Party ideas

"The cranberry bog that Tyger Productions created for Ocean Spray in November was definitely one of the most memorable. The juxtaposition of a beautiful table setup—which itself contrasted traditional and modern decor—and 900,000 cranberries in 21,000 gallons of water in the middle of Rockefeller Center in New York was so unique and so on-brand." —Anna Sekula, editor in chief

"Another event that really stood out to me was the Field Museum’s Women’s Board Gala in Chicago. To honor the museum’s new permanent exhibition, the Cyrus Tang Hall of China, designers from HMR brought in beautifully evocative decor, including a canopy of pink cherry blossoms that hung above the dance floor." —Jenny Berg, senior editor

"During the N.B.A. All-Star festivities in New York in February, Nike's 'the Last Shot' installation by AKQA and production company Stardust felt like you stepped into a video game—or maybe Space Jam. It was a truly immersive experience that allowed fans to recreate two of Michael Jordan's most famous shots with a live announcer providing personalized play-by-play, crowd reactions (complete with 'boos'), and lots of throwback looks—including big mustaches and mullets for the 1982 N.C.A.A. Championship scenario." —Michele Laufik, style editor

"At Coachella, it can be hard to get attention over the cacophony of event offerings. But for PopSugar and ShopStyle's Cabana Club hotel takeover of the Avalon Palm Springs, a dramatic art installation made from multicolor neon ribbon was both a cool way for the party to distinguish itself visually and a serious selfie backdrop for social media message proliferation. The piece was a collaboration with Las Vegas' Life Is Beautiful festival." —Alesandra Dubin, West Coast editor

"At the AT&T Best of Washington party, it was so refreshing to see BMW utilize the front of the bar in its sponsored lounge to show a promo video rather than a standard TV on a stand or projection backdrop." —D. Channing Muller, contributing editor

Lisa Messelt of LM Cocktail Catering can create an array of high-end Jell-O shot cocktails. Push aside thoughts of the jiggly, college-era snacks stuffed in Dixie cups: Instead, flavors like blackberry bramble and Pimm’s cup are presented in elegant hors d’oeuvre spoons and paired with fruit. The shots can even be designed in the shape of corporate logos.

Catering at TEDActive included deconstructed takes on bloody Marys served in shot glasses.

Out-of-the-ordinary activities and experiences within TED's Social Spaces included the Harmonograph Swingset, a modern-day, hand-crafted timber swing that played off a 19th-century invention that recorded harmonic frequencies as visual art.