The Goodman Gala in Chicago May 18 celebrated the theater's upcoming production of The Jungle Book. Kehoe Designs transformed the Fairmont Hotel's ballroom into a tropical setting replete with lagoon-colored lighting, leafy centerpieces, and giant cutouts of animal silhouettes.
To celebrate the new partnership between SodaStream and Kraft, the Mint Agency produced an event on May 9 at the 2nd Floor event space in Toronto. The event had eco-friendly decor, including a step-and-repeat made out of shelves filled with recycled products.
More than 52,000 beauty industry professionals packed the Orange County Convention Center Saturday through Monday for the Premiere Orlando International Beauty Event. To create buzz about its new color line, Keratin Complex invited guests to decorate two shirtless male models with body paint.Â
Energy Floors offers human-powered, interactive dance floors for event rentals worldwide. The eight-inch-deep tiles each house small generators; the tiles compress when stepped on, activating the generators to convert the kinetic energy produced by the dancers into electricity. The power can be used to activate the colorful LED light tubes inside the tiles that respond to the movement of dancers or nearby electrical systems.
Sure, there were plenty of creative libations at the Manhattan Cocktail Classic gala at the New York Public Library on May 9. But there were also some sandwiches that stood out for their unique presentation. A roving server from Sonnier & Castle wore a wooden plaque around his neck, and mini shelves affixed to the board held togarashi-chicken-salad tea sandwiches.Â
Serving up a mix of creative cocktails and live music, this summer’s Absolut X tour stopped at Miami's Soho Studios May 16. At the "Create With Us" station, guests could scrawl on the oversize scratch drawing board with their fingernails.
Some serious business went down at the National Confectioners' Association's Sweets & Snacks Expo in Chicago May 21 to 23—but exhibitors let their whimsy shine. Just beyond the entrance, a bright yellow car—decked with a rather large chick—advertised Peeps.
On May 15, the Toronto General & Western Hospital Foundation hosted a gala that paid tribute to Dr. J. Bernard Gosevitz. The event's laid-back theme was based on one of the doctor's most cherished activities: fishing. Guests fished for prizes at the "Dr. G. Tribute Fish Pond," which organizers rented from Superior Events Group.
For the New York premiere of Now You See Me, a film about four magicians that rob a bank, Summit Entertainment put 600 guests in the basement of the Hudson Hotel. Mimicking the film's setting, vignettes from graffiti collective 5Pointz on the walls gave the warehouse a gritty, underground vibe.
Fox used branded balloons to lead guests to its upfront presentation and party in New York. The afternoon presentation was held at the Beacon Theatre on May 13.
On June 8, Chrysalis hosted its summery Chrysalis Butterfly Ball at a private estate in Brentwood. The event's hospitality sponsor, the Palazzo Resort Hotel Casino, provided costumed characters from its Carnevale festival—and guests were particularly intrigued with one leafy performer. A so-called "living vine" almost blended in with an ivy-covered fixture that was erected on the venue's grounds. "Her motions were slow and methodical, and she played with guests by moving over and around them," said Matt Stoelt of Stoelt Productions L.L.C., which designed and produced the event. "Guests seemed to be almost mesmerized."
On June 6, Travel and Leisure hosted its Social Media in Travel and Tourism, or SMITTY, awards at the DL in Manhattan. Although photo booths are commonplace at events, the one at this function had a charitable twist. For a $1 donation that went toward Room to Read, guests could pose for snaps with jungle-themed props. The photos were instantly emailed for social-media sharing on the spot.
Lincoln Motor Company brought 10 of its 2013 luxury vehicles to Washington on Thursday for the second stop of its 11-city "Hello Again" marketing tour. Focused around the new MKZ, the tour creates a series of unique experiences for drivers to see their home city from the driver's seat of a Lincoln and is part of the company’s recent rebranding efforts. Independent arts organization RAW set up prints of its artists' work in an alleyway to create a drive-through art gallery as part of the Washington drive.
Epicurean email publication Tasting Table hosted its fourth Lobster Roll Rumble on June 6 at the Metropolitan Building in Chelsea. The event, which sold out in two weeks, saw 20 seafood shacks competing for the title of "America's Best Lobster Roll." Tagstand provided N.F.C.-enabled wristbands that allowed guests to vote for their favorite roll with a tap of their wrists. Guests could also opt to link the bracelets to their social media accounts, allowing them to tap the prox cards against signage to check in on Facebook, tweet preset phrases, win a V.I.P. gift bag, or download the official Rumble playlist.
On June 3, the Council of Fashion Designers of America's black-tie industry celebration took place at Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall. A new Swarovski crystal lectern, created specially for the awards, served as a centerpiece onstage. The crystals were attached to acrylic panels to create a light and airy look, which allowed attention to be focused on award recipients like Oscar de la Renta.
The 67th National Stationery Show ran from May 18 to 21 at New York's Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, where more than 800 stationery exhibitors showcased their latest designs. Laser cutting is a technique that involves a computer-controlled laser cutting paper into intricate patterns. The Avie Designs booth displayed several delicate laser-cut designs.
The Women's Wear Daily Beauty Summit took place at Metropolitan Pavilion on May 21 and 22. The meeting had a sleek, all-white design from Shiraz Events. At breakfast, guests sat in clear Miro chairs at communal tables topped with white linens. The floral arrangements were simple birch vases holding cobble moss balls. "WWD aims for all summits to have an environment that is 'digital, modern, and global,' so we chose to work with the space at hand and create a futuristic aesthetic by the use of all white," said Brian Hanley of Shiraz.
On June 6, the mountains came to Manhattan. History built a forest in the middle of Union Square to promote the second-season premiere of its television show Mountain Men. To represent the Teton Mountain Range, the event had two rock walls, which visitors were invited to climb. One of the walls was sponsored by Blue Range Mountain.
To mark the 10th anniversary of its popular-if-terrifying show Bridezillas, WE TV hosted a cake-eating contest at the plaza at Madison Square Garden on May 30. Grand Central Marketing produced the event, which had 10 brides-to-be competing for a grand prize of $10,000. Each engaged lady had five minutes to scarf down as much cake as she could from a three-tiered confection, with her hands tied behind her back. A bride-to-be herself, and one who's not particularly known for her grace, Jersey Shore personality Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi served as the M.C.
Viennese dancers waltzed down a wall at Chicago's Navy Pier on May 25. To promote Austrian Airlines' new direct flight from Chicago to Vienna, the Vienna Tourism Board staged a promotion that let locals see Vienna from a different angle—literally. Dressed in costumes inspired by Austrian culture, performers descended a 21-meter vertical stage as onlookers gazed up from below. The stunt was part of a public, daylong celebration hosted by the tourism board.
The modern era of air travel is far from glamorous. But one recent event brought guests to Los Angeles International Airport for a decidedly more upscale affair: Westfield’s black-tie preview gala to fete the elegant new Tom Bradley International Terminal on June 20. Guests sat for the program at round transparent tables set with clear chairs and centerpieces that mimicked the airport's illuminated pillars.
