Later this week, we'll share our annual list of 2018's most popular stories based on page views. But this year, our editors wanted to call out some of our own favorite stories. Articles like this make us love what we do every day: getting a look inside amazing events and speaking with smart, inspiring professionals who are making the industry a more creative place.
Click through the slide show to see some of our favorite stories to write and edit this year, from an upscale Batman-theme party to an authentic 1980s queer ball to ways the industry stepped up during the devastating California wildfires.
Your turn. What was your favorite event or topic covered this year, and what do you want to see more in 2019? Let us know on Twitter!
"The summer event scene in New York shifts to the Hamptons, but the liqueur brand St-Germain gave the stylish set a reason to stay in the city. Featured in our fall magazine (and best experienced in print), St-Germain's summer party in Manhattan's Battery Gardens took inspiration from F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Beautiful and Damned. Produced by Epsilon with creative director Kate Young, the event had interactive activations like costumed staff offering drinks from the other side of oversize, elaborate French frames and perfectly wild floral and feather installations. We had trouble limiting ourselves to just six pages." —Beth Kormanik, editor in chief
Read it:Â Cordial Welcome
"While there are many talented event designers and specialists within the industry, being able to highlight some pros (like food stylists and floral designers) who aren't perhaps as well known or more niche was rewarding." —Michele Laufik, style editor
Read it: Event Design Rebels
"In the last year, countless powerful men in all industries—including events and hospitality—were brought down by allegations of sexual misconduct. For our spring issue, I looked into how events have evolved in the wake of that, from the four-million-strong Women's March to an award season dominated by the topic to a series of new women-led conferences from major brands. I loved talking to smart, thoughtful industry leaders who were taking real steps to create more inclusive environments—and to educate their sponsors and partners on the importance of the issue. Women want and need more than just pretty decor, and events in 2018 really made a great effort." —Claire Hoffman, West Coast bureau chief
Read it: Creating Authentic Events for Women in the Era of #MeToo
"I’d been excited for Pose since FX released the teasers for the series earlier this year, so getting to attend and cover the celebration of the premiere in New York was an exciting experience. The event took place in a historic church in Harlem, with most of the cast—including many trans actors in their first starring roles—in attendance. The true highlight for me was how the event staged a 1980s ball, honoring a New York cultural moment in time that I wasn’t even alive for. Getting to write about the event and all of its design and entertainment highlights was just a bonus. Also, I wasn’t mad about the fact that the event had an onsite boudoir and makeup station (I probably still have glitter in my goatee)." —Ian Zelaya, news editor
Read it:Â Strike a Pose: How FX Threw an Authentic 1980s Queer Ball
"I think it's interesting to see how quickly and earnestly the hospitality industry embraced the idea of no straws and/or straw alternatives, and, of course, the initiative continues to gain steam. In general, this seemed to be a big year for activism in the event and hospitality industries, and straws were just one of the causes that folks got behind in full force." —Michele Laufik, style editorÂ
"Superhero-theme birthdays are normally reserved for the under-age-eight set. But no children's party has looked as sophisticated as one man's Batman-theme 40th birthday party this year in Northern California. From an actual Batmobile to dinner in a Napa Valley wine cave (standing in for the bat cave), to custom logos and graphics, this birthday party from San Francisco-based Glow Events was all elegance and no kitsch." —Beth Kormanik, editor in chief
Read it:Â See a Grown-Up Take on a Batman Birthday Party
"In California, the past month has been consumed by the devastating wildfires across the state. In the midst of the sadness and confusion, I saw a number of industry friends start organizing on social media—helping find new venues for displaced weddings, organize community Thanksgivings for wildfire victims, create a shared Google Drive with links to vendors willing to donate their services. I wasn't surprised to see such a creative, organized community springing to action, but I was definitely moved." —Claire Hoffman, West Coast bureau chief
Read it: How Event Planners Are Stepping Up During the Devastating California Wildfires
"The Instagram museum concept took off in 2018 with varying results. But it reached its peak with the Museum of Selfies. The ode to narcissism, which took place this spring—in, of course, Los Angeles—also happened to be well-produced with creative vignettes, a thoughtful layout, good lighting, and a cutting-edge photo booth provider." —Beth Kormanik, editor in chief
Read it:Â What the Museum of Selfies Can Teach Us About Photo Ops at Events
"As someone who’s always thinking about what they’re going to eat next, the New York City Wine & Food Festival is always one of my favorite annual events in the city. This year, the festival definitely stepped it up—there seemed to be more creative brand activations and food presentations at the Grand Tasting, with highlights including those from Blue Apron and Capitol One. And the events on the pier—specifically Coca-Cola’s Backyard BBQ—offered some of the best eats I’ve had all year. Also, where else can you see Giada De Laurentiis, Rachael Ray, Carla Hall, and #MeToo founder Tarana Burke all at the same event?" —Ian Zelaya, news editor
Read it:Â New York City Wine & Food Festival 2018: 29 Culinary Highlights From Sponsors and Parties
"I go to a lot of dinner parties, but it'll be a long time before I forget Freeform's promotion for the upcoming series Good Trouble in Los Angeles. It was pouring rain (as an Angeleno, I was kind of horrified at the idea of going outside at all!) and I was told to meet a van in a random parking lot in Hollywood. I was truly surprised to be taken up the Hollywood Hills to an open-air field—probably about 20 feet down from the iconic Hollywood sign. What's more, dinner was held in the back of three moving trucks that had been transformed with stylish, trendy tables, chairs, props, and greenery. All the guests got to enjoy a delicious, intimate dinner with the show's cast in a truly unique location. It was just such a clever, out-of-the-box way to promote the show." —Claire Hoffman, west coast bureau chiefÂ
Read it: Would You Host a Dinner Party Inside a Moving Truck?
"Typically conservative Washington, D.C., has little in common with what takes place on the Nevada playa at the Burning Man art festival. But to celebrate the opening of the Renwick Gallery's 'No Spectators: The Art of Burning Man' exhibit this spring, the planning team at the museum brought the festival's ethos to life. The exhibit itself was a treat for the eyes, but the event also offered unusual catering stations and event rentals and lighting to complement the theme." —Beth Kormanik, editor in chief
Read it:Â How the Smithsonian Brought Burning Man to Washington
"This is a favorite for me because, well, it's about Justin Timberlake. Enough said. #swoon" —Michele Laufik, style editor
Read it: Justin Timberlake’s Listening Party Served Up Fresh Records and Grasshoppers
