Varner brought in water, ice, a generator, and portable restrooms for the ticketed event celebrating the end of the four-day film festival that included more than 86 films at three theaters. The carnival theme party took place inside the historic building’s cavernous ground floor, an 11,000-square-foot room with 30-foot coffered ceilings that helped keep it relatively cool despite temperatures in the mid-80s earlier in the day and no air-conditioning. Organizers kept the front and back doors—which had to be rebuilt to bring the building up to fire code—open throughout the party to create air flow.
MMD Events constructed a two-story stage at the rear of the room that was divided into four performance cubes, one in each corner measuring 10 feet deep and wide and eight feet high. Artist Dawn Hunt painted the plywood facade of the cubes to look like colorful circus curtains. Inside each one, dancers from Le Teaze Burlesque Troupe performed throughout the party. The center of the two-story stage housed DJ Fresh on the top floor and a bar on the bottom. MMD Events also built a 16-foot square bar in the middle of the room. Scaffolding in the center of the square held liquor bottles and also supported cantina lights, which added to the sideshow feel.
Decorators draped high-top cocktail tables in the middle of the room with bright striped fabric from Connie Duglin Specialty Linens to mimic a circus tent, while the perimeter of the room had a mix of MMD’s vintage furniture pieces such as church pews and antique chairs. Volunteer models wearing custom corsets, fishnet stockings, and dramatic hair and makeup served as both entertainment and wait staff for the party. Good Food Catering Company created three serving stations, including a "Haute Dog Bar" serving sliders and corn dogs.
The building’s owner said she has been trying to find a tenant for the building for several years, but now she may also market the site as an event venue.
![E20292standalone](https://img.bizbash.com/files/base/bizbash/bzb/image/2011/03/e20292standalone.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&q=70&w=400)
![The Kress Building housed a department store from 1929 until around 1980, but it has been vacant since that time.](https://img.bizbash.com/files/base/bizbash/bzb/image/2011/11/e2029201.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&q=70&w=400)
![Organizers used the 11,000-square-foot ground-floor room of the building for the party.](https://img.bizbash.com/files/base/bizbash/bzb/image/2011/11/e2029202.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&q=70&w=400)
![Models dressed in corsets and fishnet stockings served as entertainment and waitstaff for the party.](https://img.bizbash.com/files/base/bizbash/bzb/image/2011/11/e2029203.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&q=70&w=400)
![While guests waited to enter the party, an entertainer on stilts performed tricks with fire.](https://img.bizbash.com/files/base/bizbash/bzb/image/2011/11/e2029204.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&q=70&w=400)
![Organizers also created a small stage for a contortionist outside the party, to add to the sideshow feel.](https://img.bizbash.com/files/base/bizbash/bzb/image/2011/11/e2029205.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&q=70&w=400)
![Prior to the closing party, the festival presented actor Tom Berenger with a career achievement award at a ceremony inside the nearby Tampa Theatre.](https://img.bizbash.com/files/base/bizbash/bzb/image/2011/11/e2029206.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&q=70&w=400)
![MMD Events used furniture from its 'Vintage and Found Objects' collection to furnish the V.I.P. area.](https://img.bizbash.com/files/base/bizbash/bzb/image/2011/11/e2029207.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&q=70&w=400)
![Staff from Good Food Catering Company served sliders and mini corn dogs inside custom cubes at the Haute Dog Bar.](https://img.bizbash.com/files/base/bizbash/bzb/image/2011/11/e2029208.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&q=70&w=400)
![Dancers from Le Teaze Burlesque Troupe performed on a two-story stage divided into four cubes.](https://img.bizbash.com/files/base/bizbash/bzb/image/2011/11/e2029209.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&q=70&w=400)
![Models inside the former department store's front windows greeted guests as they arrived.](https://img.bizbash.com/files/base/bizbash/bzb/image/2011/11/e2029210.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&q=70&w=400)
![MMD Events created a booth for DJ Fresh in the middle of the two-story stage.](https://img.bizbash.com/files/base/bizbash/bzb/image/2011/11/e2029211.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&q=70&w=400)
![Artist Dawn Hunt painted the facade of the performance cubes to look like circus curtains.](https://img.bizbash.com/files/base/bizbash/bzb/image/2011/11/e2029212.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&q=70&w=400)
![MicroSweets provided assorted confections, including peppermint patties and Lillet Blanc marshmallows with milk chocolate coating.](https://img.bizbash.com/files/base/bizbash/bzb/image/2011/11/e2029213.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&q=70&w=400)
![Artist Terry Klaaren spent the evening painting the party scene. His art will be auctioned at the film festival's fall fund-raiser.](https://img.bizbash.com/files/base/bizbash/bzb/image/2011/11/e2029214.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&q=70&w=400)
![A stiltwalker moved through the crowd during the party.](https://img.bizbash.com/files/base/bizbash/bzb/image/2011/11/e2029215.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&q=70&w=400)
![One of the food stations served popcorn seasoned with a choice of flavoring.](https://img.bizbash.com/files/base/bizbash/bzb/image/2011/11/e2029216.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&q=70&w=400)
![MMD Events created boxwood hedges to separate seating areas that had a mix of antique furniture and church pews.](https://img.bizbash.com/files/base/bizbash/bzb/image/2011/11/e2029217.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&q=70&w=400)
![In the middle of the square bar, scaffolding topped with cantina lights held the liquor bottles.](https://img.bizbash.com/files/base/bizbash/bzb/image/2011/11/e2029218.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&q=70&w=400)