At the Walking Dead booth at Comic-Con, staff from Sincerely snapped photos of guests using the Postagram Engage app. Guests received the photos instantly on email and also could opt to receive the image as a physical postcard.
Photo: Nadia Chaudhury for BizBash
A mock-up of a custom postcard for Comic-Con shows the sponsors' logos at the top and a brief message to the side of the photo.
Photo: Courtesy of Postagram
Postagram Engage postcards can be customized with messages and artwork on both sides. The postcard Sincerely created for the Walking Dead booth at Comic-Con had the guest's photo on one side and the comic book's artwork on the other side.
Photo: Courtesy of Postagram
Sincerely has tested the Postagram Engage app at more than 25 events around the country hosted by Gilt Groupe, including screenings of the movie Rock of Ages.
Photo: Courtesy of Postagram
At the 2012 Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, presenting sponsor Belvedere offered refreshing beverages made with their Lemon Tea vodka, including the Lemon Tea Classic Punch, a drink that featured sherbet, black tea, and a mint sprig garnish.
Photo: Aubree Dallas for Belvedere Vodka
At Barbra Streisand's recent fund-raiser for the Cedars-Sinai Women's Heart Center in Malibu, guests helped themselves to a raw fruit and veggie bar. In place of a tablecloth, organizers used a quilt to match the vintage-inspired aesthetic of the event.
Photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages
Nothing says summer like fresh seafood. At the Power Ball in Toronto, V.I.P. guests helped themselves to shrimp and freshly shucked oysters at a chilled seafood bar provided by Petite Thuet.
Photo: Josh Fee for BizBash
Petite Thuet also served a colorful dish of seafood paella at the Power Ball.
Photo: Josh Fee for BizBash
A garden-inspired dish featuring seasonal vegetables by Great Performances in New York can stand in for a traditional floral centerpiece.
Photo: Courtesy of GreatPerformances
En Ville Event Design & Catering in Toronto created a picnic-themed display of fruit, bread, and cheese for a summer event.
Photo: Courtesy of en Ville Event Design & Catering
For Heineken's Inspire Tour in 2010, the food was adapted to the New York market with items like Reuben sandwiches, Chinese dumplings, hot dogs, and falafels served from street carts.
Photo: Sara Jaye Weiss
Guests at Stella McCartney's 2011 spring preview were treated to shaved ice by People's Pops in New York.
Photo: Andrew H. Walker/WireImage for Stella McCartney
At Stella McCartney's Resort 2013 collection preview, waitstaff passed citrus-infused cocktails in Mason jars.
Photo: Jim Shi
Also at Stella McCartney's Resort 2013 collection preview, dessert stands offered sweets from Coolhaus and Pie Corps (pictured). At the latter, guests could also pick up prepackaged jars of fruit cobbler.
Photo: Jim Shi
McCartney's carnival-themed presentation also had a mac 'n' cheese station. Guests could grab a mini serving wrapped in a spinach cone from a Ferris-wheel stand, or opt for a full cup that could be topped with veggie bacon bits, truffle oil, jalapeños, scallions, or sriracha sauce.
Photo: Jim Shi
For the grand opening of the Miami Airport Convention Center in Miami earlier this year, the venue's catering team created an edible garden using toasted pumpernickel crumbs as "dirt" with spears of baby carrots, asparagus spears, and zucchini, as well as baby tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella "flowers."
Photo: Harvey Bilt
At this year's Luminescence gala in Chicago, passed canapes included cured salmon lollipops, displayed on beds of wheatgrass.
Photo: Courtesy of John G. Shedd Aquarium
As part of Colgate's White Beauty Bar event in Los Angeles, Skintimate treated attendees to a self-serve sorbet station.
Photo: Glenn Lipton
Boston-based event design firm LoLo Event Design recommends setting up self-service bars at summer events. The display includes premixed drinks in large Mason jars, along with fresh herbs and seasonal flowers.
Photo: Studio Vitri
For a fun spin on a summer favorite, LoLo Event Design has caterers serve passed bite-size ice cream cones and ice cream sandwiches.
Photo: Bliss Celebration for the Charles Hotel
At this year's Tony Awards gala in New York, guests could serve themselves cups of YoArt's frozen yogurt. There were 80 different toppings, including fresh fruit and gummi candies.
