BEST FAIR/FESTIVAL

National Archives, Washington
"July Fourth at the National Archives"
The National Archives in Washington hosted a celebration honoring the 239th anniversary of the adoption of the U.S. Declaration of Independence, drawing thousands of visitors from across the nation. With the goal of educating the public about the Founding Fathers, Abigail Adams and Private Ned Hector--a colonial African-American soldier--the free event included patriotic music, a dramatic reading of the Declaration by historical re-enactors, and exciting family activities and entertainment for all ages.

BEST FAIR/FESTIVAL

Showorks Inc., Tampa, Fla.
"St. Joseph's Hospital-South Grand Opening"
Some 5,000 guests attended the free grand opening festival celebrating the opening of St. Joseph’s Hospital-South, enjoying tours, on-site health screenings, a wide variety of kids’ activities, both local and national entertainment, and food from Tampa Bay’s favorite food trucks. By capitalizing on low-cost local talent, the event team made the most of the client's limited budget.

BEST INVITATION

Dragonfly Custom Design, Orlando, Fla.
"π r (shared) = An Ultimate Pi Day Party"
Former college friends who are not only self-proclaimed math nerds but also baking fans celebrated Ultimate Pi Day—March 14, 2015—with a party introduced by an over-the-top invitation complete with ready-to-bake pie crust dough, filling, a pie basket, pie dish and custom apron. Guests used a custom-engraved rolling pin to roll out the crust, thus revealing details about the party. 

BEST INVITATION

Hannah Handmade, Evanston, Ill.
"Aiden and Chloe's Wonderland"
Guests were invited to an Alice in Wonderland-themed first birthday for twins with a crushed velvet gatefold tied closed with a hand-dyed silk ribbon and adorned with a copper clock charm—a nod to the famous White Rabbit. The inside revealed a multicolor, three-dimensional pop-up of a Wonderland garden--including handmade fabric flowers, vintage glass-topped mushrooms, tiny ceramic tea sets complete with silverware, and miniature playing cards—and another working metal gate, which opened to reveal the formal invitation.

BEST INVITATION

Wilkinson Rhodes, San Antonio
"Take a Seat at the Tobin"
Guests were invited to celebrate the opening of the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts via a 14-inch, three-dimensional stainless steel chair that asked them to "take a seat at the Tobin," with the seat cushion serving as the invitation itself. More than 250 invitations were hand-delivered within a six-hour window.

BEST DINING TABLE DESIGN

Fiore Dorato International, Frisco, Texas
"An Affair to Remember"
Ten distinguished guests dined beneath a canopy of hydrangeas and roses with orchid and crystal garlands. The table was bedecked with vintage colored glass pillars, while pastel floral runners cascaded past personalized table settings with elegant arrangements of orchid petals clustered to create rose domes.

BEST DINING TABLE DESIGN

Jobe and Associates, Dublin, Ohio
"Family Game Night"
For the final-night event of a four-day family-oriented incentive trip, guests relaxed old-school style with a family game night. The tables were designed as oversized versions of classic board games including Monopoly, Candy Land, Sorry and Scrabble; a giant Twister board was created using color-coordinated cocktail tables and chairs.

BEST DINING TABLE DESIGN

Showorks Inc., Tampa, Fla.
"Hobo Chic"
Created for a vendor showcase, the design melded the industrial look of steampunk with Southern-inspired decor, including repurposed urban elements associated with rustic train stations. The environment incorporated a 24-foot-long custom backdrop consisting of faux brick columns accented with working metal lamps, attached to framed mesh screens enhanced with suspended steampunk-style gears and cogs.

BEST OFF-PREMISE CATERED EVENT

Fairmont the Queen Elizabeth, Montreal
"Bal Annuel Musee D'Arts Contemporain"
To suit the offbeat "funeral reception" theme of this museum fundraiser, the catering team treated the 650 guests to family-style service of dark-colored canapes, such as morels stuffed with foie gras mousse, charcuterie meats, and a duo of lamb tournedos and quail supremes. Vintage silver and copper service trays, platters, chinaware and cutlery were used to add glamour

BEST OFF-PREMISE CATERED EVENT

Fairmont the Queen Elizabeth, Montreal
"The Daffodil Ball"
To bring the Daffodil Ball theme "Shanghai Silk" to life, the catering team created a five-course dinner featuring authentic imperial Chinese cuisine for 660 VIP guests. Highlights included nine varieties of appetizers and a menu composed of Yangtze lobster in bok choy baskets with lotus root and water chestnuts; Szechuan sauteed pork on crispy tapioca noodle nests; lacquered duck breast with Peking pancakes; and dessert dim sum.

BEST OFF-PREMISE CATERED EVENT

MGM Resorts Event Productions, Las Vegas, and Occasions Caterers, Washington
"Masterpiece Meal"
Only 58 guests enjoyed an elegant meal in the Kogod Courtyard at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington. While a six-piece band played, guests dined on chilled poached lobster, pan-seared black bass on creamy roasted garlic and potato puree with spinach and tomato confit, and beef tenderloin with a truffle-seasoned potato crepe, roasted hen-of-the-woods mushrooms, haricots verts, and thyme-scented wild mushroom sauce with parsley oil. For dessert: chocolate apricot pavé with caramel-yogurt ice cream and chocolate cake with strawberries.

BEST CATERED EVENT PRODUCED BY A HOTEL BANQUET DEPARTMENT

Fairmont the Queen Elizabeth, Montreal
"The Daffodil Ball"
A team of 24 chefs created a menu that fused Cantonese and Szechuan flavors for the 660 guests at the famed Daffodil Ball, themed "Shanghai Silk." The meal began with a selection of nine enticing hors d'oeuvre, ranging from marbled tea-infused quail eggs to jellyfish and chicken salad, to a four-course dinner followed by "dim sum"—or small bite—desserts, including a mini kebab of caramelized tropical fruits, and litchi sherbet with candied ginger on starfruit.

BEST CATERED EVENT PRODUCED BY A HOTEL BANQUET DEPARTMENT

The Peninsula Chicago, Chicago
"Introducing Luxury Redefined"
Despite the constraints of a tight budget, the hotel team treated 1,200 guests to a private event revealing the hotel's $37 million room renovation. Although many function spaces were already in use, attendees visited a variety of themed spaces within the property, including a "Tastefully Thai" area and "Urban Chicago"; the menu included everything from strawberry-yuzu terrine to lobster corn dogs.

