The inaugural Whiskey Fried Classic took place July 9 at the Brooklyn Expo Center in New York. Produced by Cannonball Productions, the whiskey and fried food event featured a make-your-own cocktail station in a secret speakeasy. Attendees could choose from a variety of ingredients to put in a plastic cup, which they then brought to a bartender to create a custom whiskey cocktail.
Gaming and Internet culture event RTX Austin took place July 1 to 3 at the Austin Convention Center. Mirrored Media created a bounce house activation for the recently released movie Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates. Fans could recreate a scene from the film by jumping in the custom bounce housem and have photos taken of them in mid-air. The photos featured the comedy film's promotional image at the bottom.
For a different cinematic experience, the Miami Heat is sponsoring a Summer Movie Night series with screenings that began June 24 at AmericanAirlines Arena's Xfinity East Plaza. After registering with the Miami Heat app, attendees can watch screenings on a 6-foot, ultra-high-definition LED screen with a 70,000-watt sound system. The series also offers free admission, parking, and popcorn.
The Towers of the Waldorf Astoria New York offer beekeeping experiences for small groups. Guests can explore the hotel's rooftop hives with a culinary team member and learn how the honey is incorporated into their three-course lunch of honey-infused dishes.
Grey Goose vodka kicked off its global experiential pop-up campaign June 16 to 19 at Le District in New York's Battery Park. Inspired by a French Riviera bakery club, the event featured the brand's Grey Goose Camionette, which served as a personalized cocktail bar, inviting guests to schedule private consultations to make custom martinis.
For a foodie-focused teambuilding idea, Wolfgang Puck Catering's pre-dinner interactive experience breaks guests into groups and has them pickle their own ingredients at various stations. The jars are ready to eat two weeks later. The catering company also provides recipe ideas with ways to use the new pickled ingredients.
Music, fashion, and cultural pop-up Made L.A. took place June 10 to 11 at L.A. Live's Event Deck. Inspired by automaker Ford—which co-created one of the event's sustainability workshops—Fusion Lab hosted a live sewing demo with 69 Denim that featured Ford Fusion patches.
The Thompson Playa del Carmen in Mexico offers up a “Catch of the Day” program, where guests team up with local fishermen to catch fresh fish offshore, which can then be grilled or made into ceviche or sushi for a group dinner. In addition, guests can pair their fish dishes with the hotel's tequila and mezcal flight-tasting classes.
Orange liqueur Cointreau kicked off its artist-curated, cross-country Art of La Soirée tour with a French-theme summer garden party at Cedar Lake in New York on June 15. The custom L'Orangerie bar, which gave guests the chance to craft their own cocktails, served as a makeshift orange tree with a tower of the liqueur bottles that branched out into a lush ceiling canopy.
Spanish gin brand Gin Mare celebrated its U.S. launch by bringing its international Med Rooftops series to Ramscale Studios in New York on June 10. Designed by BMF Media Group, a wall of wooden crates showcased the bottles paired with fruit and greenery. The giant installation also served as an unconventional step-and-repeat.
