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 January 2023 roundup includes a red-carpet zip line in Los Angeles, a Pixar-themed mini golf course in Fort Lauderdale, an empowerment-focused photo op in Toronto, a sky-high skating rink in New York, and more.
Prime Video's 'Shotgun Wedding' Premiere

The premiere party for Prime Video’s Shotgun Wedding, starring Jennifer Lopez and Josh Duhamel, took over Hollywood Boulevard on Jan. 18—and came complete with an actual zipline, where actors dressed as a bride and groom zipped through a jungle-like setting, a nod to a scene from the new action-comedy. The zipline stunt was performed by Asher Entertainment and produced by 15/40 (who also produced the event itself).
Photo: Line 8 Photography

While guests watched a screening of the film, 15/40 transformed the red carpet area into a glamorous after-party that evoked the movie’s tropical setting.
Photo: Line 8 Photography

Other fun nods to the movie included a speedboat adorned with “Just Married” and a helicopter photo op.
Photo: Line 8 Photography
Dreamer Day Fest

Toronto-based event company Mad Bash Group (formerly known as Love By Lynzie) was tapped by the nonprofit Build a Dream to design empowering, immersive activations for its Dreamer Day festival, which encourages women to enter underrepresented occupational fields such as skilled trades, STEM, emergency response, entrepreneurship, and leadership.
Set in Toronto’s Enercare Centre amongst a variety of job-fair booth exhibitions, Mad Bash Group's work included colorful, shareable, and fun activations designed to help young women feel excited about their futures. Installations included a wall for participants to write and share “dear younger self” notes, a tattoo bar, colorful blooming heads, and a glow-in-the-dark stage design.
Set in Toronto’s Enercare Centre amongst a variety of job-fair booth exhibitions, Mad Bash Group's work included colorful, shareable, and fun activations designed to help young women feel excited about their futures. Installations included a wall for participants to write and share “dear younger self” notes, a tattoo bar, colorful blooming heads, and a glow-in-the-dark stage design.
Photo: Alicia Thurston

Another area featured photo stand-in boards for guests to pose as featured occupations.
Photo: Alicia Thurston
Sky Skate Presented by Dunkin’ Rewards

Edge—the highest outdoor sky deck in the Western Hemisphere, located on the 100th floor of 30 Hudson Yards in New York—opened a skating rink on Jan. 10. Guests can skate across a 1,024-square-foot Glice rink—a zero-energy ecological and synthetic ice rink—positioned in the indoor portion of Edge’s sky deck, which offers 360-degree views of the city.
Photo: Courtesy of Sky Skate

The experience, which can be reserved for 30-minute intervals, includes a special Champagne cocktail or seasonal treats, like hot chocolate and Belgian waffles. It's presented by Dunkin’ Rewards, the brand's revamped loyalty program; Dunkin’ Rewards members visiting Sky Skate will have access to special promotions and giveaways throughout the season.
Edge is also home to City Climb, which challenges guests to scale the outside of the 1,200-foot-tall building.
Edge is also home to City Climb, which challenges guests to scale the outside of the 1,200-foot-tall building.
Photo: Courtesy of Sky Skate
Peacock's 'Poker Face' World Premiere

Peacock hosted the world-premiere screening and after-party for its new original series Poker Face on Jan. 17 at the Hollywood Legion Theater at Post 43. The event, designed and produced by Bespoke Boheme, kicked off with an immersive red carpet area that evoked the main character’s journey around the country. Messex Industries handled fabrication for the red carpet, while Floral Crush and Greenset provided florals and greenery throughout the evening.
Photo: Line 8 Photography

After the screening, attendees—who included series stars Natasha Lyonne, Benjamin Bratt, Adrien Brody, Jameela Jamil, and others—gathered for the after-party, which featured a number of fun areas and surprises including a lie-detector station and a billiards room. Lighting came from Shine On Lighting Co. and Launch AV (which also handled all AV). Bright Event Rentals handled tenting, flooring, and logistics, while furniture came from Bespoke Boheme, Found Rental Co., FormDecor, and Designer8.
Photo: Line 8 Photography

