Instead of serving French fries at a stationary table, Limelight has used a wheelbarrow to deliver Belgian frites at events. The fries are served in cones, and assorted sauces are displayed on the side.
Roar Events produced a summertime event at Estancia La Jolla Hotel and Spa in Southern California. The dinner had a modern Mexican theme and featured an interactive margarita station. Guests chose the type and flavor of their tequila, as well as one of many specialty salts.
The Garces Group, helmed by Iron Chef Jose Garces, opened 24 in November in West Center City. The 5,000-square-foot restaurant includes several spaces that can be used for events: the main dining room seats 75, a private dining room seats 24 for dinners or cooking classes, and the patio seats 40 or holds 75 for cocktails. Groups of as many as 150 can use the indoor space for cocktail-style parties. The menu features Italian fare like house-made cheese, salumi, pasta, and wood-fired pizza.
Kalahari Resorts & Conventions in the Pocono Mountains will unveil an extension in March. The addition includes 520 guest rooms and suites, bringing the total number of accommodations to 977. The property will add two new dining venues: Double Cut Charcoal Grill and Sortino’s Italian Kitchen. The Africa-theme resort also offers 65,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, including two ballrooms measuring 25,000 square feet and 19,000 square feet, respectively, and 18 different meeting rooms. Event space is equipped with complimentary Wi-Fi, state-of-the-art lighting and audiovisual capabilities, and built-in HD projectors and monitors. Elsewhere on the property are amenities including the country’s largest indoor waterpark and a full-service salon and spa.
Following a $4.5 million overhaul of the Fishtown warehouse that once housed Ajax Metal Company, Philadelphia Distilling debuted a new headquarters on February 20. The 13,000-square-foot space includes production facilities, a 3,000-square-foot cocktail lounge, a 1,200-square-foot tasting room, a retail shop, and 3,000-square-feet of outdoor space. For events, the lounge accommodates 120 guests, the tasting room seats 40, and the outdoor space fits as many as 100. The hip, industrial venue serves craft cocktails, and food can be brought in from the planner’s caterer of choice.
Cinder opened in Rittenhouse Square in November. The industrial-style interior features polished concrete floors, stone and copper elements, a 30-foot black walnut bar, and custom-made tables and light fixtures. The menu includes small plates, four different preparations of mussels, wood-fired pizzas, artisanal cheeses, and charcuterie, while the bar focuses on hard-to-find sours and ciders, with 32 varieties on tap. Spanning 2,400 square feet, the space seats 84 guests or holds 100 cocktail-style. Sidewalk seating will be available during warmer months.
Popular Rittenhouse Square Chinese eatery Jane G’s opened Dim Sum House by Jane G’s in University City in January. The 6,000-square-foot restaurant includes several separate spaces: a 16-seat bar, an 84-seat lounge and pool table area, an 80-seat main dining room, a 25-seat private party space, a 24-seat additional private party space, and a 20-seat chef’s table. In the kitchen, three chefs focus on Cantonese- and Shanghai-style dim sum. TV screens in the bar and lounge can be used during events for graphics and presentations.
Celebrated Main Line eatery Savona Restaurant completed a major renovation in October. The new space has an updated open kitchen separated from the dining room by a glass wall, 10 additional seats at the bar, a wood-fire oven, and modern decor. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming, and while the menu still focuses on fine dining, patrons can now opt for casual fare like pizza and salads as well. The 417-square-foot main dining area seats 35 guests, the 144-square-foot board room seats 10, and a charming Italian-style wine cellar seats 20 guests amidst a selection of 1,200 bottles.
La Cabra Brewing opened a new seven-barrel brewhouse in October in a renovated historic building in Berwyn. The bi-level space includes 1,200 square feet of public dining space on the first floor, as well as a 1,600-square-foot second floor and 300-square-foot mezzanine available for private events. The mezzanine, which overlooks the brewery, is ideal for seated dinners of as many as 15 guests; cocktail-style events for 150 guests can use the second floor, and both spaces are outfitted with televisions and sound systems. A fireplace and couches create a homey feel, while the Latin-inspired gastropub menu elevates the traditional brewpub experience with dishes like chimichurri flank steak and blackened mahi mahi tacos.