BEST CATERED EVENT PRODUCED BY A HOTEL BANQUET DEPARTMENT

The Venetian | Palazzo Hotel, Las Vegas, and Destinations by Design, Las Vegas
"The Grand Banquet"
The Grand Colonnade at the Venetian Hotel served as the venue for the Grand Banquet: a gathering of top international chefs at a stunning dining table more than 170 feet long, with 174 ornate place settings. Under the direction of superstar chef Daniel Boulud and master chef Oliver Dubreuil, the event featured five courses accompanied by nine regional Italian wines.

BEST FUNDRAISING EVENT

Alison Silcoff Events, Montreal
"The Daffodil Ball"
The 2015 event for this iconic fundraiser for the Canadian Cancer Society was themed "Shanghai Silk," and treated 660 guests to an elegant Asian-themed event with a five-course Chinese banquet, a double-sided wall of Chinese umbrellas, and unique entertainment. All told, net revenue was $1.26 million.

BEST FUNDRAISING EVENT

Incredible Artists Ltd., Askrigg, North Yorkshire, England
"A Very Venetian Masquerade Ball"
A spectacular ball supporting the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award was held in London’s prestigious Grosvenor House Hotel, raising $450,000 for the charity. Some 1,200 guests were treated to a Venetian carnival with nonstop excitement including marionettes and a singing gondolier on a canal; the carnival atmosphere exploded at the end of dinner when all 120 table centerpieces erupted with fireworks, filling the room with giant carnival puppets, dancers and confetti. 

BEST FUNDRAISING EVENT

Tolo Events, Seattle
"First Fifty Gala"
A gala that told the story of the first 50 years of the Museum of Flight in Seattle treated 800 guests to an array of aviation stars, from military heroes to airplane designers to Apollo 8 astronaut Bill Anders. The event featured a 24,000-square-foot event tent lined with cream drape and festooned with 20 box chandeliers overhead. All told, the event netted $1.35 million.

BEST EVENT PRODUCED FOR A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION

Chromis Event Strategies, Washington
"Fifth Annual Build the Center Benefit"
To raise awareness and funds to build the Education Center at The Wall, a proposed facility on Washington's National Mall honoring the sacrifices of veterans of the Vietnam War and other conflicts, the event team worked within a tight budget to bring the center to life in a grand historic building via displays and a message-driven program. Event elements included a Harley-Davidson motorcycle painted with the names of fallen soldiers.

BEST EVENT PRODUCED FOR A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION

Future Affairs Productions, Pawtucket, R.I., and Lifespan Development, Providence, R.I.
"Journey to the Serengeti"
Top supporters of Miriam Hospital in Providence, R.I., enjoyed a gala fundraiser with a twist—the 550 guests visited a local airfield hangar for their event, which was a fashionable night of "glamping" in the African Serengeti. Thematic elements included an African dance and drum troupe, a Great Hunter living statue, and the Zebra Lounge. The event raised more than $660,000.

BEST EVENT PRODUCED FOR A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION

Hello! Destination Management, Orlando, Fla.
"Give Kids the World Black and White Gala: Big Top Ball"
Give Kids the World hosted 1,400 of its benefactors and corporate partners from around the world at its annual gala. This year’s event featured a circus theme that invited attendees to lose their inhibitions as they raised money to help create magical memories for children with life-threatening illnesses; guests were treated to sumptuous “ring-inspired” food, vintage circus decor, a midway game experience, stunning circus acts and a custom melodrama that encouraged the audience to buy tickets to save the circus, resulting in the gala’s highest revenue generation ever.

BEST WEDDING: BUDGET UNDER $1,000 PER GUEST

Euro Events, Dublin
"Rustic Fairy Tale"
Some 200 guests visited the family's estate for a fairy-tale wedding featuring masses of wildflowers, master chefs working with quirky costumed servers, tree-stump umbrella stands, period furniture, an oyster bar and a charcuterie buffet. The event team oversaw three big tent structures, 10 pagodas, thousands of fairy lights, 1,500 feet of festoon lighting, 60 storm lamps, two grand pianos, five bands, six golf buggies, three restroom blocks and four bars.

BEST WEDDING: BUDGET UNDER $1,000 PER GUEST

Weddings Unique, Orlando, Fla.
"A Meant to Bee Wedding"
Because the bridal pair are event professionals, they aimed high for their own wedding, choosing the dramatic Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in Orlando, Fla., as their venue. The 165 guests enjoyed cocktails in a fifth-floor rotunda, dinner in the theater, and a dance party in a room overlooking downtown Orlando.

BEST WEDDING: BUDGET UNDER $1,000 PER GUEST

Wilkinson Rhodes, San Antonio
"Storybook Beginning"
A book-inspired invitation kicked off the "storybook" theme for this 200-guest wedding in picturesque Texas Hill Country. Guests mingled in the "Library Lounge" amid curved "bookshelves" showcasing glowing LED books and found their seats for dinner by checking books filled with "library card" escort cards.

BEST WEDDING: BUDGET $1,000 AND ABOVE PER GUEST

High Rise Events, Westlake Village, Calif.
"Wedding Love Affair to a Midnight Carnival Extraordinaire"
An enterprising event team transformed the Empire Polo Grounds in Indio, Calif.—site of the Coachella Valley Music Festival--into a storybook forest of trees and flowers. Striking elements including a huge floral-covered chuppah, a cocktail reception with a 20-foot walk-around rustic bar, a dinner tent complete with a custom colonnade pergola, and a "midnight carnival" after-party with a merry-go-round and food truck.

BEST WEDDING: BUDGET $1,000 AND ABOVE PER GUEST

Kristin Banta Events, Studio City, Calif.
"Elegant Garden Fete"
Keying on the bride’s preferred palette of gold, onyx and cream, this garden wedding at the elegant Hotel Bel-Air in Los Angeles was designed as a contemporary twist on traditional elegance. The day included a ceremony at the property's famed Swan Lake followed by cocktails and hors d’oeuvre on the terrace, then dinner on the lawn, featuring two dramatic feasting tables and concluding with a lively-yet-sophisticated after-party.

