It's all fun and games until a client asks for a carnival theme. We're kidding, of course, but the carnival event theme has been around for ages, so how do you make it fresh and not (pop)corny?
In the spirit of summer, we thought now was an appropriate time to look back on some impressive carnival-themed events and activations that successfully walked the tightrope, er, line between whimsy and elegance.
Talk about an over-the-top birthday party: In 2019, philanthropists Christine and Gabriel Chiu hosted a carnival-inspired bash at a children's museum in Santa Monica, Calif., for their son's first birthday. The Chius worked with Aliana Events to produce the event, inspired by the Santa Monica Pier, with carnival games, an arcade, puppets, and this oversized Ferris wheel filled with flowers. See more: This Toddler's Birthday Party Had a Gucci Claw Machine
Photo: Dina Douglass
Back in 2017, Bethesda Row in Maryland hosted the Bethesda Row Fashion Carnival. The upscale retail and residence center revamped its annual fashion show with a fashion-themed carnival. Activations included lip-print readings with a "lipologist," a bracelet toss that offered a bracelet as a prize, temporary tattooing, and a sketch artist. This colorful entrance made a statement and set the tone of the event's theme. See more: 7 Fresh Decor and Activity Ideas for a Carnival-Theme Event
Photo: Courtesy of Bethesda Front Row
At IAB NewFronts 2023, brands and media buyers could learn about Meta’s media performance in interactive, experiential ways inspired by its then-new campaign, “Meet Meta: Where Attention Becomes Action." To help with the activation, Meta tapped MKG, who created a sleek, modern carnival atmosphere with various vignettes. They included this update on a classic high striker game. Guests could swing a hammer to test their strength and ring the bell. In an on-theme twist, the game then displayed Meta’s strength and reach for advertisers. See more: 25 Cool Event Ideas You May Have Missed From Meta, Disney, Smirnoff, and More
Photo: Courtesy of MKG
In 2018, HBO celebrated the season three premiere of Insecure with a large, carnival-inspired music festival held at BMO Stadium. HBO worked with Team Epiphany to design and produce the event, which drew 2,000 guests. In addition to high-profile music performances, the day featured on-theme carnival games with cheeky twists that nodded to the show, including this "friend-zone"-theme cornhole. See more: Why HBO Went Bigger Than Ever for the 'Insecure' Season 3 Premiere
Photo: Dorothy Hong
At this year's Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity, Amazon activated with a space called Amazon Port, designed and produced by sister agencies Salt and Pinch. The space featured whimsical brand expressions woven into the experience, including a mechanical fortune teller station for Amazon devices, complete with custom-made fortune cards. See more: Cannes Lions 2025: 90+ Bold Builds and Big Ideas From the French Festival of Creativity
Photo: Courtesy of Salt and Pinch
In 2019, the Food Network threw an over-the-top celebration for Guy Fieri to celebrate the colorful chef's induction into the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The event, which took place at the Hollywood Palladium, was designed and produced by CH Cre8tive and featured an upscale carnival theme inspired by the movie The Greatest Showman. See more: Guy Fieri's Walk of Fame Celebration Had Gold-Painted Dancers, a Performance From Foreigner, and Plenty of Burgers
Photo: Sean Twomey/2me Studios
A carnival theme at a tech conference? RenderATL recently pulled this off for its sixth iteration last month. The flagship event of Atlanta Tech Week brought together thousands of engineers, designers, entrepreneurs, and executives for 80+ technical talks and workshops. Instead of the usual sleek, often-restrained design of tech events, this year’s RenderATL featured a carnival theme, which was "born out of the idea that tech doesn’t have to be cold or corporate," said RenderATL founder Justin E. Samuels.
Photo: Courtesy of RenderATL
Signage for the event included this whimsical wayfinding meant to resemble old-timey carnival tickets. See more: How RenderATL Is Redefining the Concept of Tech Conferences
Photo: Courtesy of RenderATL
In 2022, popular mobile game Candy Crush celebrated its 10th anniversary with a drone show and downtown carnival at the Battery Park Esplanade in New York City. Fun touches included a giant ball pit with slides and Candy Crush-inspired, colorful bomb balls. Guests could also test their skills with carnival-style games. See more: From Screen to Sky: How Candy Crush Took Over New York at Night
Photo: Getty Images for Candy Crush Saga
Put a vintage spin on the tried-and-true carnival theme. That's what Koncept Events did for this carnival-themed event in Palm Beach, Fla., in 2018. Occasions by Shangri-La built these striped tents, which provided an upscale environment for classic games like penny toss and ring toss. See more: 9 Modern Twists on Vintage Party Games
Photo: Courtesy of Koncept Designs
The carnival prizes are the best part, right? In 2022, Spotify hosted its 2022 Wrapped Playground event, produced by MKG. That year, the brand wanted to evoke themes of self-expression and play—which it did through a carnival-themed experience complete with custom rides, interactive games, and special content moments that highlighted insights from that year’s Wrapped. A highlight was this photo op/step-and-repeat, nodding to those stuffed animal-filled prize walls. See more: 16 Cool Event Ideas You May Have Missed From Spotify, Mercedes-Benz, Variety, and More
Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Spotify
For the Stranger Things season two premiere, Netflix hosted a town fair filled with '80s references, scary details, and nods to the show. The streamer worked with MKG to transform UCLA's Dickson Court North into an immersive post-screening after-party, designed as a town fair in autumn 1984. In keeping with the town-fair vibe, the party featured classic carnival games—with a creepy twist. For example, this fishbowl game featured fake dead fish floating in the bowls. See more: How the 'Stranger Things 2' Premiere Evoked the Show's Spooky, Nostalgia-Filled World
Photo: Marissa Joy Photography