In December, Flying Fish Crafthouse opened an industrial-style restaurant in Brewerytown. The New Jersey-based brewery’s new venue spans 8,000 square feet, including a 191-seat dining room, an indoor beer garden that can accommodate 100 guests, and a V.I.P. private dining room that seats 35. Chef Brian Duffy serves elevated American dishes like a six-cheese mac and cheese, pretzels with brown butter and homemade ketchup, and, of course, cheesesteaks.
The two-brother team behind Brewery ARS transformed an empty garage on West Passyunk Avenue into a fully functional brewery and tasting room/café, which opened in December. The 2,000-square-foot venue seats 49 guests. Event hosts are welcome to bring in food from outside caterers and food trucks.
National chain CorePower Yoga opened in Cherry Hill in early February. Designed using recycled products and sustainable materials, the 4,251-square-foot facility includes two studios that can accommodate 44 and 30 guests, respectively, for “sweatworking” events and private classes. The venue also includes changing rooms, showers, spa-like amenities, and a retail boutique.
Handlebar Diner, a 1950s-style throwback eatery, opened in Mesa in May. The menu features a playful mix of classic diner food with southern and southwestern flair, complemented by wine, beer, and cocktails. The 1,100-square-foot restaurant features seating for 100 guests, with most tables located on the patio.
The dual-branded Residence Inn Phoenix Downtown/Courtyard by Marriott Phoenix Downtown opened in May. The properties share a 19-story tower, with Residence Inn rooms catering to long-term stay guests and Courtyard rooms designed for short-term travelers. In total, the 240,257-square-foot complex includes 5,733 square feet of meeting space, where the largest spot, the Encanto room, accommodates as many as 270 reception-style. That venue can be split into the 1,287-square-foot Encanto 1, which accommodates 125 guests reception-style or 80 for banquets; the 729-square-foot Willo 2, which holds 70 for receptions and 50 for banquets; and a 10-seat, 328-square-foot boardroom. Meeting-related amenities include an in-house audiovisual team, custom-designed menus, light-drenched event spaces, and high-speed Wi-Fi.
Tomaso’s When in Rome opened in North Scottsdale in June. Offering a welcoming atmosphere, locally sourced ingredients, homemade sauces, and fresh pastas, the restaurant is helmed by chef Tomaso Maggiore. The city of Rome serves as a running theme in every aspect of the restaurant, from the authentic dishes to the columnar design elements. The 5,000-square-foot venue seats 150 in the dining room, with space for 34 cocktail-style in the lounge and 60 on the 750-square-foot patio.
Camp Social, which opened in June, brings an upscale camping vibe to Phoenix with a space that includes a dining room, a patio, two bars, and a game room. Spanning 6,000 square feet, the family-friendly venue accommodates as many as 250 cocktail-style. The menu offers elevated dishes such as house-made sausage salad, smoked beef brisket, and orecchiette pasta with duck leg confit, many of which are presented in tin foil or on wooden-tree serving platters. Other camp-oriented touches include signature cocktails served in thermoses, chandeliers made from overturned canoes, and Coleman ice chests that function as tables on the patio.
The Boulders Resort & Spa in Carefree completed a renovation to the golf course’s clubhouse, event space, and restaurant in April. The clubhouse now includes 1,621 square feet of boardroom space and the 3,295-square-foot Boulderview Terrace, which accommodates as many as 200 standing. The newly opened Grill Kitchen at the Boulders Club serves American classic cuisine paired with an extensive wine list. An expanded terrace accommodates as many as 85 people, who can enjoy views of the 18th green and the surrounding desert landscape. The resort also includes two championship courses designed by golf architect Jay Morrish, plus 160 guest casitas, 61 villas, restaurants, tennis courts, and a full-service spa.
The fifth Phoenix-area location of the Vig opened in North Scottsdale in May. Exuding a friendly yet upscale neighborhood vibe, the Vig at McDowell Mountain offers an affordable food and drink menu with options like poke bowls, tacos, and charcuterie. On-site entertainment includes live music, DJs, and interactive fun like corn-hole and bocce ball. Measuring 13,500 square feet, the Vig McDowell Mountain accommodates as many as 300 for cocktail receptions.
