See Inside This Sweet New Walk-Through Activation

Sugar Rush is bringing something sweet to the city with a candy-filled adventure that's dripping with experiential design inspiration.

Shannon Thaler

April 16, 2021

LOS ANGELES—If 2020 was the year of sour, Los Angeles-based event production company Experiential Supply Co. is ensuring that 2021 is the year of sweet.

And with a COVID-induced, industry-wide pivot introducing a slew of drive-ins and drive-thrus as the newest way to host an event, Experiential Supply Co. chief experience officer Jasen Smith wanted to create a standalone installation—dubbed Sugar Rush—to safely begin getting eventgoers back on their feet. “It’s amazing to direct guests to park and walk toward our entrance as opposed to just directing them while in cars,” says Smith, who spent the past holiday season perfecting the art of immersive drive-thru events by producing a Haunt O’Ween and WonderLAnd experience in Woodland Hills, Calif.

Running now through May 2, Sugar Rush invites guests to enter through a lollipop-lined tunnel and peer into a timeless candy land where they can explore spaces such as Cotton Candy World, a pink-filled pathway brought to life with over 350 gallons of colorful paint; Bonbon Street, complete with four custom parade floats, a chocolate river and no shortage of glitter; the Prism Tunnel, which is lined with circular mirrors and disco balls; and so much more.

Keep scrolling for a closer look inside.

A larger-than-life Sugar Rush archway welcomes guests into an immersive candyopolis that’s not your average candyland-style experience. “There are some really unique, abstract and funky installations,” explains Smith. “This isn’t an ‘IG museum’ where carefully curated photo ops are what stand out, because the entire set at Sugar Rush, from start to finish, is the hero shot. We leave it to the guests to curate their own content and imagery inside.”

Photo: Courtesy of Experiential Supply Co.

Find costumed performers on curated stages throughout the installation. These colorful characters engage and interact with guests from a distance through impromptu dance routines as well as juggling and hula hooping acts.

Photo: Courtesy of Secret Media

Under the sea, a large-scale Poseidon awaits, complete with oversize seashells, reflective flags and a massive fishing net that transports guests below sea level.

Photo: Courtesy of Secret Media

At the heart of Sugar Rush lies a geodesic dome so large that can be seen street-side. Inside the 60-foot rotunda are four dozen lollipops, Experiential Supply Co.’s nod to Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s iconic Urban Lights installation. The dome (which reflects natural color throughout the space during the day) turns into an oversize disco ball at night with a series of beaming lighting fixtures.

Photo: Courtesy of Experiential Supply Co.

This 30-foot tall, 70-foot-long mylar tunnel was constructed with 25,000 individually glued and placed 1x1 squares. Everything guests see at Sugar Rush was produced in-house at Experiential Supply Co. An added feature? When Woodland Hills’ infamous windy gusts pass through, “the walls are animated, creating a magical vibe as you pass through the installation," says Smith.

Photo: Courtesy of Secret Media

“Woodland Hills was the perfect venue because we want to be where the families are,” notes Smith. Plus, outside of the high-traffic streets of Hollywood and Downtown L.A., walking paths could be widened and airflow could be increased for a safer, more socially distanced experience. “Making sure people feel safe is obviously the No. 1 goal, but taking it a step further where they can see the physical efforts to keep the venue clean is equally important.”

Photo: Courtesy of Secret Media

At the end of the experience, guests are swirled back to reality and sent off with a full bag of candy to satisfy their sweet tooth, and then they are invited to stroll in Gumdrop Park. The expansive, 25,000-square-foot grassy playground has picnic tables, swings and more micro-installations such as this "LA LOVE" sign.

Photo: Courtesy of Experiential Supply Co.