Photo: Anna Sekula/BizBash
Tabú nightclub at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas is offering several Fourth of July-inspired cocktails this summer. The White Night (pictured) is a sweet and savory blend of Malibu rum, Frangelico, Rumplemintz, and cream strained and served over ice, then garnished with raspberries and blueberries.
Photo: Johnny Mancuso/onefive4.com
At Barbra Streisand's fund-raiser for the Cedars-Sinai Women's Heart Center in Malibu, colorful floral arrangements in wooden vases played off the outdoor setting.
Photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages
For the dinner, held inside Streisand's home, the summery atmosphere featured neutral tones and fresh-picked centerpieces.
Photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages
California-based rental company Archive Rentals offers a large collection of authentic vintage Western and camping-themed items, including reclaimed barn-wood tables, camping trailers, Airstream trailers and canoes.
Photo: Alesandra Dubin/BizBash
The centerpieces at Diffa's Garden gala in Chicago this year included candelabras wrapped in greenery and white flowers surrounded by Mason jars holding tealights.
Photo: Nicholas Foli
For the Central Park Conservancy's annual "Taste of Summer" event in New York, designer Marc Wilson punched up the all-white furnishings with drapes and throw pillows in bright pink, green, and yellow hues.
Photo: Peter Peck Field
The V.I.P. area of Toronto's Power Ball was styled with rustic elements for an English-picnic look. Designers used loading palettes as banquet seating and cocktail tables.
Photo: Josh Fee for BizBash
Markus Daly Ryan produced Univision's Deportes launch in New York, where picnic tables formed the bulk of the seating and found lumber was turned into cocktail tables for a neighborhood-block-party feel.
Photo: Brian Ach/AP Images for Univision
At Stella McCartney's Resort 2013 presentation, a large cart overflowing with roses and peonies stood near the entrance to the venue. As guests left, they were given small bouquets or single stems as festive gifts.
Photo: Jim Shi
At Glossed & Found's Meredith Wendell luncheon in Chicago, A Perfect Event placed giant, colorful pool inflatables throughout the venue to set the tone for the pool party theme.
Photo: Trevar Evett/Fig Media
At a Belvedere-sponsored event during the 2012 Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, guests sat on haystacks covered with bright orange blankets and chevron-patterned pillows.
Photo: Aubree Dallas for Belvedere Vodka
Chevron-patterned linens were also used on cocktails tables, and sunflower bouquets served as centerpieces.
Photo: Aubree Dallas for Belvedere Vodka
At this year's Casa de Don Julio event in New York, the outdoor terrace was decorated with Mexican-inspired decor, with barrels and wooden benches used for guest seating and cocktail tables.
Photo: Marion Curtis/startraksphoto.com
This year's Adam Smith Awards gala, which took place in Washington, D.C., had a red-white-and-blue theme.
Photo: Nick Khazal
LoLo Event Design offers hand-painted handkerchiefs that can serve as table numbers at a garden event. Geraniums in a terra cotta pot have a more casual feel than an elaborate formal centerpiece.
Photo: Studio Vitri
LoLo Event Design also creates message-in-a-bottle place cards for beach-inspired events.
Photo: Kjeld Mahoney Photography
At Sears' and Kmart's 2012 collection press preview, the design team brought in foliage, benches, and six live canaries. The birds chirped from freestanding cages placed around the product vignettes.
Photo: Anna Sekula/BizBash
For a recent pool party, the team at Swank Productions kept the decor streamlined, with a mostly white color palette, mirrored furnishings, and plenty of sheer draping.
Photo: Courtesy of Swank Productions
For an indoor summer-themed gathering, Swank producers used beach balls to create playful "chandeliers." Tables were covered in summery yellow and orange linens.
Photo: Courtesy of Swank Productions
At Glossed & Found's book launch party designed by A Perfect Event, guests took home summer cocktail recipes provided by Grand Marnier.
Photo: Courtesy of Debi Lilly
Megavision Arts created 2-D and 3-D wall projections as a nod to the pool theme at a party to celebrate newly renovated Los Angeles venue Nic's Beverly Hills.
Photo: David Corwin
The recent Beverly Hills Hotel & Bungalows 100th anniversary bash kicked off with a performance by the Aqualillies, a troupe of water-ballerinas.
Photo: Michael Buckner/Getty Images for Essie
At the Seersucker Ride and Social in Washington, D.C., guests enjoyed music from a 1920s jazz band. As a nod to the theme, participants dressed in seersucker and Jazz Age fashions.
