WASHINGTON, D.C.—Event industry pros in Washington, D.C., returned to a St. Patrick's Day tradition this year with the annual Erin Go Glam event, ushering in spring and the very-green holiday. For the afternoon celebration, Ridgewells Catering invited hospitality clients—including planners for corporate, wedding and social events—to The Showroom in downtown D.C.
The blank canvas space transformed into a glamorous take on the Irish countryside, featuring bagpipe players, sheep figurines and greenery galore—from faux hedgerows to moss on the table centerpieces.
"The inspiration for the look was a modern spin on a traditional Irish pub," Susan Lacz, CEO and president of Ridgewells Catering, told BizBash. "We wanted guests to feel as if they'd happened upon a friendly pub—with lots of surprising modern- and midcentury-modern-style touches—while touring the villages and small towns of Ireland."
In that spirit, Design Foundry, which spearheaded the look and feel of the event, even incorporated a clever division between the reception space and the dining area. Annie Senatore, CEO and creative director of Design Foundry, said her team designed "a dividing live hedge wall with a 'lynch gate' that guests passed through from the reception to lunch," explaining that, "A traditional wooden lynch gate is a structured entrance into a church yard, seen in all English and Irish villages. It's a design feature that would be familiar to travelers in Ireland."
Erin Go Glam last happened in March 2020 as the world was shutting down, and a panel discussion at that 2020 event turned into a heart-to-heart about the events industry and coronavirus cancellations. But this year, the roundtable discussion focused less on COVID-19 and more on looking forward to exciting events on the horizon.
The verdant color palette, garden-fresh menu and spring blooms helped set the tone for that. Keep scrolling for some of the highlights.
VENDORS
Catering & Planning: Ridgewells Catering
Venue: The Showroom
Decor: Design Foundry
Florals: Duran Floral Design
Lighting & Visual: AVLD Events
Entertainment: Lucy Black Entertainment, Skylark Creative Group
Rentals: Something Vintage Rentals, Perfect Settings, BBJ Linen Rental
Photography: Ronald Flores Photography
Videography: Kathykins Creative
Stationery: Epoch Design Co.
Cocktails: Cocktail Curations
Mobile Bar: Unbound Sips
Photo Salon: Love Life Images