El Panzon y Frida opened in downtown Scottsdale in March, offering a chic, upbeat vibe and industrial-modern decor. The menu is a mix of international fusion, with dishes that includes bone marrow with house-made chimichurri, seared scallops and coconut lobster, and smoked lamb pastrami. In total, the 2,100-square-foot restaurant accommodates as many as 120 guests for cocktail-style events, with capacity for an additional 15 on the patio. A 720-square-foot private event space seats 30 or holds 50 cocktail-style.
The Phoenician in Scottsdale is in the process of undergoing a major renovation. The first phase is slated for completion in September, when the property will unveil changes to the main lobby, the Thirsty Camel Lounge bar, the retail area, and the pool complex. The revamped pool will include a 2,000-square-foot V.I.P area, which will accommodate 100 guests. Event spaces elsewhere on site can host events for as many as 2,500 guests. Looking ahead, the resort in October will debut Mowry & Cotton, a 5,100-square-foot restaurant and lounge that will include a 4,800-square-foot back porch. A three-story spa with a rooftop pool that will hold 100 is slated to open in January 2018.
Midtown welcomed Original Gravity in May. The craft beer and wine bar serves as a comfortable neighborhood gathering place where guests can enjoy gastropub dishes like Asian-style pork sliders and house-made focaccia, as well as a rotating selection of 20 beers on tap. Original Gravity has two patios and a 17-seat U-shaped bar. In total, the 1,800-square-foot space seats as many as 96.
After a brand conversion and renovation, the 284-room DoubleTree by Hilton Phoenix North will debut in October. Ten event spaces, one of which can be subdivided into smaller rooms, range in size from 264 square feet to 4,000 square feet and accommodate as few as 12 people around a boardroom table or as many as 440 reception-style. Complimentary Wi-Fi and equipment rentals are available for meetings, and on-site catering is provided by the hotel’s Brixton Pub & Restaurant.
The Sheraton event served hot dogs with an extensive array of toppings. Some of the more unusual options included fried garlic chips, braised short-rib chili, and wasabi. The event featured a hot dog cooking competition between chef Andrew Carmellini and all-star shortstop José Reyes.
Specializing in personalized gifts for men, Swanky Badger offers a selection of practical options, including phone wallet cases, $29.99, for iPhones and Samsung Galaxy phones. The cases are available in brown, white, gray, blue, and black and can be embossed on the front or inside.
Intel brought its drone light show to the Las Vegas Strip from January 8 to 11. The aerial performance, which involved a fleet of 250 Intel Shooting Star drones moving to the song “Stargazing” by Kygo, took place over the Fountains of Bellagio. The light show had previously taken place at Disney Springs, Coachella, and Lady Gaga’s Super Bowl LI halftime show.
For Intel’s keynote speech, Fireplay, a creative and design studio, created a custom laser effect for the speech backdrop. To create the effect, Fireplay designed and implemented a system of moving spheres, LED illuminators, and pulsed high-power laser beams to symbolize data flowing between connected devices and cloud-based network nodes.
For the fifth consecutive year, Spotify hosted its Supper music and food event for clients and partners at Hakkasan at MGM Grand. Before a performance by Wiz Khalifa, a screen above the stage provided facts about Las Vegas-related music. MKG produced the event.
The brand partnered with New York-based chef Eddie Huang to serve a variety of baos. The menu was presented in Spotify’s signature bubble signage in the event colors of purple and red.
Additional wall signage and branding included the title of the event, as well as advice related to the brand’s #2018goals hashtag.
Beverage coasters offered music and C.E.S.-related facts.
Samsung’s “First Look” product unveiling took place at Enclave, one of the city’s newest full-service event venues. Held two days before the start of C.E.S., the event featured the debut of the brand’s first 146-inch MicroLED consumer modular TV, dubbed “The Wall.” MKG produced the event.
Samsung’s onsite truck at the Las Vegas Convention Center offered Galaxy owners complimentary technical support, cracked screen repairs, and software updates.
For the fourth consecutive year, Twitter partnered with experiential marketing agency NA Collective to create the Twitter Commons, the brand’s dedicated space for events and client conversations at the trade show. The soundproof space included a branded bar.
Design elements included imagery of events, pop culture conversations, and movements that recently trended on Twitter, including Stranger Things, the #MeToo movement, and Black Panther.