Photo: Courtesy of Hillwood Estate, Museum and Gardens
Guests also played lawn games like croquet at the Seersucker Ride and Social.
Photo: Courtesy of Hillwood Estate, Museum and Gardens
At last year's Stella McCartney spring preview, guests played ping-pong at a table set up outside.
Photo: Andrew H. Walker/WireImage for Stella McCartney
Zen Arts in Southern California offers an array of entertainment that can take place in or around a pool, including their transparent spheres that hold performers and float on water.
Photo: Josh Reiss
At the Power Ball in Toronto, guests took a ride on wooden swings in the main party area.
Photo: Josh Fee for BizBash
At Sunglass Hut's summer block party in Miami, family-friendly games included corn hole, bocce ball, ping-pong, and hopscotch.
Photo: WorldRedEye.com
For Yahoo's Genome relaunch party in New York, organizers brought in a trio of synchronized swimmers from Gotham Synchro to swim in the venue's indoor pool. The water dancers sported alien-inspired body suits as a nod to the event's futuristic theme.
Photo: Sean T. Smith
Dubbed "Hannah Mermaid," model Hannah Fraser is available for corporate events, and specializes in underwater "aquabatics" and open-water diving.
Photo: Jaime Gianopoulos
For the picnic-inspired Absolut Orient Apple launch party in New York last summer, organizers covered the floor of the indoor venue with sod, and brought in live trees and wooden barrels filled with thousands of apples.
Photo: Gustavo Campos
Interactive Cooking Classes
Boston chef Lydia Shire now hosts interactive cooking classes for private groups of 12. The three-hour sessions cost $3,000 and take place in the open kitchen at Shire's restaurant, Towne Stove & Spirits.
Photo: Courtesy of Towne Stove and Spirits
Photo: Eben Dorros
For its fall 2011 preview, New Balance dressed editors from head to toe in items from the new collection, and invited them to "Tone, Flow, Fight, Grind, and Bounce" their way through five workout stations.
Photo: Shooting Stars Pro
Dumbo Arts Festival
Photo: Jane Kratochvil Photography for the Dumbo Arts Festival 2011
'Entertainment Weekly''s Annual Comic-Con Party
Entertainment Weekly held its annual party at Float at the Hard Rock Hotel on Saturday. Sponsored by Ubisoft’s Just Dance 4, the event turned the venue's cabanas into gaming areas for guests.
Photo: Michael Buckner/Getty Images for Entertainment Weekly
'Wired' Magazine Café
Among the activities Wired offered was the opportunity for guests to have their superhero alter-egos drawn on an interactive display board by a caricaturist from Audio Visual Innovations-Signal Perfection. The cartoon-like images were simultaneously displayed on a monitor so participants could see what was being sketched.
Photo: Jerod Harris/Getty Images for Wired
1. Femme du Coupe's Classic Cocktail Classes
Mixologist Revae Schneider, who has previously worked at Gilt Bar and Union Sushi & Barbeque Bar, launched her own company in October 2011. Dubbed Femme du Coupe, Schneider's new endeavor focuses on teaching groups how to make classic cocktails. Classes begin with a spirits tasting, then Schneider guides participants through the process of creating three drinks. The classes typically accommodate around 30 guests, though Schneider can work with as many as 50. The cost is $50 per head, plus the cost of materials. Classes can take place at offices, event spaces, or homes.
Photo: Bergonia Photography
Fab @ 40 Smirnoff Beach Bash
Cosmopolitan en español celebrated its 40th anniversary with a Fab @ 40 Smirnoff Beach Bash for more than 200 guests at Miami Beach's Nikki Beach Club June 30. Activities included a Polaroid photo booth, color hair extensions and washables at the Splat station, and a roving swimwear-fashion show.
Photo: Eduardo Ford
Seattle CityTarget Launch
To launch CityTarget in Seattle, Plymouth Pillars Dog Park became a doggy paradise Saturday that included a “bonetender” at a stocked Bone Bar that offered complimentary treats and toys. Seattle’s Rally Marketing Group helped develop the experience.
Photo: Courtesy of Rally Marketing Group
On Friday night, the weekend kicked off with the 1920s-style "Wayback Ball" on the garden terrace of the Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel. Thrillist put on its first costume party, encouraging guests to wear retro gear, and many did turn out in fedoras or flapper dresses. There was also an era-appropriate performance from Chicago Culture Shock, which did a flash-mob-style swing dance.
