Once Tampa Bay was chosen as this year's United Way 2004 Leadership Conference host city, the United Way of Tampa Bay, Tampa Bay Convention & Visitor's Bureau and the Greater Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce created a welcome reception that would showcase their fair city and leave a lasting impression.
With a recommendation from Susan Nunn Williams, the director of services for the Tampa Bay Convention & Visitor's Bureau, SHOWORKS was hired to design the event. The goal: to highlight Tampa at the Florida Aquarium. "I have seen examples of SHOWORKS' work for years," said Williams. "They were perfect for enhancing the environment in the aquarium. And that's just what they did."
With the new addition of Explore-A-Shore at the Florida Aquarium, SHOWORKS capitalized on the color and flavor of the outdoor exhibit and created contrasting areas titled "Sun," "Sea" and "Salsa." Guests entered "Sun" through a massive, internally lit acrylic sun to find an explosion of neon pink, orange, lime green and vibrant yellow colors. ConceptBAIT provided spandex table forms for cocktail tables, which complemented square cafe umbrellas with custom spandex tops. Rose floral arrangements adorned each table and were accented with matching votive lamps and hanging sun fabric streamers. Vibrant flowering hibiscus in painted terra-cotta pots accented the large acrylic palm leaves displayed on the iron fencing surrounding the area.
The "Salsa" area combined the aquarium's natural cypress wood tables with tall, exotic floral arrangements and large hand-painted paper umbrellas suspended from the ceiling of the Pavilion. Cocktail tables were draped in vivid red. The Copa Kings provided by Evention Show Productions brought guests to their feet with an energy-infused mix of Latin and pop music.
Inside the aquarium was the "Sea" area, an underwater jazz bar that provided a place for guests to relax and enjoy the smooth sounds of the Todd Wright Band. Undulating fabric seaweed panels were accented with flowing bubbles and water motion projections. Curving centerpieces that reached up to five feet in height alternated with low iridescent seashells filled with painted grasses and LED lights. BBJ Linens draped tall cocktail table with ocean-colored linens.
As the evening progressed from sunlight to night, the three areas slowly changed with multilayered lighting, provided by Bay Stage Lighting Systems. Guests moved freely from one area to another, enjoying delicious dishes provided by Orange Blossom Catering and beverages by Sodexho, Pepin Distributors and Robert Mondavi Wines.
—Shari Lynn Rothstein
With a recommendation from Susan Nunn Williams, the director of services for the Tampa Bay Convention & Visitor's Bureau, SHOWORKS was hired to design the event. The goal: to highlight Tampa at the Florida Aquarium. "I have seen examples of SHOWORKS' work for years," said Williams. "They were perfect for enhancing the environment in the aquarium. And that's just what they did."
With the new addition of Explore-A-Shore at the Florida Aquarium, SHOWORKS capitalized on the color and flavor of the outdoor exhibit and created contrasting areas titled "Sun," "Sea" and "Salsa." Guests entered "Sun" through a massive, internally lit acrylic sun to find an explosion of neon pink, orange, lime green and vibrant yellow colors. ConceptBAIT provided spandex table forms for cocktail tables, which complemented square cafe umbrellas with custom spandex tops. Rose floral arrangements adorned each table and were accented with matching votive lamps and hanging sun fabric streamers. Vibrant flowering hibiscus in painted terra-cotta pots accented the large acrylic palm leaves displayed on the iron fencing surrounding the area.
The "Salsa" area combined the aquarium's natural cypress wood tables with tall, exotic floral arrangements and large hand-painted paper umbrellas suspended from the ceiling of the Pavilion. Cocktail tables were draped in vivid red. The Copa Kings provided by Evention Show Productions brought guests to their feet with an energy-infused mix of Latin and pop music.
Inside the aquarium was the "Sea" area, an underwater jazz bar that provided a place for guests to relax and enjoy the smooth sounds of the Todd Wright Band. Undulating fabric seaweed panels were accented with flowing bubbles and water motion projections. Curving centerpieces that reached up to five feet in height alternated with low iridescent seashells filled with painted grasses and LED lights. BBJ Linens draped tall cocktail table with ocean-colored linens.
As the evening progressed from sunlight to night, the three areas slowly changed with multilayered lighting, provided by Bay Stage Lighting Systems. Guests moved freely from one area to another, enjoying delicious dishes provided by Orange Blossom Catering and beverages by Sodexho, Pepin Distributors and Robert Mondavi Wines.
—Shari Lynn Rothstein
At the United Way 2004 Leadership Conference at the Florida Aquarium, purple lights illuminated the "Sea"-themed area created by SHOWORKS.
Fabric seaweed panels were hung to create a swaying effect.
Spandex tops added color to standing cafe umbrellas.
Baystage Lighting Systems lit the outdoor area when the day turned into night.