BEST WEDDING: BUDGET $1,000 AND ABOVE PER GUEST

Kristin Banta Events, Studio City, Calif.
"Ojai Summer Wedding"
A wedding held at the rustic-chic Ojai Valley Inn in Ojai, Calif., featured a ceremony in an herb-embellished garden and peaked timber chuppah followed by a lavish cocktail party with a Nashville twist inspired by the groom's love for country western music. The ballroom reception featured residential decor and an oversized bar surrounding a central pergola hung with masses of lanterns and vines. 

BEST MULTIPLE-DAY INCENTIVE EVENT

Jobe and Associates, Dublin, Ohio
"Senior Partner Trip"
More than 550 guests on an insurance company's marketing and sales incentive program were treated to four days and five nights of custom events. Activities included a lawn party with stilt-walker "flamingos," local excursions, an "old-school Boca" beach club bash featuring synchronized swimmers and Rat Pack-era music, and the final-night '80s-style rock concert/dinner showcasing rocker Pat Benatar.

BEST MULTIPLE-DAY INCENTIVE EVENT

MotivAction, Minneapolis
"2015 Circle of Excellence Program"
A five-day incentive event in Hawaii for 98 guests included a wide array of events, including a business meeting, a CSR project that built toys for a local children's charity, and unique parties each night. The event team overcame several hurdles, including unexpected shortages of materials and a lower-than-expected number of qualifiers, which forced a switch from headliner entertainment to a more affordable alternative act.
 

BEST MULTIPLE-DAY INCENTIVE EVENT

POP Kollaborative, Calgary, Alberta
"President's League"
ATB Financial celebrated the annual induction of 100 employees into the President’s League by inviting employees and guests on a three-day incentive program at Chateau Lake Louise at the base of the Victoria Glacier. Guests experienced an evening of "cocktail mountaineering," a brunch featuring Olympic hockey champion Hayley Wickenheiser, a "Show Us Your Assets" polar bear plunge in Lake Louise, a recognition gala, and a "hair of the dog" send-off breakfast.

BEST MULTIPLE-DAY EVENT PROGRAM FOR A CORPORATION OR ASSOCIATION

Hagen Invent and Co., Dusseldorf, Germany
"International Media Launch 2015 of BMW 2 Series Grand Tourer"
For the presentation of its first family van to the world press, BMW opted for a decentralized media launch that broke with familiar press-event routines. Journalists went on a guided walking tour through historic Zadar, Croatia, with stops in three temporary "living environments" that brought the new BMW Gran Tourer’s core features to life. The press dinner was hosted in a spectacular temporary structure—a transparent cube floating in the harbor. 

BEST MULTIPLE-DAY EVENT PROGRAM FOR A CORPORATION OR ASSOCIATION

MGM Resorts Event Productions, Las Vegas       
"REMA 1000"
Scandinavian grocery chain REMA 1000 brought 800 top employees to Las Vegas to celebrate rapid corporate growth with an uplifting, educational and fun immersion into U.S. culture. The event team staged 16 events packed into a whirlwind three and a half days, including a TED talk-style opening, a rousing rally with the feel of an American political convention, a surprise wedding complete with gospel choir and a reception for hundreds, and a glamorous Hollywood-style closing awards dinner. 

BEST MULTIPLE-DAY EVENT PROGRAM FOR A CORPORATION OR ASSOCIATION

Newport Hospitality, A DMC Network Co., Newport, R.I.
"Volvo Ocean Race Newport"
A single DMC heading a team of more than 100 vendors handled corporate hospitality for the Volvo Ocean Race Newport Stopover--a program that totaled 30 full-service corporate programs including 65 events plus local activities, 20-plus hotels, and hundreds of vehicle charters. Working closely with each client, the event team developed a custom itinerary for every program so that all groups enjoyed similar experiences surrounding the Volvo Ocean Race, such as a visit to Newport’s Race Village, viewing of the In-Port Races, and unique local activities and events highlighting the iconic destination.

BEST EVENT STAGED IN MULTIPLE LOCATIONS

Avantgarde, Cologne, Germany
"Rally the World"
The event team gave the excitement of a car rally broader reach by creating a modular event set-up that traveled to various "hot spots" in Europe, including traditional auto events, such as England's Goodwood Festival of Speed, and nontraditional, such as the Gamescon videogame festival in Cologne. On site, participants received an RFID wristband that made their experience shareable with millions of fans on social media.

BEST EVENT STAGED IN MULTIPLE LOCATIONS

EventMaker Marketing and Communication Co., Beijing
"CAT Hero Challenge Campaign"
With a souped-up mobile truck named the “Pump Up Station” and four “CAT Hero Factories” competition locations in major Caterpillar regions across China, the event team spread the company's brand values with the “CAT Hero Challenge” campaign. For over a month, across 11 provinces, the event team brought the campaign to consumers' and CAT dealers’ doorsteps to witness “CAT Heroes” showing their skills using CAT excavators.
 

BEST EVENT STAGED IN MULTIPLE LOCATIONS

Vok Dams, Wuppertal, Germany
"Lipton City Slide"
To introduce a new sparkling iced tea to a younger consumer, the event team set up huge branded water slides in parks and other fun settings in major German cities. In advance of the events, branded dune buggies drove through city centers and branded jet skis roared down city rivers. Over the course of the summertime campaign, some 500,000 consumers sampled the tea while enjoying the slides and relaxing in branded outdoor lounges.

BEST FLORAL DESIGN

Fiore Dorato International, Frisco, Texas
"The Merge Event: When Floral Glamour Meets High Fashion"
An exhibition reception event called “The Merge Event” saw about 5,000 people stream through the grand entryway flanked by towering floral and fauna structures in rich greens influenced by Ikebana—the Japanese art of flower arranging. The installation, which showcased both floral and fashion design, featured a blizzard of suspended paper cranes and mannequins in couture gowns perched against a landscaped wall dripping with cactus.

BEST FLORAL DESIGN

The Precious Moment, Beijing
"Cinderella in Bloom"
To celebrate the opening of a premier department store's wing dedicated to women's luxury shoes, the event team created a floral installation themed to Cinderella. Keying on high-heel shoes and floral designs exploring the dreams of women through various stages of their lives, the installation featured a 45-square-meter (485 square feet) garden featuring a giant sculpture of a high-heel shoe surrounded by flowers and butterflies.

