All photos courtesy Scott Chaffee
Gala Award for Best Multiple Day Event Program
What happens when you combine the dinosaurs-come-to-life thrill of the 1993 hit film Jurassic Park with the competitive entertainment of UFC Fighting? Pangaea’s Jurassic Fight Night, that's what. And that’s what captured the attention of over 20,000 families for two nights straight at the Gila River Arena last October. Gila River Arena is home to the National Hockey League’s (NHL) Arizona Coyotes and hosts concerts and other entertainment acts throughout the year.
Steve LeVine Entertainment and Public Relations created this successful family-friendly event with over three months of training and choreography for human-operated dinosaurs. Each dinosaur suit weighed over 50 pounds and reached 10 feet in height, requiring endurance and the ability to perform in confined spaces. Each boxing round featured dinosaurs fighting in three two-minute rounds that were judged by a panel of local celebrities, influencers, and former/current MMA fighters. The event included photo ops with the dinosaurs, pyrotechnics, live entertainment between fights, music, dance groups, concessions, and a variety of other features. Each guest was given their own personal set of Jurassic Fight Night Thundersticks to get loud in the crowd and an interactive program allowing attendees to select winners for each of the scheduled dinosaur fights.
Marketing efforts used to promote the event included partnerships with local radio and television media outlets, dinosaur-themed meet and greet days, outdoor digital advertising, social media ad buys, and relations with influential on-brand personnel including bloggers, influencers, and local sporting leagues. In fact, the event was so successful that it gained viral visibility on TikTok, online coverage by ESPN’s SportsCenter, exceeding attendance expectations, and receiving offers to begin the negotiation process of a national tour.
Congratulations to Steve LeVine Entertainment and Public Relations for producing Pangaea’s Jurassic Fight Night!
Throughout the summer, we will be featuring these winners and their spectacular events on the blog, so get inspired and get your event submitted for a 2023 Gala Award!
Read our submission blog post to learn more about submitting your event.
Important Dates
- Wednesday, June 1st | Gala Award Submissions Open
- Jan. 1st, 2022-Nov. 30, 2022 | Eligibility Period for Entries
- Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022 | Regular submission deadline ($99 fee)
- Thursday, Dec. 15, 2022 | Late Bird submission deadline ($160 fee)