The space, which was designed to feel warm and inviting for conversation, included decor elements such as a marquee-style hashtag and pillows with Twitter symbols.
Instead of giving away its usual branded swag, Twitter decided to give back by encouraging guests to donate to three nonprofits: Black Girls Code, Girls Inc., and the Las Vegas Victim’s Fund.
Bell Helicopter, a Fort Worth-based aerospace manufacturer, debuted its future air taxi concept at an interactive booth on the show floor. The booth was produced by GES.
Guests could test out the flying taxi by experiencing an augmented-reality simulator in the four-person cabin, which offered consumer scenarios including a red-carpet premiere landing and cross-city day and night trips. Sector 5 created the digital landscape and experience.
Foregoing a traditional trade booth this year, computer and mobile accessories company Logitech hosted an experiential and social activation in the form of a branded food truck, which served waffles and other treats inspired by the company’s newest products.
The onsite truck, which was designed by Praytell, was coupled with a Twitter promotion for attendees and fans, driven by the hashtag #LogiTreats. Guests who shared photos on Twitter with the hashtag were entered to win products and prizes.
La Poste, a postal service company based in France, launched an e-health application for patients and health professionals at this year’s trade show. The booth, which was produced by the VIBE Agency along with Paris-based Havas Group, was designed to have attendees experience the company’s different innovations and services for healthcare, the home, the city, and the office. The innovations were from the 15 most innovative startup winners of the French IoT, a competition that awards start-up innovations in different fields.
The branded booth incorporated the company’s signature hashtag #SimplifierLaVie—which translates to #MakeLifeEasier—on physical structures as well as a digital wall that curated tweets. CORT Event Furnishings provided furniture rentals, Day 1 Collective oversaw staging and construction, and VER handled the booths audiovisual elements and lighting. The booth’s technology elements were created by Paris-based SuperBien.
Humanscale, a designer and manufacturer of sustainable workplace furniture and products, showcased a booth designed to resemble an office environment. The booth was produced by Inspired Exhibits.
The main draw of the booth was a gravity room photo booth that promoted the brand’s new product the QuickStand Eco, which lets people sit and stand at their desks. Attendees could take gravity-defying photos at the booth, with photo technology provided by EventsTag.
Polaroid, which regularly features some of the most eye-catching booths at C.E.S., celebrated the launch of Polaroid Originals, a new brand dedicated to analog instant photography. The booth’s centerpiece was a massive replica of the Polaroid OneStep 2, the brand’s instant analog camera that debuted in September to mark the brand’s 80th anniversary. The booth showcased other products, which include 3-D printers and Amazon Alexa-enabled speakers.
The booth was designed by Andreas Bergmann, while the implementation of the booth design and event management was handled by Skyline. PRG provided the audiovisual elements.
The North American International Auto Show kicked off January 13 and runs through Sunday at the Cobo Center in Detroit. To celebrate the global debut of its new G-Class, Mercedes-Benz created an installation that involved dipping an SUV in 44.4 tons of synthetic resin. The structure, which is displayed at the venue entrance, symbolizes the timelessness of the off-road legend and makes a conscious reference to the natural phenomenon of insects preserved in amber. Markenfilm Crossing produced the resin cube.
International beauty company the Body Shop and Cruelty Free International, an organization that aims to ban animal experiments, partnered to stage a dog protest in front of the United Nations in New York on January 24. The protest supported the Body Shop and Cruelty Free International’s Forever Against Animal Testing Campaign, which challenges the U.N. to end the practice of animal testing in cosmetics. The protest included eight dogs of different breeds, and was joined by pet photography Instagrammer @TheDogist and Instagram pet influencer @louboutinanyc.
Hard Rock Hotels celebrated the launch of Rock Om—the hotel company’s in-room yoga experience in partnership with yoga equipment brand Manduka and DJ Drez—with a yoga and music event January 18 at Studio 450 in New York. The event featured neon green signage of the new program against a wall of greenery. The installation was designed by Greenroom.
The Perot Museum of Nature and Science in Dallas hosted its fifth annual Night at the Museum benefit November 11. The event, which was designed by Shag Carpet Prop Rentals, had an “Intrigue” theme that incorporated a series of interactive, educational food stations and activities. On-theme activities were available throughout the event. In one area, the cocktail attire-clad guests could dissect squids and sharks. Other activity highlights included a crime lab, where experts helped guests solve a crime, as well as lie detector tests, optical illusion and augmented-reality stations, and cryptozoology trivia.