BEST FLORAL DESIGN

Wilkinson Rhodes, San Antonio
"Storybook Beginning"
A book-themed wedding held in a mission in picturesque Texas Hill Country featured chandeliers encircled with lemon leaf garlands and suspended lavender tulips in the ceremony area, while an ombré arrangement of hybrid delphinium, larkspur and hydrangeas in various shades of blue, purple and pink adorned the altar. In the barn area, which housed the reception, tables sported "book tower" centerpieces brimming with peonies, roses, orchids and hydrangeas with rosemary accents.

BEST TENT INSTALLATION

Arena Americas, Oak Creek, Wis.
"New Jersey Wedding"
Some 850 guests enjoyed a wedding at a private oceanfront home that featured nearly 25,000 square feet of tenting that accommodated severe elevation changes. Structures included the ceremony space--a glass-enclosed clearspan structure with apse ends and clear tops, fully air conditioned and carpeted, that boasted a 60-foot-wide, 1,200-square-foot chuppah on a raised platform for the 60-person wedding party, as well as a 13,000-square-foot "ballroom."

BEST TENT INSTALLATION

EventQuip, Lansdale, Pa.
"Penn Medicine 250th Celebration"
Some 1,100 attendees gathered on a May evening under the largest tent ever installed at the Philadelphia Museum of Art for the 250th anniversary of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. The 26,000-square-foot structure with multilevel flooring and clear vinyl top and sides was installed according to a detailed schedule designed to protect the iconic location and to provide guests with a view of the city at night and the fireworks display that capped off the evening.

BEST TENT INSTALLATION

Stagg and Friends, Dusseldorf, Germany
"125 Years of Pfeiffer Vacuum"
The event team helped Pfeiffer Vacuum celebrate its 125^th anniversary with a gala evening for 1,000 guests held inside a nearly 43,000-square-foot custom tent installed at the client's factory site. More than 50 miles of cable, more than 550 spotlights and a projection screen measuring more than 240 square yards were installed for this special occasion.

BEST USE OF LIGHTING

Got Light, San Francisco
"Chinese New Year Gala"
The lighting team layered light, color, texture, kinetic movement and subtle highlights to help the San Francisco Symphony stage its Chinese New Year concert and "imperial dinner" in the city's landmark city hall. Because the venue prohibited the use of fireworks—an essential for the dragon dance—the lighting team designed a custom fireworks illusion of video projections, flanking the dancers along the columns of the Grand Rotunda, along with sound and flashes of light to create a spectacular illusion of fire and flight.

BEST USE OF LIGHTING

Got Light, San Francisco
"San Francisco Ballet Gala"
Keying on the theme "Infinite Romance," the lighting team helped the San Francisco Ballet open its 82^nd season with a gala for 1,400 and an after-party for 3,400 at San Francisco City Hall. Graphics and images from the invitations and ballet gala programs were transformed into custom high-resolution slides that filled the room with vibrant, patterned energy.

BEST USE OF LIGHTING

PTE Productions, Orlando, Fla., and Hello! Destination Management, Orlando, Fla.
"MGXFY 16 Final Night Concert"
The lighting team managed to create dramatic lighting for an entertainment production for two major international headliners at this corporate party for 12,000 guests despite the fact that the venue—an open-air arena—had no rigging points. The team cross-utilized stadium fixtures to light the thrust and chose equipment for the stands that could double as audience lighting, easing the burden on stage moving lights.

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN TECHNICAL SUPPORT

Brite Ideas, Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., and Extraordinary Events, Sherman Oaks, Calif.
"The Grand Opening of Downtown Summerlin"
Technology was the star of the show at the opening of Downtown Summerlin, a shopping center on the outskirts of Las Vegas. Over the course of four days, some 250,000 guests enjoyed a series of spectacles including a high-tech laser "ribbon cutting," a street party, an "extreme" fashion show, and a jazz concert.

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN TECHNICAL SUPPORT

PRG Canada, Toronto
"Pan Am/Para Pan Am Live Sites"
As part of the 2015 Pan Am and Para Pan Am Games, the production team was tasked with supplying all of the AV, lighting, staging and rigging for three major sites throughout the city of Toronto, consisting of custom-built stages at the Panamania Cultural Festival at Nathan Phillips Square, Pan Am Park at the National Exhibition Grounds, and the Pan Am Athletes Village at the Historic Distillery District. A dedicated technical team of more than 30 professionals supported the multi-day, multisite execution, managing equipment, artists and stakeholders from all over the Americas.

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN TECHNICAL SUPPORT

Fifth Element Group, Toronto
"Leading Men Gala"
Weizmann Canada, which supports the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, honored nine philanthropists along with "Star Trek" actor William Shatner with a fundraiser for than 500 guests at Toronto's historic Carlu venue. The production team created a space-theme atmosphere that suggested a meteor shower during the cocktail reception, followed by an elaborate dinner presentation that showcased the honorees via video mapping.

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN LOGISTICS

Boom Goes the Drum, Calgary, Alberta
"Beakerhead's The Periodic Table"
For Calgary, Alberta's, offbeat Beakerhead festival, which blends engineers with artists, the event team produced the Periodic Table, which offered a fine-dining experience for nine "seatings" a day over the course of three days—all on a 40-foot Ferris wheel. Despite an unexpected blizzard, the event team oversaw management of all event production elements, including procurement and coordination of food and beverage providers, coordination of all logistics for the Ferris wheel, assistance in site selection and development of the site plan, development of a staffing plan, and creation of an extensive dinner service plan and online registration system.

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN LOGISTICS

Creative Backstage, Phoenix
"Wet Electric Big Surf"
A highlight of Wet Electric—an electronic dance music festival at Big Surf Waterpark in Tempe, Ariz.—was the largest wave pool in the United States, complete with stage and dance floor in the pool itself. The production team overcame an array of hurdles, including weather issues, demanding artist riders, and extensive municipal permitting requirements.

