Cisco Live - GPJ

More than 27,000 people attended Cisco Live this year, up more than 30 percent over 2013.

As attendees arrived for the opening keynote address from Cisco C.E.O. John Chambers, dancers dressed in edgy attire performed in the aisles as loud music played.

During lunch, the Yerba Buena Gardens adjacent to the Moscone Center provided seating for 1,500 and entertainment from a live band. Organizers said the space was intended to allow attendees to "immerse themselves in the vibe of San Francisco."

Attendees reclined in beanbag gaming chairs in the halls of the Moscone Center to watch keynotes, do work, and take breaks. Organizers said they chose this style chair as an "edgier but still functional" alternative to traditional beanbags.

A variety of games added to the fun vibe in Moscone West.

The flamboyant Extra Action Marching Band provided a raucous start to the opening-night reception in the World of Solutions.

Docents donned what organizers called "tech geek" T-shirts with a faux pocket holding glasses and a calculator. "This is very much a geek culture destination, so we tried to embody that," Brazen said.

In recognition of Cisco Live's 25th anniversary, chief marketing officer Blair Christie and California's lieutenant governor, Gavin Newsom, shared photos of themselves from 25 years ago during the opening keynote.

Cisco Live's social media staff tracked Twitter traffic and awarded the yellow #CLUS cape each day to the person who posted the most tweets the day before.

For the closing-night concert at AT&T Park with Lenny Kravitz and Imagine Dragons, attendees donned hats that looked like birthday cakes in honor of the event's 25th anniversary. Each year, organizers create a signature hat that is unveiled on the final night.

In the social media hub, guests could enter a recording booth to share their thoughts on the event and to answer questions such as "How will the future be different?" Organizers posted the videos on the Cisco Live YouTube channel and also created a montage that was shown at the closing general session. Participants received a copy of their recordings via email and also were entered in a drawing for a T-shirt.

To celebrate the hat as an iconic element of Cisco Live, organizers created a hat-toss game next to the conference store. Those who successfully tossed a hat onto one of the poles won a $5 gift card to the store.

Since the Yerba Buena Gardens could not accommodate everyone at meal time, organizers brought some of the "parklike feel" inside the Moscone Center meal hall in five zones decorated with Astroturf, picnic tables, and greenery.

In Cisco's area within the World of Solutions, the event's exhibit hall, organizers created a canopy of large photos that illustrated how the company's products are used in everyday life.

For lunch in the Yerba Buena Gardens, organizers handed out Cisco-branded blankets to people who sat on the grass.

More than 650 event ambassadors filled the blocks around the Moscone Center to assist attendees and to maintain the Cisco Live connection between the events in three separate buildings of the center.

To honor the event's 25th anniversary, organizers created a timeline displaying historical facts about the event and also about what was taking place in the world over those years. Glass cases also displayed some of the hats handed out over the years at Cisco Live.

Large 3-D letters outside the Moscone Center became a popular photo spot during Cisco Live.

The event's theme—the Art of the Possible—was projected on the venue's façade.

Paper Acorn created the luminaries, which lined the carpet leading to the arrivals area and bore the symphony's logo, as well as the table numbers.

Word art displayed in various forms throughout the gala conveyed an abstract event theme. The lighting on a curved wall changed colors every few seconds to offer even more visual interest.

The waitstaff wore custom bow ties with the word art graphics that were used throughout the gala.

Each room featured a different flower in the arrangements. The Patrons room had mokara orchids floating in water above crystal rocks.

Inspirational phrases that reinforced the symphony's message were suspended from the ceiling of one of the dining rooms.

LED tape lined the dining tables, providing a high-tech alternative to linens.

Both high-impact and budget-friendly, a 48-inch disco ball was the decor centerpiece at the after-party.

At large events with multiple exhibitors, technology can be used to track where guests spend time within the space and what they do.