On the museum's second floor, Wolfgang Puck Catering presented a series of science-based food stations. One memorable highlight was a large centrifuge: Chefs put fresh figs inside and then turned on the machine, and the force of the spinning caused the seeds and denser part of the figs to separate from the juice. The juice was then served as a carbonated “beer” with lime. Educators from the museum were on hand to explain the science behind the concept.
For a winter-inspired catering idea, McAlister’s Deli, which was more than 400 restaurants across the country, offers comfort food-focused catering options including a D.I.Y. baked potato bar that offers a variety of toppings.
For another winter-friendly catering idea, New York-based chain Mr Bing serves street crepes, a popular Northern Chinese comfort food. The crepes consist of rice, mung bean, and wheat flour batter coated scrambled egg, sesame seeds, and scallions. The crepes are then stuffed with hoisin sauce, crispy chili paste, wontons, and (optional) cilantro, and come in savory options such as the peking roast duck bing (pictured) and sweet options like Nutella. Mr Bing also has a bicycle cart available for catering events.
People magazine and the Entertainment Industry Foundation’s 22nd annual SAG Awards after-party took place January 21 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. The event, which was produced and designed by Event Eleven, featured a mirrored tunnel entrance designed to emphasize the party’s “reflection” theme.
To celebrate the release of his latest album, Justin Timberlake partnered with American Express to host a nature-inspired listening party on January 16 and 17 at Skylight Clarkson Square in New York. Guests received a freshly made record of Timberlake’s first single, “Filthy,” from Mobile Vinyl Recorders, who were onsite pressing the vinyl records. Based in Seattle and Tucson, Arizona, the audio engineers can bring as many as 12 vintage record lathes to events to create records in real time for attendees.
To promote the second season of its comedy series Divorce, HBO partnered with New York lifestyle brands to host a series of activities for fans from January 8 to 12. DreamDry salon, for instance, offered guests free blowouts inspired the series's main character Frances, played by Sarah Jessica Parker. Promotional imagery for second season, which premiered January 14, was displayed in participating locations of the salon.
The 60th Grammy Awards took place January 28 at Madison Square Garden.
As part of its Start Something Priceless campaign, Mastercard hosted a week-long series of performances and chats from January 22 to 27. Mastercard House, which was produced by BMF Media, opened with a fireside chat with nominee SZA.
A neon-lit Manhattan skyline that nodded to the host city served as the stage backdrop.
Guests could scan the QR codes on an album display wall in order to purchase them on site.
Absolut Lime and Spotify teamed up for a pre-Grammy celebration that featured a performance by Rita Ora in honor of the Open Mic Project, an initiative from Absolut that asks fans to share their stories of acceptance in an effort to create a more open world. The event was held on January 25 at the Public Hotel.
The party, which was produced by creative agency MKG, featured dangling lime decor over the bar, along with a neon green Absolut "infinity bottle," a digital wheatpaste wall, and a custom T-shirt distressing station.
Harley Viera-Newton spun tunes inside a DJ booth built to resemble a lock with keyhole during the Warner Music Group celebration, in association with V Magazine, on January 25 at the Grill. Guests sipped on cocktails courtesy of Hennessy, which were themed around nominated artists, including champagne cocktails named “Bodak Bubbles” and “24K Twinkle.”
At Essence’s Black Women in Music event, held January 25 at the Highline Ballroom, Janet Jackson made a surprise appearance, presenting the evening’s honor to Missy Elliott. The event was produced and designed by event planner April Luca of Gold Sky Productions, along with Jovanca Maitland, director of live events and experiential at Essence.
The event’s color palette was Pantone’s color of the year, ultra violet, featuring deep purples and metallic accents. Branding for the evening’s sponsors Lincoln and AT&T was also incorporated into the decor.
Pillows featuring the night’s award recipient Missy Elliot dotted the seating areas.
On January 25, Delta Air Lines kicked off Grammy weekend with its annual party, which was produced by creative agency MKG, at the Bowery Hotel. As part of the decor, a creative cymbal installation with the signature Grammys gramophone offered up a cool photo op.