Photo: Caroline Dixey
The ball offered bites from six local restaurants, including Bar Toma, which served hand-rolled mozzarella with local summer squash and charred onion marmellata.
Photo: Kat Goduco Photography
The weekend wrapped up with the "After Dark Dance Party" at Park West. In a game room, guests could try their hands at arcade basketball, foosball, and air hockey.
Photo: Caroline Dixey
State Farm at Bonnaroo
Bonnaroo attendees could relax in hammocks and enter to win V.I.P. passes in the "Great State Lounge" hosted by State Farm. The insurance company also provided what it called "Bonnaroo Roadside Assistance"—free services such as help with lockouts, flat tires, and dead batteries.
Photo: Erika Goldring
Ted Baker London Flagship Store Opening
As part of a series of promotional events for the opening of Ted Baker London’s flagship store in New York this past weekend, the British clothing brand hosted afternoon tea service replete with its own house staff of maids and butlers.
Photo: Courtesy of Ted Baker London
Truly Scrumptious by Heidi Klum Launch
At the launch Wednesday of her Truly Scrumptious by Heidi Klum children's merchandise line, Klum colored on a mural set up in the Babies "R" Us store in New York's Union Square. Klum said she designed the artistic activity herself to entertain the event's smallest guests, who also could have their face painted, play dress-up, and have balloon animals made.
Photo: Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for Babies "R" Us
The Fun Palette
Located in North Miami Beach, the Fun Palette, which opened in 2011, just launched a series of B.Y.O.B. painting classes, which last approximately two-and-a-half hours and cost $50 per student. The capacity is 25, and the cost covers supplies (aprons, canvases, paints, and easels).
Photo: Courtesy of the Fun Palette
At one station, kids are provided with markers and paper to customize their own snowflakes, which then are used to decorate the fence.
Photo: Keith Sirchio for BizBash
While all the rooms were meticulously planned, none was as popular as the space that housed old-school carnival claw games. Rather than plush toys and candy, the machines held small items, like lipsticks and jewelry, in Chanel gift bags.
Photo: Billy Farrell/BFAnyc.com
New features at this year's event included a Wii station with games like bowling.
Photo: Tony Brown/imijphoto.com for BizBash
Young guests also played Twister on the ballroom floor.
Photo: Robert Carl
Family-friendly games included corn hole, bocce ball, ping pong, hopscotch, and a chalk-coloring area.
Photo: WorldRedEye.com
C.E.S.
Google had a massive presence at C.E.S. this year with its Google Assistant Playground, the brand’s outdoor booth that showcased a variety of its devices that are compatible with the service. The center of the booth showcased a tiny city, complete with mini houses, shops, trains, and cars. The display featured replicas of Google Assistant-related products.
Photo: Courtesy of Google
Ben & Jerry’s Pint Slice Pop-Up Carnival
Costumed talent used a branded megaphone to invite passersby to sample the new flavors at an ice cream truck.
Photo: Colin Young-Wolff/AP Images for Ben & Jerry
Intrepid Travel Activation
Travel company Intrepid Travel hosted an activation January 16 to 19 at Cadillac Fairview Eaton Centre in Toronto. The activation, which was produced in-house along with Faulhaber Communications, featured a branded vending machine where shoppers could deposit a dollar to receive a card that offered a chance to win a free trip, a discount voucher, or a city day tour. The pop-up also featured an authentic Thai tuk tuk and a Morocco-inspired area with poufs and tea.
Photo: Courtesy of Intrepid Travel
A community art project from the Orlando Science Center called the “Love Bridge” commemorated the one-year anniversary of the Pulse nightclub shooting. The installation of rainbow-hued origami hearts was among the 10 Best Ideas of the Week featured on June 16 and among the most popular stories with BizBash's LinkedIn community.
Photo: Courtesy of the Orlando Science Center
Photo Booth Man
Robocop meets photo booth with this unique event offering from Coco Events. The robot entertainer, inside a suit with a built-in screen and camera, can interact with guests throughout an event venue, allowing attendees to snap photos and share and email them. A separate print station is also available. Pricing is available upon request.
Photo: Taylor McIntyre/BizBash
The seventh edition of the conference took over Montréal's Arsenal venue May 23 to 25. An outdoor space, known as the C2 Village, included a tiki bar in a casual atmosphere that encouraged guests to mingle. C2 sponsors had their own lounges in numbered shipping containers. Guests could also mingle on the C2 Melbourne dock, a nod to the conference's expansion to Australia. Presentations were held in the Cirque du Soleil 360 Big Top pop-up circus tent, which debuted last year.
