The Week in Events: Nokia and Skype at South by Southwest, Victoria's Secret Pool Party, Julianna Margulies at Steppenwolf

Victoria’s Secret Pink held its annual spring break pool party March 14, hosting 800 guests at the Shelborne Beach Resort in South Beach. The heavily branded event, hosted by Joe Jonas and Victoria’s Secret models Iman Chanel and Elsa Hosk, filled the resort’s pool deck with Pink banners, balloons, pool toys, and furniture. Designed to appeal to a target audience of vacationing college students, the afternoon party included Pink-branded amenities like water Pink Pong (the company’s underage, alcohol-free version of beer pong), a photo booth, and a surfboard signing station.

At this year’s South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, Nokia set up an unusual structure to house three nights of performances. High Beam Events and SmartFusion built the inflatable tri-dome for SXSW Interactive March 11 and filled it with 360-degree projections of custom branded content. During the music portion of SXSW, Nokia created a V.I.P. lounge inside the Fader Fort.

To bring its brand to the masses offline, Skype constructed an outdoor stage with a huge viewing platform for SXSW March 12. Performances were broadcast live via the company’s Web-based platform, while three screens at the top of the stage displayed people around the world interacting with the music being played.

Redcat (the Roy and Edna Disney/CalArts Theater) hosted its gala on Saturday, honoring artist Edgar Arceneaux, arts patrons Elyse and Stanley Grinstein, and Roger Wacker, raising more than $500,000. Artists Eve Fowler and Anna Sew Hoy of Two Serious Ladies reimagined the Los Angeles venue's decor for the event, creating an art installation made of more than a hundred gold and silver soccer balls that hung above the interior of the Redcat lounge. After a reception, guests settled into a whimsical dining hall with a constellation of golden, glowing orbs hanging above the main room and centerpieces made of glittering bananas, toy horseshoes, marble pyramids, and golden dice.

On March 12 in Chicago, Steppenwolf theater celebrated women’s history month with its Steppenwolf Salutes Women in the Arts luncheon. This year’s honoree was actress Julianna Margulies, who had an Inside the Actor’s Studio-style conversation with artistic director Martha Lavey as the afternoon’s centerpiece.

Orange County-based investment banking company Roth Capital Partners held its 24th annual conference from March 11 through 14 at the Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel in Dana Point, California, where there were more than 400 presenting companies and 1,000 investors present, making it one of the largest events of its kind in the country. An annual tradition for the event, a duo of high-profile, entertainment-packed parties gave the conference a sense of festivity and glamour.

The National Home Show in Toronto co-located with Canada Blooms for the first time this year, boosted attendance 91 percent for the National Home Show on Friday, opening day. The shows continues until Sunday at the Direct Energy Centre.

Washington’s centennial celebration of the National Cherry Blossom Festival, an honorary recognition of the namesake trees given to the city by Japan in 1912, kicked off Tuesday with the sixth annual Pink Tie Party at the Mayflower Renaissance hotel. The sold-out crowd of 750 tasted cherry-blossom-inspired bites from 35 restaurants.

On March 17, Ted Baker London launched a new retail space at Bloomingdale’s in Chestnut Hill, just outside Boston. The public celebration offered branded treats including cupcakes, lollipops, and bottles of sparkling cider adorned with an “I Love Ted” logo.

On March 15, Glenfiddich hosted a gala to kick off the year-long celebrations for its 125th anniversary. In addition to a live auction that sold a bottle of the 55-year-old Janet Sheed Roberts Reserve at a record-setting price, guests could sign a oversize card, which will be taken to the whiskey brand’s distillery.