A giant LED wall responded to guests’ movements and the music.
The backdrop of the DJ booth featured subway tile-inspired decor as an ode to the Grammys' return to New York.
At Universal Music Group’s after-party, which was presented by American Airlines and Citi and held at Spring Studios on Sunday, American Airlines flight attendants welcomed guests into a hidden speakeasy, where they sipped on signature cocktails that are available at the airlines’ flagship lounges. The House of Rémy Martin served the curated cocktails. During the party, Citi showcased Art-Object Boomboxes. Inspired by New York street artist Faust, the collection commemorated some Universal Music Group artists who were nominated for Grammys. The boomboxes will be donated to Musicians on Call to be auctioned for charity.
Event designer Preston Bailey created a pre-Grammy party for the Langham, New York, hotel on January 25, featuring a giant ice sculpture in the shape of the Grammys’ signature gramophone.
The tablescape included a ceiling installation with strands of crystals and floral orbs, while the tabletop was decorated with an oversize floral gramophone made of yellow and orange blooms.
Hosted by the Points Guy Brian Kelly, the January 23 event allowed guests to explore the travel website’s top destinations for 2018: Morocco, Iceland, India, and Mexico City. The audiovisual journey, which was produced by creative agency Fake Love, transported guests to each locale without leaving the space. Every 30 minutes, the room transformed into a new destination, with wrap-around projections and music depicting each culture. The event was held at Public Arts on the Lower East Side.
On Sunday, Steven Tyler and Live Nation joined forces for the inaugural Janie’s Fund gala and Grammy Awards viewing party at Red Studios Hollywood. The evening featured a live viewing of the awards telecast, along with a multi-course dinner designed by Trisha Yearwood, plus performances. Proceeds from the event benefited Janie’s Fund, an initiative created by Tyler in partnership with Youth Villages to help young women who have suffered the trauma of abuse and neglect. The benefit raised more than $2.4 million.
Similar to past years, Universal Music Group and Sir Lucian Grainge hosted performances by emerging and established talent, including Luis Fonsi, Julia Michaels, Migos, and Kacey Musgraves. This year’s event, which was held at Spring Studios on January 27, was presented by American Airlines and Citi, with support from Rémy Martin, and featured light bites.
In support of the Time’s Up movement, a campaign to combat sexual assault and harassment in the entertainment industry, many of the Grammy attendees wore white roses during the week and to the award show.
On January 27, Roc Nation hosted a pre-Grammys brunch at One World Observatory in downtown Manhattan. The guest list included big-name celebs like Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Mariah Carey, DJ Khaled, and Big Sean. Throughout the brunch, guests sipped on Champagne Armand de Brignac from specialty bottles.
London artist JGoldcrown created one of his signature heart-adorned paintings for a photo backdrop at the Republic Records pre-Grammy party, which was hosted in partnership with Cadillac, Barclays Center, and Ciroc at Cadillac House on January 26. Attendees included Lorde, Julia Michaels, Hailee Steinfeld, James Bay, Kendall Jenner, Bella Hadid, Hailee Baldwin, and others.
The Nielsen Entertainment party, held January 26 at the Pool (formerly the Four Seasons restaurant), was produced by music sponsorship and activation agency MAC Presents and featured performances by Khalid, Jade Bird, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, and DJ Michelle Pesce.
Since diamonds represent a 60th anniversary, the Academy incorporated diamond-shaped ice sculptures into the shrimp cocktail display at its official after-party, known as the Grammy Celebration, which was held at the Marriott Marquis immediately following the award show.
In the ballroom, event design and production company Angel City Designs created large hanging floral and crystal installations, which were suspended above the serving stations.
On January 26, Citi celebrated Grammy-nominated artist Khalid with a party inspired by his album American Teen. Held at the Vinyl Room at the Soho House, the event, which was produced by MAC Presents, featured a variety of teenage-theme treats from Baked by Melissa and Pretty Sweet, including a candy mosaic made to resemble a varsity jacket.
At the John Varvatos x Nick Jonas collaboration launch party, guests sipped on “hot-tails” by Stillhouse. Drink options included a “Temperature Toddy” with tequila served at 134 degrees and an “Apple Cinder” with whiskey served at 131 degrees. The event took place at the Angel Orensanz Foundation on January 27.