Photo: Andrew Moore
The 1,400-seat tent was designed so that no spectator sat more than 13 rows from the circular stage. Presentations from speakers, including former Army intelligence analyst and whistleblower Chelsea Manning, were enhanced with 360-degree surround video projections and sound.
Photo: Allen McEachern
The C2 Village housed numerous local food trucks that offered some of Montréal's trendiest eats. As the entire conference was cashless, attendees could buy food with a credit card or with their Klik smart badges.
Photo: Agnieszka Stalkoper
Outside of the event entrance, guests could test drive BMW 530e cars, which featured C2 branding. BMW and Mini were the conference's official sustainable mobility partners.
Photo: Jimmy Hamelin
The event took on a literal meaning with the theme "Transformative Collisions": As soon as attendees walked into the Arsenal, they could be thrown off balance by walking over a rotating platform.
Photo: Agnieszka Stalkoper
Guests could schedule meetings and lunches in "cabins," transparent cylinders that blocked out much of the general noise in an area near the entrance. The venue also featured a rotating carousel bar that served drinks and food.
Photo: Andrew Moore
Each year the conference introduces new lab experiences. This year, one of the most eye-catching experiences was the Primal lab, which invited attendees to wear festive, Dr. Seuss-style augmented-reality helmets to see a colorful house interior come to life as a surreal jungle. Legrand said the goal of this lab was to make people reconnect with their senses. "With this element, people have their eyes, ears, smell, taste, and touch stimulated," she said. "That triggers the conversation for them of how they can bring the five senses back into the workplace."
Photo: Agnieszka Stalkoper
The colorful experience also served as a social media-friendly photo op for attendees.
Photo: Agnieszka Stalkoper
At a lab called Cookie, groups brainstormed ideas to make and market their own cookies in a pop-up kitchen. The cookies were displayed in jars in a circular wall showcase outside of the kitchen for other attendees to try. After trying a cookie, guests were encouraged to write a dream or idea on a Post-it, which would be used as inspiration for new cookie ideas throughout the conference.
Photo: Agnieszka Stalkoper
The Transparent lab was held in a mirrored room, where a moderator led a conversation about diversity and bias in the workplace.
Photo: Jimmy Hamelin
Other interactive stations included art installations that were chosen to fit the event theme. At the Migration installation—a traveling clay sculpture from artist Mat Chivers—an artificial intelligence machine designed by Element AI digitally scanned more than 2,000 handprints, which will travel to Concordia University to be kiln fired this summer. The digital scans will be used as training data, resulting in a single file output—the first of its kind created by an A.I. machine—that will be cut into a block of impactite (impact glass) using robot milling technology.
Photo: Agnieszka Stalkoper
In the Aquarium space, attendees could wear headphones and watch the interviews that took place in the glass cube studio.
Photo: Andrew Moore
Conversation Market Nespresso, an industrial space sponsored by the coffee brand, held daily collaborative sessions. Participants were separated into groups and were invited to discuss topics on a screen that corresponded to the color of the circle where they stood. Topics included the future of urban design, digital privacy and security, and how to reduce one's ecological footprint.
Photo: Jimmy Hamelin
Attendees could schedule "brain dates," one-on-one conversations on topics both sides wanted to discuss. They could schedule the conversations before the conference started using the event's Klik platform, or on site with the help of a concierge. The area featured a rainbow cloud-style backdrop. "Brain dates" were created by E180.
Photo: Agnieszka Stalkoper
Attendees looking to take a break from the conference chaos could relax in a restored vintage Airstream in a "Breathing Space" relaxation area. The trailer was provided by Art de la détente (Art of Relaxation), a company that specializes in personalized relaxation areas.
Photo: Agnieszka Stalkoper
Attendees unable to reserve a spot in the 360 Big Top tent could watch the same presentation in the Agora Stingray forum, a seating area in the warehouse. The area also hosted a press conference, where C2 International announced a new partnership with the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. The new partnership grants the venue exclusive access to C2 International’s experiential design platform and signature labs.
Photo: Agnieszka Stalkoper
At an outdoor station, guests could create their own notebooks with materials provided by Montréal-based stationery store Baltic Club.
Photo: Ian Zelaya/BizBash
