25 Cool Event Ideas You May Have Missed From Meta, Disney, Smirnoff, and More

As live events and activations make their return, we're bringing you even more inspiration for your own gatherings with our "Cool Event Ideas of the Month" column, where we round up some of the creative ideas we haven't had the chance to cover yet.

Our May 2023 roundup includes an out-of-this-world nightclub celebrating Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, a carnival-inspired game showcasing the power of Meta's advertising, traveling Love Is Blind pods from Netflix, glamorous disco ball decor from City Harvest, and much more. 

Marvel Studios' Knowhere Bar

James Gunn, the writer and director of Marvel Studios' new movie, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, hosted some of the music industry's most influential names for a pop-up nightclub and theater called Knowhere Bar. Celebrating the crucial role that music has played in the film trilogy, stars Chris Pratt and Pom Klementieff welcomed artists like Diplo, NIKI, Dorian Electra, Money Mark of the Beastie Boys, LUCK, and more.

Photo: Yasi/Jasmine Safaeian

The eclectic space drew inspiration from Knowhere, the Guardians' home base in the new movie. Marvel Studios tapped LA-based creative agency IHEARTCOMIX to conceive and develop the nightlife destination, which featured a recreation of several elements of the set along with a 180-seat movie theater constructed from scratch.

Photo: Yasi/Jasmine Safaeian

In one whimsical area, the colorful spacesuits from the film—which were handmade for this event—offered a fun photo moment. Throughout the night, DJ Shana Sharett spun tunes, and the cast posed for photos and told stories.

Photo: Yasi/Jasmine Safaeian

Meta at IAB NewFronts 2023

At IAB NewFronts 2023, Meta teamed up with creative agency MKG to demonstrate how its platforms inspire attention and make the brand a powerful place for advertisers to deliver messages that drive actions and measurable outcomes. Hosted at The Shed in Manhattan, brands and media buyers could learn about Meta’s media performance in interactive, experiential ways that were inspired by its new campaign, “Meet Meta: Where Attention Becomes Action." MKG transformed the Hudson Yards venue to represent the inner workings of the Meta ecosystem and created a sleek, modern festival atmosphere with various vignettes. In one area, a Reels playground allowed guests to create their own Reels by posing (or dancing) under an archway to make videos.

Photo: Courtesy of MKG

Another vignette was an update on the carnival 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.

Photo: Courtesy of MKG

Campaign case studies were exhibited on interactive flip boards and wall displays. In addition to presentations and the interactive experiences, guests enjoyed various refreshments and sweet creations—including peach-rosemary doughnuts, citrus-mint meringue tarts, s’mores bars, and Oreo cheesecake—from The Shed’s catering partner, Union Square Events.

Photo: Courtesy of MKG

Netflix's Traveling 'Love Is Blind' Pods

To celebrate the return of Netflix’s wildly popular reality series Love Is Blind, the brand hosted exclusive events in New York, Nashville, and Los Angeles that let guests experience the pods themselves. Experiential agency Coffee ’n Clothes teamed up with the brand to recreate the experience; fans were able to step inside the pods and make connections (love, friendship, or otherwise!) with fellow fans. The tour also featured photo ops, giveaways, merch, and appearances from Love Is Blind stars.

Photo: Courtesy of Coffee 'n Clothes

Disney's 'The Little Mermaid' World Premiere

The world premiere of Disney's new live-action remake of The Little Mermaid took place in Hollywood on May 8. The blue carpet featured an under-the-sea theme produced by 15/40.

Photo: Alex Berliner/ABImages

Through a partnership with Liquid I.V., the premiere also featured a custom The Little Mermaid x Liquid I.V. ice bar. Pro mixologist Ricky Wang was on hand to teach guests how to integrate Liquid I.V. mocktails with custom beverages, with fun names like "Under the Seaberry" and "Passion for Adventure."

Photo: Courtesy of Liquid I.V.

Female Voices Rock Film Festival

The Female Voices Rock Film Festival took place in early May in Brooklyn, N.Y., celebrating the best new films from female, BIPOC, and LGBTQ+ filmmakers. The festival featured various sold-out screening blocks, networking opportunities, and informational panels aimed at educating and supporting short-film filmmakers; it drew 700 attendees and screened 32 short films throughout the weekend. The event kicked off with an opening party at La Diaspora Bar, weekend events at the Wythe Hotel, and a closing party at Isla & Co. At the closing event, florals and neon lined a 3D version of the festival's colorful logo.

Photo: Dan Bassini

Gray Whale Gin Activation at BeachLife Festival

Gray Whale Gin activated at BeachLife Festival in Redondo Beach, Calif., earlier this month. The eye-catching blue bar and greenery-covered photo op tied into the brand’s eco-conscious nature; every bottle of Gray Whale Gin gives 1% of proceeds to Oceana, the largest organization in the world devoted to ocean conservation. The space was produced by Amplified Marketing, while Create Entertainment handled brand communications and influencer marketing.

The pop-up kicked off the brand’s #OceanLove Tour, which hosted media, influencers, and festivalgoers all weekend and is traveling to other festivals throughout the year.

Photo: Katrina Frederick Studio

City Harvest's 40th Anniversary Gala

Food rescue organization City Harvest recently held its 40th anniversary gala in New York. Hosted by actor and model Tyson Beckford, the event was produced by JWP and had decor from Colin Cowie.