There was also a game of “Bullshit” for guests to test their skills, a nod to the series' premise where Lyonne’s character has an extraordinary ability to determine when someone is lying. Additional vendors for the event included signage from Stuart Signs & Designs, drapery from Stitch Services, catering from The Copper Key, and staffing from 200 Proof.
Photo: Line 8 Photography
Pixar Putt

The Pixar Putt pop-up, an open-air mini-golf experience, opened in Fort Lauderdale on Jan. 25. Previously making stops in New York, Houston (pictured), San Antonio, Chicago, and Denver, the Instagram-friendly experience featured 18 holes inspired by some of Disney and Pixar's most beloved films, including Toy Story, The Incredibles, Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo, Coco, A Bug's Life, Wall-E, and Inside Out.
Pixar Putt is co-presented by entertainment company Rockefeller Productions and TEG Lifelike Touring, and will be open in Fort Lauderdale’s Las Olas Oceanside Park until March 26. The experience can be rented for private and corporate groups.
Pixar Putt is co-presented by entertainment company Rockefeller Productions and TEG Lifelike Touring, and will be open in Fort Lauderdale’s Las Olas Oceanside Park until March 26. The experience can be rented for private and corporate groups.
Photo: Courtesy of Pixar Putt
The Macallan Harmony Café

Whisky brand The Macallan celebrated its new coffee-inspired, limited-edition whisky—The Harmony Collection Inspired by Intense Arabica—with a four-day pop-up experience that evoked a traditional coffee shop (with a boozy twist, of course). Inside, visitors could enjoy complimentary treats that spoke to distinctive whisky and coffee rituals, from custom coffee and cocktails to branded lattes and food pairings to tastings of the new limited-edition whisky. The Macallan Harmony Café took over Carrera Cafe in Los Angeles from Jan. 26-29.
Photo: Courtesy of The Macallan
Whim at Stage 773

Immersive walk-through experience Whim opened at Stage 773 in Chicago on Jan. 12. The interactive pop-up features a variety of art forms, including paintings, music, sculpture, street art, and live performances, which all come together for an artistic meditation on the topic of “time.” Nine rooms make up the Second Chances exhibit, which showcases creations made from found objects, all themed around the importance of honoring time. Highlights include an “enchanted forest" space, which includes a stage for live performances, along with a giant tree towering overhead, plus the “Second Shots Bar," where the menu features visually appealing concoctions like a rum cocktail topped with cotton candy.
Photo: Courtesy of Whim

Overall, more than 100 Chicago artists, designers, and crew members came together to create the experience.
Photo: Courtesy of Whim
Tiffany & Co.'s Tiffany Lock Collection Celebration

Tiffany & Co. threw an exclusive cocktail party to commemorate the launch of the new Tiffany Lock collection, which recently introduced an array of rings, earrings, and pendants in rose gold. The event was held on Jan. 26 at Vela, located in the fashion district of Toronto, and drew guests including Hailey Bieber (pictured) and Simu Liu. An eye-catching photo op featured the Tiffany Lock logo set against a starry backdrop, punctuated by unique profile shapes lined in neon lighting.
Photo: George Pimentel
BodyNEXT Yoga by Equinox

Equinox has partnered with The Body Agency Collective on a fundraising yoga event series, which kicked off in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 21 and will travel to New York on Feb. 4. The BodyNEXT Yoga by Equinox events start with an education portion presented by The Body Agency, a nonprofit committed to advancing gender healthcare equality and serving marginalized women and girls around the world; it’s followed by an hour-long yoga class focused on movement and meditation. Funds from the $100 classes will be donated toward creating dignity kits, which are curated specifically for women and girls enduring humanitarian crises around the globe.
Photo: Jiveshot Media
Snoop Dogg x Funko Store Grand Opening

On Jan. 6, Funko opened "Tha Dogg House," the brand's first co-branded retail experience in collaboration with rapper, actor, and entrepreneur Snoop Dogg. Located in Inglewood, Calif. across from SoFi Stadium, the space celebrates Snoop’s career and other pop culture moments, and features exclusive in-store collectibles from Funko’s Pop! and GOLD lines, as well as an assortment of products across sports, music, anime, movies, television, and other genres. There’s also a range of photo ops, including a massive Snoop mural and life=sized Pop! figures inspired by the rapper.
Photo: Courtesy of Funko