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As live events and activations make their return, we're bringing you even more inspiration for your own gatherings with our Cool Event Ideas of the Month column, where we round up some of the creative ideas we haven't had the chance to cover yet.
Our February 2022 roundup includes a cool hologram experience at a Super Bowl party, Mary J. Blige's floral-filled album release party, an interactive obstacle course promoting a new TV series, a multiroom virtual experience and more.
Beyond Monet: The Immersive Experience
"Beyond Monet: The Immersive Experience" is now open at Ice Palace Studios in Miami. Created by the teams at Paquin Entertainment Group and Normal Studios, the 50,000-square-foot, multisensory experience showcases 400 of French painter Claude Monet’s most iconic works. The paintings are brought to life with projection technology—using 4 trillion content pixels—combined with music and sound effects. The Miami experience is open through March 27; Beyond Monet is also currently open in Toronto, and it is traveling to Honolulu, Calgary and Ottawa in the future.
Photo: Courtesy of Beyond Monet
Maurice Harris's 'Shades of Blackness' Floral Display
As part of Frieze Los Angeles, the international art fair that took place Feb. 17-20, floral artist Maurice Harris unveiled a floral installation called "Shades of Blackness" in the lobby of the West Hollywood EDITION hotel. The Bloom & Plume founder hosted a cocktail party on Feb. 18 where he debuted the installation, which features a two dome-shaped mirror covered with flowers and suspended in a floating mirrored cube. The shape of the mirror asks the viewer to see themselves reflected in an altered way, drawing parallels to how marginalized identities are continually warped by society’s gaze.
Photo: Loamis Media
Hologram Experience at 'Rolling Stone's Super Bowl Party
Rolling Stone hosted its annual Super Bowl event, Rolling Stone LIVE, on Feb. 12 at the Academy LA nightclub. In a standout sponsor activation, PORTL created a hologram experience where guests could picture themselves on the cover of the iconic music magazine.
Photo: Steven Hong
Mary J. Blige's Album Release Party
On the Friday before her historic Super Bowl halftime show performance, Mary J. Blige celebrated the release of her 15th studio album, “Good Morning Gorgeous” at Classic Cat in West Hollywood. The evening drew the likes of Bruno Mars, Anderson Park, Taraji P. Henson and Ellen Pompeo, and it was sponsored by Sun Goddess Wines, Pepsi, 300 Entertainment and Amazon R&B Rotation. In a unique twist on a step-and-repeat, sponsors were highlighted via an eye-catching wall of gold panels and pink and purple florals.
Photo: Cassidy Sparrow/Getty Images for Mary J. Blige’s ‘Good Morning Gorgeous’
Frontier's Twosday Pop-Up
Internet, phone and TV service provider Frontier celebrated its new 2 Gig Wi-Fi on, appropriately, Feb. 22. The bright-red “Twosday” pop-up on L.A.’s Abbot Kinney Blvd. offered interactive gaming, fitness activities and entertainment, with prizes and promotional offers—like two months of 2 Gig for just $2. In one popular activity, consumers could “race” against the 2 Gig speed, attempting to break the speed record on a home fitness bike.
Photo: Courtesy of Frontier
Disney+’s 'The Proud Family: Louder & Prouder' Virtual Premiere
On Feb. 16, Disney+ celebrated the reboot of The Proud Family with a virtual premiere event. A custom website was built by Little Cinema to virtually immerse more than 1,750 guests in the show’s world via trivia games with cast members, live performances and a multiroom virtual experience themed around a middle school dance. Guests could explore interactive games with hidden Easter eggs, attend a virtual dance with DJ Battlecat and interact via the chat.
Photo: Little Cinema for Disney+
The production was filmed live from XR Studios in Los Angeles, where the cast enjoyed an intimate in-person watch party. Performances included a live version of the Proud Family theme song performed by Joyce Wrice, along with a virtual laser light show.
Photo: Yannick Delva
Disney+'s Black History Month Celebration
In honor of Black History Month, Disney+ teamed up with Los Angeles coffeehouse and roastery Sip & Sonder to bring the characters and narratives of its "Celebrate Black Stories" collection to life. Customers could enjoy themed elements and giveaways at the shop, as well as take photos in a re-creation of the living room set from The Proud Family reboot. The activation was open from Feb. 16-28 at the Inglewood coffee shop.
Photo: Courtesy of Disney+
Penn State's 46-Hour Dance Marathon
Penn State THON—the world’s largest student-run philanthropy that provides yearlong financial and emotional support to families impacted by childhood cancer—raised an all-time annual high of $13,756,374.50 at its 50th-anniversary event in February. The 46-hour dance marathon took place both in person at the Bryce Jordan Center at Penn State as well as virtually, with performances from recording artists Chelsea Cutler and Bea Miller along with a surprise appearance from LA Rams Super Bowl champ (and Penn State alum) Nick Scott. Overall, THON’s fundraising efforts have raised more than $200 million for the national nonprofit Four Diamonds.
Photo: Courtesy of Penn State THON
Fairmont Pacific Rim's Lunar New Year Exhibition
Vancouver’s Fairmont Pacific Rim welcomed the Lunar New Year and the Year of the Tiger with a curated exhibition from Chinese couturier Guo Pei. Located at the hotel from Feb. 1-13, the exhibition showcased Pei’s 18-piece “East Palace” collection, including the “Yellow Queen” gown once worn by Rihanna at the Met Gala.
Photo: Courtesy of Fairmont Pacific Rim
During the two weeks that the pieces were displayed, the hotel hosted various Lunar New Year events and celebrations, including special music performances, a dim sum pop-up by Fortune Terrace, weekend high tea and family portrait sessions. The exhibition was presented by Oakridge Park in partnership with Guo Pei, the Asian Couture Federation and the Vancouver Art Gallery.
Photo: Courtesy of Fairmont Pacific Rim
Prime Video’s 'Reacher Challenge' Activation
To celebrate the new Prime Video original series Reacher, the brand hosted the "Reacher Challenge" activation in Atlanta and Las Vegas in early February. The interactive consumer activation included a series of physical challenges that mimicked the missions main character Jack Reacher undergoes in the show. After receiving a set of "Reacher Rules" prior to starting the challenge, participants went through tasks like breaking out of jail, climbing walls to escape, finding clues and more. The mission ended with a photo moment and scorecard souvenir.
Photo: Courtesy of Prime Video
Casa Del Sol Tequila and L'AGENCE's NYFW Dinner
On Feb. 9, Casa Del Sol Tequila and L’AGENCE co-hosted a dinner with Eva Longoria to kick off New York Fashion Week at Goldbar in New York. A luxe table setup complemented the lounge’s decor with a long centerpiece made from baby’s-breath flowers.
Photo: Madison McGaw/BFA.com
NFL Hall of Fame Health's Super Bowl Event
On Feb. 9, JJLA produced the NFL Hall of Fame Health event hosted by Saint John’s Health Center at Sony Pictures Studios. The event hosted 300 guests including emcee Chris Myers from Fox Sports, NFL Hall of Fame members and top doctors from Saint John’s Health Center. During the program, topics included the growth in medical health surrounding sports as well as a roundtable moment where past NFL players shared stories from their time in the league. Additional vendors included MS Event Production, Wolfgang Puck Catering, Signature Party Rentals and Seed Floral.
Photo: Courtesy of JJLA
