner, followed by Speeches Then the Evening Opens Up

Following dinner and speeches, the evening moved into its interactive entertainment phase — and that is where the atmosphere really began to build.

The event itself had been expertly organised by Epic Event Design, whose professionalism behind the scenes ensured everything flowed effortlessly. From venue styling and event coordination through to the finer details that guests often never see, their team helped create an evening that felt polished, relaxed and enjoyable from start to finish.

Throughout the celebration, live music from Marie Fox Music provided the perfect soundtrack, adding warmth and atmosphere while guests enjoyed the celebrations and caught up with colleagues, friends and family members.

Fun 21 Casino Hire set up two blackjack tables and a roulette wheel, while close-up magician Andy James worked the room throughout the night, performing incredible close-up magic directly in front of guests at their tables and around the venue.

The combination worked perfectly for a milestone celebration of this kind.

The casino tables became natural social hubs almost immediately. Much like our Vegas Challenge experiences, the friendly competition encouraged guests to mix naturally, sparking conversations between people who may not have spoken in years.

Former employees found themselves side by side at the blackjack table, laughing together and competing for bragging rights.

Family members joined in alongside current staff. Guests who had never played before were quickly drawn in by the energy around the tables and felt completely comfortable getting involved from the start — because that is exactly what professionally hosted casino entertainment is designed to do.

Meanwhile, Andy James moved through the room creating moments of genuine astonishment. There is something about close-up magic that consistently draws people together — guests calling others over, reactions spreading across tables, small groups forming wherever he performed. It added a completely different layer of entertainment that complemented the casino tables rather than competing with them.

Throughout the evening, the atmosphere steadily built. The room grew louder, more animated and more connected as the night progressed — which is the surest sign that an event is working.

Why Interactive Entertainment Works for Company Milestone Celebrations

The challenge with landmark corporate celebrations is creating an environment where people across different generations, different roles and different histories with the company can all relax and genuinely enjoy themselves together.

Formal dinners alone rarely achieve that. People sit within their existing groups, conversation stays safe, and the evening can feel more like a function than a celebration.

Interactive entertainment changes that dynamic.

Casino tables in particular work well for milestone events because they are easy to learn, professionally hosted and naturally bring people together around a shared experience. There is no pressure to perform, no awkwardness about getting involved, and no divide between those who know each other well and those who are meeting for the first time.

For MSM Contracts’ 40th anniversary, it created exactly the atmosphere Robert (MSM contracts director and founder) and the team were looking for — an evening where the stories flowed, the laughter was genuine and the connections across four decades of the company’s history were celebrated in the best possible way.

Thank you

We would like to extend our sincere thanks to everyone at MSM Contracts for allowing us to share the story of this special 40-year celebration and the use of the professional photographs, captured by BNL productions. It was a privilege to witness the pride, friendships and family spirit that have helped shape the company over four decades.

Special thanks also to Epic Event Design for bringing us on board as part of the celebrations and for helping create an event environment that reflected the significance of such an important milestone.

If you are planning a company celebration, awards night or milestone event and require full event design and production support, Epic Event Design come highly recommended. Their attention to detail, creativity and professionalism played a significant role in making this celebration such a memorable occasion.

The Vegas Challenge

While MSM Contracts chose a traditional casino experience for their 40-year celebration, many organisations are now opting for The Vegas Challenge — a competitive casino experience where guests compete to build their chip stacks and climb a leaderboard throughout the evening. It has become particularly popular for staff appreciation events, company milestones and corporate celebrations where organisers want to add an extra level of interaction.

Planning a Company Milestone Celebration in Belfast or Northern Ireland?

Whether you are marking a 10th, 25th, 40th or 50th anniversary, a company milestone deserves an evening that reflects the people behind it — not just a dinner with speeches.

Interactive casino entertainment, combined with close-up magic or other live entertainment, creates an atmosphere where guests feel relaxed, involved and part of something genuinely special.

We deliver interactive entertainment for company anniversary celebrations, milestone events, awards nights and corporate parties across Belfast, Portadown, and throughout Northern Ireland — tailoring every event to the venue, the guest profile and the occasion itself.

Get in touch to discuss your event and check availability.

Looking for more inspiration? Explore our Corporate Event Ideas Belfast hub for real company celebrations, awards nights and staff events from across Northern Ireland.

Fun 21 Casino Hire provides interactive entertainment for company milestone celebrations, corporate events and staff parties across Belfast and Northern Ireland.

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