Photo: Courtesy of City Harvest

The event design included disco balls hanging from cubed shelving, some of which were fronted by miniature City Harvest trucks. Disco balls also decorated the floral arrangements. Ultimately, the evening raised enough money to provide more than 9.6 million meals for New Yorkers in need.

Photo: Courtesy of City Harvest

Barbie x Forever 21 Dreamhouse

Barbie and Forever 21 launched their latest collaboration with a Dreamhouse-inspired event created in partnership with Coffee 'n Clothes. Taking place at a mansion in the Hollywood Hills, the summery gathering featured a branded pool area, a Barbie-branded bus, a product showroom, beauty stations, and more.

Photo: Courtesy of Coffee 'n Clothes

A photo op let guests step inside Barbie-inspired packaging. Lovesome Blossoms handled floral design for the daytime gathering.

Photo: Courtesy of Coffee 'n Clothes

Smirnoff Locura Tour

On May 4, Smirnoff Spicy Tamarind—which features tamarind, Mexican chiles, and a hint of lemon—brought the first-ever Locura Tour to Chicago to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. To honor the flavors of the beverage, the experience was filled with sweet, tangy, and spicy bites provided by local Mexican-owned businesses throughout the Windy City.

Photo: Jeff Schear/Getty Images for Smirnoff

The event, designed and produced by Rose Gold Collective, featured a variety of sweet, tangy, and spicy experiences, including tortilla-making, churro umbrellas, and custom cocktails. Smirnoff also introduced the Locura Tour Flavor Guide, highlighting the most authentic and flavorful restaurants in Chicago for consumers to stop by on Cinco de Mayo.

Photo: Jeff Schear/Getty Images for Smirnoff

Second Annual Gold House Gala

Actors Ke Huy Quan and Sandra Oh were honored at the second annual Gold House Gala, which took place at the Music Center and Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles earlier this month. The event celebrated the accomplishments and contributions of Asian and Pacific Islander individuals in various fields and featured a gold-inspired event design from Sequoia Productions that was meant to symbolize confidence, prosperity, and refined luxury. The gathering kicked off with striking gold steps inspired by the iconic Met Gala staircase.

Photo: Courtesy of Chris Schmitt for Sequoia Productions

Inside, Sequoia Productions and Gold House transformed the venue into an elegant golden sanctuary by merging traditional Asian and Pacific Islander elements with modern aesthetics. Chifa LA curated a menu that showcased the diverse flavors of API cuisine.

Photo: Courtesy of Chris Schmitt for Sequoia Productions

Casa BACARDÍ at Dreamville Festival

Creative marketing agency Invisible North recently teamed up with BACARDÍ to produce and launch Casa BACARDÍ—La Plaza at the Dreamville festival in Raleigh, N.C. The 30-by-30 footprint featured a grand arch entry moment, a BACARDÍ bar featuring custom BACARDÍ X Dreamville cocktails, lounge seating with phone charging, an airbrushing station, a photo booth, and more.

Photo: AB Gonazalez

Sony's 'Love Again' Premiere

For the premiere of Sony’s new Priyanka Chopra Jonas-fronted romantic comedy Love Again, which took place May 3 at AMC Lincoln Square in New York, producers westhaus created a pretty-in-pink carpet backed by a pink and blue step-and-repeat. An accordion player set the mood during arrivals.

Photo: Courtesy of westhaus

After the screening, guests headed to SONA for the after-party, which continued the pretty pink theme with a variety of colorful blooms.

Photo: Courtesy of westhaus

Clio Awards

The 2023 Clio Awards, celebrating the best of the advertising industry, took place in late April at Gotham Hall in New York. This year’s gathering featured event decor and design from Bookem Danno Productions, which included a stage flanked by eye-catching, oversize versions of the award trophy. Phoenix Media Group handled show production and direction. Additional vendors included fabrication from SFDS, red carpet arrival moments from Everything Entertainment, florals from Botanique, and lighting from Bentley Meeker. Actor and comedian Anthony Anderson hosted.

Photo: Courtesy of Bookem Danno Productions

Malin+Goetz SPF NYC Mobile Pop-Up

From May 20-21, skincare brand Malin+Goetz brought the beach to the streets of New York’s Madison Square Park and SoHo neighborhood. To promote the brand’s SPF products, Food Truck Promotions created a bright orange, monochromatic mobile pop-up designed to catch the attention of passersby. Over two days, the team handed out hundreds of SPF samples and coupon codes. What's more, guests waiting in line who followed the brand on social media and posted a picture at the event were given gelato and their choice of essential beach merch, including bucket hats, tote bags, and bandanas.

Photo: Courtesy of Food Truck Promotions

Housing Works’ Groundbreaker Awards Dinner

For the ninth year in a row, Housing Works hosted its Groundbreaker Awards dinner on April 19, honoring outstanding individuals who’ve made significant contributions to the fight to end HIV/AIDS and homelessness. Held at the Metropolitan Pavilion in New York City, the event raised $1.1 million for the cause, and this year's honorees included fashion icon and global CARE advocate Iman, fashion editor Derek Blasberg, interior designer Adair Curtis, and celebrity stylist Jason Bolden. To coordinate and strategize the event’s talent, who also included actress Sienna Miller, Housing Works partnered with Josh Wood and Mimi Eayrs of JWP.

Photo: Getty Images