The true green centerpiece was the “Almighty Forest,” a booth in the center of the sprawling party next to Universal Citywalk with the so-called “world’s largest plasma TV” showing a loop of Evan Almighty star Steve Carell and director Tom Shadyac. In the loop, they asked guests to donate to the Conservation Fund so it could plant 75,000 trees—enough to zero out the carbon footprint left by the premiere’s 4,500 guests over the course of a year. (The huge turnout of families, cast, and crew made this one of L.A.’s largest premiere parties ever.)

The audience spilled out of the late-afternoon screening at the Gibson Amphitheatre and newly refurbished AMC Universal City 19 to find a casual outdoor playscape created under the watchful eye of Hollace Davids, senior vice president of special projects for Universal Pictures Marketing. Wooden crates resembling props and recycled-cardboard flats of animals from the film sat on islands behind the bars. Revelers grazed from buffet tables that featured Wolfgang Puck's chicken salad, cole slaw, burgers, turkey meat loaf, and pizza, while kids sampled a variety pack of distractions: They tried their hand at carnival games like “flip a frog” for a chance to take home prizes of Evan Almighty pencils and frisbees made of recycled plastic. They also had their faces painted, decorated cookies, and sat for caricaturists. As dusk fell, ELS lit up large balloon globes decorated with imagery from the movie that were suspended over the party, illuminating the festivities below.

Everyone left with a grocery-shopping-friendly gift bag stuffed with Bear Naked chocolate granola, Environmental Defense caps, and flower seeds. Oh, yes, and energy-saving lightbulbs.

CORRECTION: The original version of this article included an incorrect title for Hollace Davids.   —Irene Lacher