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN LOGISTICS

EventWorks, Los Angeles
"Bridge to Success"
Six waves of incentive guests from China—some 10,000 visitors in total—enjoyed a customized four-hour gala program aboard the historic aircraft carrier USS Hornet in Alameda Bay, Calif. The evenings consisted of three parts: reception on the flight deck, dinner in the hangar bay, and closing show on the flight deck. The event not only celebrated 20 years of the company's history but also introduced a new energy drink. 

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN EVENT RENTAL SUPPORT

Arena Americas, Oak Creek, Wis.
"U.S. Open Championship"
The 2015 U.S. Open Championship celebrated its 115th anniversary at Chambers Bay in University Place, Wash., where the event team installed more than 300 clearspan structures totaling 400,000 square feet. The structures incorporated more than 550,000 square feet of elevated leveled flooring, custom window and glass walls, more than 190 single- and double-glass doors, carpet and other floor coverings, lighting, liners, furniture and other rental items. The team also installed a double-decker structure that provided more than 28,000 square feet of interior space and 600 feet of unobstructed viewing.

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN EVENT RENTAL SUPPORT

Blueprint Studios, South San Francisco, Calif.
"Levi's Stadium Corporate Holiday Party"
"Passport to the World" was the theme of a corporate holiday party for more than 1,000 guests at the newly opened Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. The event team installed furnishings and built out spaces in a tight nine-hour time frame, infusing the cavernous space with a festive, intimate atmosphere that reflected various cultural influences.

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN EVENT RENTAL SUPPORT

Event Source, Cleveland
"UH Annual Gala"
The rental team met the charity's demand for a "different" gala where the more than 650 guests could move from seat to seat by providing enough settings so that each time a guest changed tables, the place setting changed as well; all told, the event required three separate deliveries and set-ups. The color scheme of iridescent violet green, apple green, and eggplant set against silver chiavaris with silver bengaline pads created a memorable night. 

BEST NEW, INNOVATIVE EVENT PRODUCT/TECHNOLOGY

Bart Kresa Design, Santa Monica, Calif.
"Shogyo Mugo"
Featured in the SIGGRAPH Emerging Technologies forum, this installation brought a sculpture to life via projections, lighting, music and interactivity, which viewers accessed through iPhone and iPad apps. The lighting designer and the sculptor collaborated on a 12-foot-tall, faceted skull to create the first of three masks of Dharma, which states that all things are impermanent.

BEST NEW, INNOVATIVE EVENT PRODUCT/TECHNOLOGY

Go West Creative, Nashville, Tenn.
"Spoken Cinema"
This live experiential platform customizes and communicates client messaging to large crowds through the spoken word, an original cinematic score, dynamic animation, and visuals; when all elements are combined, the result is an immersive and engaging audience experience. Over the course of three to four weeks, the creative team researches client needs, develops the poem, and enriches it with music and images. 

BEST NEW, INNOVATIVE EVENT PRODUCT/TECHNOLOGY

Insglueck Gesellschaft für Markeninszenierung, Berlin
"Hannover Messe 2015"
For the opening of Hannover Messe—the world's biggest industrial trade fair--the creative team dramatized the impact of global digital networking as a factor in production by developing an innovative live show featuring laser technology, media and custom LED cubes, culminating in a swarm of flying spheres. A lion—made possible by augmented reality.

BEST EVENT ENTERTAINMENT CONCEPT AND EXECUTION: ENTERTAINMENT BUDGET UNDER $25,000

Alison Silcoff Events, Montreal
"The Daffodil Ball"
Themed "Shanghai Silk," the iconic fundraiser for the Canadian Cancer Society included Chinese entertainers playing authentic Chinese instruments and performing traditional dances, along with staff and volunteers in costume. Entertainment highlights included two new acts: “The Oriental Pearl,” who swayed at seemingly impossible angles high above guests, and a quirky and comical Human Slinky, who cavorted and contorted in a mesmerizing routine.

BEST EVENT ENTERTAINMENT CONCEPT AND EXECUTION: ENTERTAINMENT BUDGET UNDER $25,000

Event Show Productions, Tampa, Fla.
"Sync Like a Star"
Inspired by current entertainment trends, the event team created a TV-style format show that featured the clients' own meeting planner committee members in a lip-sync challenge. Over the course of three days, nine associates received extensive training, enabling them to perform in polished, costumed production numbers accompanied by professional singers and dancers; at the end, the audience voted for the winner.

BEST EVENT ENTERTAINMENT CONCEPT AND EXECUTION: ENTERTAINMENT BUDGET UNDER $25,000

Joke Event, Bremen, Germany
"Summer Camp"
To create an employee event and team challenge for a big online game developer, the event team came up with Human Pac-Man, where employees become the game pieces in a live version of the 1980s game. A cornfield maze served as the maze for Pac-Man to roam.

BEST EVENT ENTERTAINMENT CONCEPT AND EXECUTION: ENTERTAINMENT BUDGET $25,000 TO $100,000

Extraordinary Events, Sherman Oaks, Calif., and Kaboom Entertainment, North Hollywood, Calif.
"The Grand Opening of Downtown Summerlin"
The third of four days of festivities for the grand opening of a big retail complex, "Street Style" featured five fashion shows highlighting the wares of shops at the complex. Gymnasts, dancers and other entertainers performed to hit songs "Shake It Off" and "Bang Bang" down the 50-foot runway, alternating with models in the latest fashions, ending with all cast members onstage and a barrage of confetti cannons and CO2 blasts.

BEST EVENT ENTERTAINMENT CONCEPT AND EXECUTION: ENTERTAINMENT BUDGET $25,000 TO $100,000

Hala Events and Communications, Toronto
"The Book Lover's Ball 10th Anniversary"
For the 10^th anniversary of the Toronto Public Library's signature gala, the event team developed an entertainment program that showcased the system's resources while connecting guests with celebrity authors and the world of books. Ten character hosts—including Sherlock Holmes, Harry Potter and Scarlett O'Hara—were costumed and scripted to perform for guests, then host dinners in various areas of the library.

BEST EVENT ENTERTAINMENT CONCEPT AND EXECUTION: ENTERTAINMENT BUDGET $25,000 TO $100,000

Insglueck Gesellschaft für Markeninszenierung, Berlin
"Investment Aktuell 2015"
To underscore the theme "Timeless Value," the event venue—a magnificent ballroom opened in 1871—became the centerpiece of the entertainment program. Attendees first heard from top speakers addressing major issues, then a enjoyed three-hour show telling a richly detailed story of significant eras in the ballroom's history through drama and dance.

