Meet Hannah Smith | Founder, Picnic Party Denver

We had the good fortune of connecting with Hannah Smith and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Hannah, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Like many people over the last couple of years and throughout the pandemic, I did a lot of reflecting about my job and how I was spending my time. I was burnt out at work and felt like all I was doing was sending emails, rather than make anything tangible or have any creative outlets. It was also a time where we missed out on celebrations, milestones, and the little moments with friends.

I believe lingering over drinks and good food is the best way to connect – and doing it outside is even better. I spent far too much time during COVID huddled outside with friends and family shivering around a little space heater. While I was grateful for the time together, I wanted to add a level of comfort and beauty to those gatherings.

I had the chance to decorate tables for my sister’s outdoor COVID winter wedding, and despite working through a torrential rain storm, I loved every minute of it: planning the colors and flowers, lugging tables and chairs around, and seeing the vision for her celebration come to life.

Picnic Party Denver came from these desires – to find a creative outlet, to create something not tied to my computer screen, and to celebrate the small gatherings and moments in our lives that I had been taking for granted. While I still spend most of my 9-5 sending emails, I really appreciate the opportunities to help people celebrate the important people and moments in their lives.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I love working on Picnic Party Denver because it’s so different from anything else I’ve ever done professionally. My background is in nonprofit work and politics, so focusing on aesthetics and building a business is a whole new adventure for me. Outside of work, I have always loved hosting, decorating, and planning. Turning those interests into a side business was a leap and an opportunity to constantly learn new things. There are all these pieces from taxes to what works on social media that I’m learning along the way.

It is exciting and terrifying to have a space to be continuously trying things out and opening myself up to failure. As a perfectionist, I am learning to sit in this discomfort.

I wanted to be intentional when I started Picnic Party Denver that it would be fun and creative. I didn’t want to think of it as a side hustle – life is already full of hustle and pressure. While there are moments that are busy and overwhelming, I want this to be a space that stays an exploration for me. I was burnt out at my day job when I started, and wanted to add something to my life that could serve as an outlet rather than an additional source of stress and busyness. I’m still trying to keep that in mind every day of this, but that mindset helps me keep this journey fun and playful.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I moved to Denver last year, so I’m still doing a lot of exploring myself! I’m from the Pacific Northwest, so showing off this great weather to all my visitors is number one on my list. We’d definitely spend a lot of time outside! For a day in the city, we’d start at Huckleberry Roasters for coffee and go on a long walk exploring neighborhoods. I love walking around the Highlands, West Highlands and RiNo. Everyone who’s visited me so far loves the Denver Central Market, so we’d have lunch there and spend the afternoon exploring some breweries. We’d start the next day with another crowd pleaser of breakfast burritos and exploring, then have a leisurely picnic lunch at Washington Park or Cheeseman with charcuterie from Cheese Meat Board. No trip is complete without heading to the mountains, so we’d spend a day hiking at RMNP or skiing at Winter Park depending on the season.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are a lot of people who’ve helped this vision come to life. My mom is the ultimate hostess and there were always friends and family at our house for delicious dinners and beautifully set tables. She taught me about place settings, celebrating every season, and always having room at the table for another guest. Her warmth, her love of collecting dishes, and always preparing too much food, guide how I approach creating other people’s picnics and celebrations.

Picnic Party Denver is also part of a broader group of Picnic Party businesses. While we’re all independently run, it’s been great to get support and learn from other women who are launching their own small businesses, lugging tables into parks, and creating picnics around the country. I’m really appreciative of having their brains to pick and a community to fall back on.

Website: picnicpartydenver.com

Instagram: @picnicparty_denver

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/picnicpartydenver