1 10
The gala was dubbed "A Knight in Gotham," but did not focus on the lore of Batman or his villains.
Instead, this event was conceptualized as a Black and White ball, using the elegance of the Fairmont Royal York in the heart of downtown Toronto. "This concept broke down barriers of the typical corporate event and played off the rise of superhero culture without literal meaning," the event team says. "Batman did not come, the Joker did not storm the reception, and there was no Batman logo present in the sky or on any of the collateral for the event."
As guests arrive, they find an 8-foot ice sculpture of the Gotham City skyline--a perfect photo opp.
The reception area was is draped with black and white, coupled with white uplighting.
Masquerade masks were also offered as a little keepsake for guests and could be worn throughout the night.
Black-framed black plexi bars are used as welcoming tables and accented by 3-foot authentic silver candelabras with candles.
Here, the main ballroom.
The first shock was the 96-foot seamless screen that featured four high-resolution cameras programmed to show one seamless image. This screen covered the entire back wall of the ballroom.
The image on the screen was an animated Gotham City skyline in late afternoon, featuring moving cars, flickering lights, shifting clouds, and billboards featuring all of the Canadian Hospitality Foundation sponsors. This image would transition into nighttime as the evening progressed.
The tables alternated black and white satin linens and black and white chiavari chairs to match.
The 60 tables also alternated between two different large silver candelabras to add depth to the space and elegance to the design.
Once the candles were lit, the entire space glowed with natural light from the stars in the ceiling, the projection of the skyline, and the countless lighting fixtures placed in the ceiling.
Kevin Frankish from "Breakfast Television Toronto" hosted the evening as the emcee, and for the first time at a corporate function, the St. Royals Superband provided the evening’s entertainment.
The Superband comprises 18 top-notch Canadian musicians with a complete horn section, back-up singers and a roster of soul singers. "All dressed in black and white attire from suits and ties to elegant dresses, the St. Royals brought the entire concept full circle, playing all the hits from Motown, pop and rock 'n' roll as 600 guests danced in the skyline of Gotham City," the team says.
Live video cameras taped the entire night with projection-inside-projection created in the skyline itself; the "billboards" and "buildings" acted as video screens to show the performances, speakers and award winners throughout the night.
The stage features a 26-foot half-round with 16-foot ends on each side. Black vinyl finished off the look.
The dance floor is covered in black and white checkered vinyl, and the ceiling covered in star projections, adding to the look and feel of the evening.
"It was if the entire ballroom was outside in the heart of Gotham City, on the roof of Bruce Wayne’s Wayne Manor," the team says.
"We did not overpower the room with flashy colorful lights and there were no digital LED screens on the stage," the event team says. "The focus was Gotham City and the emotion attached to it. We used 15 moving light fixtures around the room with white light to mimic skylights and as the evening progressed, the image on the 96-foot screen began to darken into the night. Instead of the Batman logo shooting into the sky from a spotlight, the Canadian Hospitality Foundation’s logo took its place and provided a nice nod to the Batman universe."
