Signage around the Walter E. Washington Convention Center—even on the floor—directed guests toward the gala.
Photo: FotoBriceno
Marriott showcased original artwork created to honor the vision and legacy of Matthew Shepard. Gala eventgoers could bid on the pieces, which were included in the silent auction.
Photo: FotoBriceno
Artist Sebastien "Mr.D 1987" Boileau painted live during the gala in the V.I.P. lounge, as part of Marriott's original art showcase.
Photo: FotoBriceno
Sponsor Macy's created a display of clothing accented by glowing rainbow panels.
Photo: FotoBriceno
A lounge from sponsor Wells Fargo included an Instagram-friendly photo op in colorful, oversize letters that spelled out "equality." Walton Isaacson created the activation concept and design, and Advanced Party Rentals produced it.
Photo: FotoBriceno
A photo booth in the Wells Fargo "Equality" lounge showcased the company's sponsorship of an exhibit at the Newseum opening in March 2019, called "Rise Up: Stonewall and the LGBTQ Rights Movement—50th Anniversary (1969-2019)." The photo booth featured a backdrop of newsprint with headlines from the time period, accented by a neon rainbow.
Photo: FotoBriceno
Guests posed in front of a wall covered with 3-D flowers from Lexus. Walton Isaacson also led the activation for Lexus, with production help from Living Color Design.
Photo: FotoBriceno
Guests perused the silent auction items in two different square areas, set off by rainbow "TurnOut" signage and oversize balloons.
Photo: FotoBriceno
Guests were greeted with rainbow curtains, oversize balloons, disco balls, "TurnOut" signage, and a carpet emblazoned with the campaign's logo as they entered the gala. The welcome room became a popular spot for guest photo ops.
Photo: FotoBriceno
Guests left the welcome room and headed toward a white carpet "sponsor experience" with signage and sponsor graphics. Balloons drew the eye up, while the space was kept open to help with the flow of guests.
Photo: FotoBriceno
In the V.I.P. lounge area, Smirnoff showed off its redesigned 2018 “Love Wins” bottles and a dramatic pour-over drink presentation.
Photo: FotoBriceno
Multiple screens and podiums provided a clear sightline to every seat in the dining area, while draping took on different colors as the lighting changed.
Photo: FotoBriceno
Former Vice President Joe Biden headlined the HRC National Dinner.
Photo: FotoBriceno
The evening's presentation included remarks from figure skater and Olympic bronze medalist Adam Rippon.
Photo: FotoBriceno
The branded AR filter brings up Jägermeister imagery, including its signature stag logo, along with tarot cards. Users can then tap on the card to reveal their cocktail fate, a.k.a., drinks that incorporate the digestif liqueur.
Photo: Courtesy of Jägermeister
Cointreau’s Original Margarita Event
Cointreau continued its annual Art of La Soirée event series with a celebration of the margarita in June, which took place at the Fig House in Los Angeles. The event, which was designed to evoke the spirit of 1948 Acapulco, offered classic Cointreau margaritas in branded glasses.
Photo: Charley Gallay/WireImage for Cointreau
Negroni Week Kick-Off
The event also offered guests a Negroni fountain.
Photo: Courtesy of Campari
Peter Callahan
For a winter wonderland-theme party, New York-based Peter Callahan used actual snowballs to serve cocktails. The tray was laid with shaved ice to hold the snowballs in place, and the team carefully measured the amount of the drink to commensurate with the time the guest could comfortably hold the snowball—no gloves required.
Photo: Courtesy of Peter Callahan
The festival, which takes over nearly the entire grounds of Ontario Place, features numerous light displays inspired by the North Pole.
Photo: Courtesy of Aurora Winter Festival