BEST EVENT ENTERTAINMENT CONCEPT AND EXECUTION: ENTERTAINMENT BUDGET ABOVE $100,000

EventWorks, Los Angeles
"Bridge to Success"
Six waves of incentive guests from China—some 10,000 visitors in total—enjoyed a customized four-hour gala program aboard the historic aircraft carrier USS Hornet in Alameda Bay, Calif. Entertainment elements included the Hornet's band playing classic 1940s music, a three-plane fly-by to the score of hit movie "Superman," a dinner show including swing dancers and jugglers, and an after-dinner show on the flight deck with Mandarin-speaking stars and fireworks.

BEST EVENT ENTERTAINMENT CONCEPT AND EXECUTION: ENTERTAINMENT BUDGET ABOVE $100,000

Hello! Destination Management, Las Vegas
"Eclipse"
The "Eclipse" final-night event treated 3,000 guests to a "club hop" featuring three themed ballrooms: high-energy "Illuminate" offered colorful characters including the Glowbots and LED-lighted Electric Divas; "Enchantment" was a living garden with cirque-style performers and acoustic music; and luxurious "Posh" showcased a jazz trio and interactive entertainment stations. To cap off the evening, performers directed guests to the Chelsea Theater for an all-star celebrity concert that included Smash Mouth, Rappers Delight, Sugar Ray and Bret Michaels.

BEST EVENT ENTERTAINMENT CONCEPT AND EXECUTION: ENTERTAINMENT BUDGET ABOVE $100,000

MGM Resorts Event Productions, Las Vegas
"Back to the Beach"
More than 5,500 technology professionals capped off a three-day business conference with a beach party at the 11-acre Mandalay Bay Beach Complex in Las Vegas. The four-hour event gave guests a sensory immersion into five decades of interactive lifestyle experiences from the '50s through the '90s—a project that required more than 250 event professionals including 30 costumers and hairstylists and 160 decor and entertainment technicians, along with 175 specialty performers.

MOST OUTSTANDING SPECTACLE

Extraordinary Events, Sherman Oaks, Calif.
"The Grand Opening of Downtown Summerlin"
Some 25,000 attendees—many provided with glowing Xylobands and lighted tambourines--watched as the new Downtown Summerlin shopping complex near Las Vegas celebrated its grand opening. The spectacle included an LED drum line, oversize screens projecting images of fighter jets, a laser "ribbon cutting," fireworks, and a 14-minute music track with multicolor laser light show. 

MOST OUTSTANDING SPECTACLE

Hello! Destination Management, Orlando, Fla.
"MGXFY 16 Final Night Concert"
A major tech company welcomed 12,000 of its sales staff from around the world to Orlando, Fla., for its MGXFY 16 final-night concert at the Citrus Bowl. In less than four days, the event team transformed the venue from a soccer stadium to a custom event experience, featuring a full dinner for each attendee, custom-branding throughout the venue, and a fully carpeted field, with a concert by OneRepublic and Katy Perry complete with fireworks.

MOST OUTSTANDING SPECTACLE

KMS Blackspace, Munich, and Marbet, Kunzelsau, Germany
"Audi TT 360"
To launch the new Audi to both current and potential customers, the event team created an indoor 35-meter diameter race track (115 feet) with a 58-degree angle curve, including a 180-degree cinema experience, light show, 8:1 surround sound, and four real vehicles traveling at top speed. Guests sat in the middle of the track to watch projections of the cars and could also test-drive the cars.

BEST EVENT PRODUCED FOR A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL: BUDGET UNDER $1,000 PER GUEST

Designs by Sean, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
"A 50th Birthday Celebration: Gallery Eleven Eleven"
A love of art and celebration inspired an over-the-top 50^th birthday party. The event--which brought 140 guests together for a pop-up art gallery, cocktails, dinner, dancing and more--took place in the client's own working warehouse, which was transformed into glamorous event spaces. Fun event elements included a "French garden" space with a 6-foot replica of the Eiffel Tower, a chandelier that descended to present the birthday cake, and a drape that pulled aside to reveal a 20-foot-long buffet of desserts.

BEST EVENT PRODUCED FOR A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL: BUDGET UNDER $1,000 PER GUEST

Something New Events, Canfield, Ohio
"To Life: A Celebration"
The 80-year-old guest of honor was fêted at a country club by friends and family in a 275-guest gala themed "To Life." Iron trees—symbolizing the tree of life—were hung with gilded leaves serving as escort cards, while the focal point in the ballroom was the dramatic ceiling treatment, consisting of thousands of strands of gold-threaded confetti along with bubble bowls filled with candles. 

BEST EVENT PRODUCED FOR A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL: BUDGET UNDER $1,000 PER GUEST

Wilkinson Rhodes, San Antonio
"Sinners and Saints"
Some 450 guests traveled from the underworld of the damned—the hotel's main ballroom--to the heavenly kingdom—the rooftop terrace—at this holiday party. Devilish elements included Day of the Dead skeletons, cocktail tables with glittering skull candelabras, and a "soul food" buffet, while redemption came on the rooftop with a duo playing electric harp and guitar, white lounge furniture, cloud projections, and a sweets buffet of coconut cloud cakes, meringue tarts and floating clouds.

BEST EVENT PRODUCED FOR A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL: BUDGET $1,000 AND ABOVE PER GUEST

Fifth Element Group, Toronto
"Catenacci Christmas"
The event team spent three days transforming Toronto's Casa Loma historic site into a stunning Christmas Day party for a family. Using classic pieces such as red velvet drape, live garlands and trees, and gold dinner decor, the team installed an 80-by-40-foot cedar canopy in the Great Hall and created a club setting in the conservatory with gold velvet couches and a custom white vinyl stage for the DJ. 

BEST EVENT PRODUCED FOR A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL: BUDGET $1,000 AND ABOVE PER GUEST

Kristin Banta Events, Studio City, Calif.
"Carnival Freak Show Halloween"
A Halloween party at a private home got a fresh spin as a sinister carnival sideshow thanks to custom fabrications, vintage circus props, sophisticated lighting and sound, and world-class circus performers. The 200 guests made their way through a mirrored funhouse and an abandoned circus "wasteland," past snake wranglers and a crazed clown making defective balloon animals, to an area with a DJ, bars and food.

