Bar Inspiration

The inaugural Food Loves Tech expo was sponsored by Audi, which activated an innovation lounge that featured multiple interactive sound and food experiences each day. The automobile brand also hosted a V.I.P. opening night reception and an experiential dinner.

The event was divided into four different zones that each had immersive experiences based on the zone's theme. The "On the Horizon" zone had a geodesic dome that housed virtual-reality experiences from different companies.

Icrave's layout featured a mix of high-tech and low-tech design, with materials like plywood and recycled crates that brought the interactive, artful exhibits into focus. Exhibits included a station that invited guests to sample "alt proteins" such as crickets, and culinary experiences that showcased everything from smart ovens to cold-pressed-juice vending machines.

In a new take on the traditional photo backdrop, guests bounced on a trampoline before having their photo taken. Side rails around the custom station kept guests safe.

Blue velvet Louis XVI ottomans offered a pop of color and a luxurious seating option among the eclectic furnishings. "I wanted this one to feel a little haphazard," said Todd Events owner and chief creative officer Todd Fiscus, who designed the event. He said he chose elements that were "whimsical and fun."

The reception-style event did not have sit-down tables, so Todd Events provided some casual low furniture for guests who wanted a seat. Oversize black heat lamps were both decorative and practical.

One of the games asked guests to estimate the number of peanuts in an eight-foot-tall tube (answer: about 73,000). Two fabricated elephants flanked the tube.

Guests had to win their dessert—a Sprinkles cupcake—by shooting a toy dart gun into the cupcake cutouts.

At a flavored popcorn station, custom-built stands had a false fill at the top so they never appeared empty. Serving staff refilled the popcorn at the base as needed.

Bottles from sponsor Belvedere were used in the ring toss. Winners received a band from Michele Watches.

Florals at the event included a ball of carnations that evoked the classic image of a circus elephant standing on a ball.

Several featured cocktails were served atop white glass columns that were lit underneath with LED lights. The ingredients were printed on the front of the columns, and the napkins had the exact recipe.

A fortune teller offered sartorial advice such as how guests could upgrade their outfits at sponsor Neiman Marcus.

Instead of typical carousel horses, the First Look Party had mannequins who wore several watches on their arms—as well as latex horse heads.

A colorful canopy covered the outdoor food stations.

When hiring multiple food trucks, lining the perimeter of a venue with food trucks is an effective way to space them out.

The Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic is known for its whimsical decor done in the brand's signature yellow-orange color. In 2013, the Los Angeles event included a vintage flower-stand-style step-and-repeat. In addition to flowers, bottles were potted like plants and logo plaques on wooden sticks were planted in moss.

One way to get an event's message out is to write it in a way that's too big to miss. The Angelina Jolie movie Salt premiered in Los Angeles in 2010 with 12-foot-tall letters that spelled out the film's name in eye-catching graphic form.

At the Kohl's Launch of Juicy Couture, an elaborate press wall of roses was inset with a sparkling logo. The event took place at the John Lautner-designed Sheats-Goldstein residence in Los Angeles in September.

A wall of greenery bore the message “tweet to enter” in front of a private room. Select guests who tweeted using the #Martell300 hashtag were granted entry.