BEST EVENT PRODUCED FOR A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL: BUDGET $1,000 AND ABOVE PER GUEST

MB Events, Montreal
"Mondrian Theme Mitzvah"
More than 250 guests at this bar mitzvah were treated to a synagogue transformed into the vivid, color-block style of artist Piet Mondrian. Event accomplishments included completely re-carpeting the venue and installing a movable 55-by-33-by-6-foot structure that hid a homely chandelier while reining in the cavernous space.

BEST EVENT MARKETING CAMPAIGN

High Rise Events, Westlake Village, Calif.
"JAFRA Beauty Emporium to Taking the Show on the Road"
To showcase the company's beauty products at its annual conference, the event team developed unique environments for each of the various lines, as well as a "beauty emporium" that introduced new products and offered make-up application and display techniques. The conference was so successful that the client commissioned a 10-by-20-foot trade-show version that travels to convention sites throughout the U.S.

BEST EVENT MARKETING CAMPAIGN

Matt Circus, Cologne, Germany
"100 Years of Maybelline New York"
To celebrate the 100^th anniversary of beauty brand Maybelline, the event team started with Make-up Day, which saw teams of make-up artists fan out to offer free makeovers; this was followed by Make-up Night, where 500 guests including VIPs and media enjoyed headliner entertainment and a photo wall with images of themselves. Guests voted on which images to display, all while creating a social media bonanza.

BEST EVENT MARKETING CAMPAIGN

MotivAction, Minneapolis
"CEO Sales Club"
Employees were motivated to win a spot on the company's incentive trip to Ireland thanks to a marketing campaign that broke the mold from years past by focusing on both Ireland's charming folklore along with Dublin's hipster cool. Along with traditional communications tools, the event team used lenticular postcards and a mailing of cocktail coasters, while a QR code and URL link placed on floor stickers led to the trip's Facebook page.

BEST THEATRICAL ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCTION

Entertainment Plus Productions, Los Angeles
"Beachbody 2015 Summit"
For a summit in Nashville, Tenn., for 23,000 fitness coaches, the entertainment team created high-energy entertainment for two three-hour-long events, both integrating star coaches from the brand's own products. Highlights of the closing event included a stunt double for the CEO sailing into the stadium accompanied by fireworks, executives "selecting" entertainment—a nod to the company's new online content-streaming option—and award winners coming onstage to customized dances and music.

BEST THEATRICAL ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCTION

Insglueck Gesellschaft für Markeninszenierung, Berlin
"Investment Aktuell 2015"
To underscore the theme "Timeless Value," the event venue—a magnificent ballroom opened in 1871—became the centerpiece of the entertainment program. Attendees first heard from top speakers addressing major issues, then enjoyed a three-hour show telling a richly detailed story of significant eras in the ballroom's history through drama and dance.

BEST THEATRICAL ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCTION

MGM Resorts Event Productions, Las Vegas
"Convention Industry Council"
To honor the Convention Industry Council's “Hall of Leaders,” the event team treated more than 400 hospitality and tourism industry professionals to a lavish evening with a gourmet dinner and awards presentation built around a customized theatrical production show created from material obtained during personal interviews with the honorees. For example, renowned industry educator Patti Shock, CPCE, was honored with a rendition of her self-described personal anthem: "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" by Joan Jett.

BEST DECOR: TOTAL DECOR BUDGET UNDER $50,000

POP Kollaborative, Calgary, Alberta, and Decor and More, Oakville, Ontario
"Cocktail Mountaineering"
The event team brought the great outdoors of the Canadian Rockies indoors for a cocktail party at the iconic Chateau Lake Louise for 240 guests. On-trend pattern mashing with plaid and floral prints was reflected in the large strokes of Scandinavian rosemaling and bold Canadiana plaids, complemented with props including a kayak used as food station signage.

BEST DECOR: TOTAL DECOR BUDGET UNDER $50,000

The Precious Moment, Beijing
"A Walk in Nature"
For a fashion-launch press event at a Beijing-area resort near the Great Wall, the design team keyed on the themes of environmental protection and natural products essential to the brand. Decor at the banquet table for the 40 guests used no flowers, turning instead to branches, leaves and 26 kinds of plants, creating a nature-based banquet table set against the stunning mountain backdrop.

BEST DECOR: TOTAL DECOR BUDGET UNDER $50,000

White Lotus Productions, San Diego, and Bridal Stop and Events, San Diego
"Tim Burton Wedding"
For a theatrical couple who wanted a wedding that would make guests feel as though they had just walked onto the set of a movie from over-the-top director Tim Burton, the wedding team developed a style both traditional and Gothic. The wedding included an outdoor ceremony featuring a striped aisle runner akin to the suit worn by Beetlejuice, myriad white candles, driftwood to suggest a fairy-tale forest, imperfect balls of moss, and trails of red rose petals.

BEST DECOR: TOTAL DECOR BUDGET $50,000 TO $99,999

Alison Silcoff Events, Montreal, and Decor and More, Oakville, Ontario
"The Daffodil Ball"
Decor at the gala themed "Shanghai Silk" started with a traditional red and gold color scheme at the cocktail reception, but switched to a surprising mix of purple, turquoise and lime green at the dinner area, separated from the cocktail area by a double-sided 40-by-12-foot "Great Wall of China" created from Chinese umbrellas. Decor pieces included moon gates guarded by foo dogs, giant panels depicting lotus flowers and fish, and a chandelier formed from 80 lanterns dangling from a long, rectangular truss.

BEST DECOR: TOTAL DECOR BUDGET $50,000 TO $99,999

Mosaic Catering + Events, Richmond, Va.
"Road to China Gala"
The Richmond [Va.] Ballet's own warehouse was transformed into an interpretation of a grand private Chinese home for the gala fundraiser for 323 guests culminating a year-long campaign. Guests entered though a cocktail space that mimicked the garden entryway of a traditional home, then entered a room featuring red and gold LED lighting, four different table designs, and a pagoda station for Peking duck.

BEST DECOR: TOTAL DECOR BUDGET $50,000 TO $99,999

The Precious Moment, Beijing
"Cinderella in Bloom"
When SKP Department Store, the premier shopping destination in downtown Beijing, opened a department dedicated to women’s shoes, the decor team decorated the space for the event, from the first-floor atrium to the main venue on the fourth floor, as well as the escalator landings in-between. The centerpiece was a 45-square-meter (485 square feet) garden featuring a giant sculpture of a high-heel shoe surrounded by flowers and butterflies, creating a fairy-tale setting for the launch.

BEST DECOR: TOTAL DECOR BUDGET $100,000 TO $250,000

FOS Decor Center, Toronto
"Emily in Wonderland"
The 308 guests at this Alice in Wonderland-themed bat mitzvah enjoyed a richly themed environment, "shrinking" as they walked through a draped tunnel that telescoped from 17 feet to 7 feet wide, then came upon the Queen of Hearts courtyard for cocktails, complete with regal purple lounge furniture and a grand fountain. Next came a fog wall, the gateway to a rain-forest setting for dinner.

BEST DECOR: TOTAL DECOR BUDGET $100,000 TO $250,000

Hello! Destination Management, Las Vegas
"Steampunk Empire"
A welcome dinner for 3,400 guests from around the world was themed to "Steampunk Empire," where guests traveled from one fully decorated thematic ballroom--complete with buffet dinner--to the next, having a completely different experience from the one they left. The event environments ranged from Steampunk City to the Lost Circus to the Gaslight Lounge.

BEST DECOR: TOTAL DECOR BUDGET $100,000 TO $250,000

Kristin Banta Events, Studio City, Calif.
"Carnival Freak Show Halloween"
A Halloween party at a private home got a fresh spin as a sinister carnival sideshow thanks to custom fabrications, vintage circus props, sophisticated lighting and sound, and world-class circus performers. The 200 guests made their way through a mirrored funhouse and an abandoned circus "wasteland," past snake wranglers and a crazed clown making defective balloon animals, to an area with a DJ, bars and food.

BEST DECOR: TOTAL DECOR BUDGET ABOVE $250,000

Destination Concepts Inc., San Diego
"New Orleans from the Ground Up"
New Orleans held a special place in the client's mind, with the wish to have the ambiance, look and feel of the French Quarter re-created for the enjoyment of guests. The event team accomplished this by building an entire city block inside a massive custom tent structure, including two-story façades with balconies, wrought ironwork, and a custom grand staircase; details included functional elements such as hand-crafted street lanterns, residential entry doors, Creole cottage shutters, and a three-tiered working fountain.

BEST DECOR: TOTAL DECOR BUDGET ABOVE $250,000

Raymond Ramsay and Associates, Orlando, Fla.
"Club Qwinn wINNing Event"
The event team designed an impactful awards night after-party experience for 1,400 attendees, all while incorporating the client's theme of "winning" to honor both high achievers and up-and-comers. The company-branded club setting included a high-style art deco façade, which led to an elaborate casino gaming area tied to the "winning" theme.

BEST DECOR: TOTAL DECOR BUDGET ABOVE $250,000

Vok Dams, Wuppertal, Germany
"Volkswagen Financial Drive"
How to communicate financial services in an entertaining way? Volkswagen Financial Services made good on its brand claim "the key to mobility" by creating an interactive installation called "Financial Drive," which saw a digital host lead visitors through an interactive experience showcasing the company's services, ending with the opportunity to shoot and post selfies with Berlin landmarks.

BEST EVENT PRODUCED FOR A CORPORATION OR ASSOCIATION: OVERALL BUDGET UNDER $100,000

Joke Event, Bremen, Germany
"Summer Camp"
To create an employee event and team challenge for a big online game developer, the event team came up with Human Pac-Man, where employees become the game pieces in a live version of the 1980s game. A cornfield maze served as the maze for Pac-Man to roam.

BEST EVENT PRODUCED FOR A CORPORATION OR ASSOCIATION: OVERALL BUDGET UNDER $100,000

Senik Evenements, Montreal-Est., Quebec
"New Tesla Montreal Store Opening"
More than 400 guests attended the opening of the new Tesla store in Montreal, a high-end VIP event designed to unveil the new branch while promoting the new P85D model, the fastest electric car ever produced. A custom test track in the streets of Montreal was designed so the guests could live the Tesla experience, with all of the planning, creation and production of the event handled within nine days.

BEST EVENT PRODUCED FOR A CORPORATION OR ASSOCIATION: OVERALL BUDGET UNDER $100,000

POP Kollaborative, Calgary, Alberta
"Cocktail Mountaineering"
The event team brought the great outdoors of the Canadian Rockies indoors for a cocktail party at the iconic Chateau Lake Louise for 240 guests. On-trend pattern mashing with plaid and floral prints was reflected in the large strokes of Scandinavian rosemaling and bold Canadiana plaids, while the menu offered equally quirky dishes such as Bacon Cotton Candy, Mini Lobster Tail Corn Dogs, and Champagne Oyster Jell-O Jigglers.
 

BEST EVENT PRODUCED FOR A CORPORATION OR ASSOCIATION: OVERALL BUDGET $100,000 TO $249,999

Hello! Destination Management, Washington
"Gaylord CPC"
Five hundred major Marriott clients and top corporate planners came together for a showcase of the Marriott's capabilities, flipping the guests' perspective about what is possible in a hotel ballroom. The evening offered a behind-the-scenes look at the ultimate event, featuring the next big things in entertainment, culinary, design and "wow" factors; for example, entire buffet tables were lowered in and out of the room, providing an ever-changing variety of dining options.

BEST EVENT PRODUCED FOR A CORPORATION OR ASSOCIATION: OVERALL BUDGET $100,000 TO $249,999

Kuoni Destination Management, Las Vegas, and White Lotus Productions, San Diego
"Vintage Circus"
A total of 1,400 guests of all ages attended a vintage circus that spanned two event spaces at the Red Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. The adult-oriented Big Top ballroom featured a circus ring with circus-themed food stations, while the adjacent Midway, located in the next-door ballroom, offered kid-style games such as skee ball, whack-a-mole and ring toss.

BEST EVENT PRODUCED FOR A CORPORATION OR ASSOCIATION: OVERALL BUDGET $100,000 TO $249,999

Wilkinson Rhodes, San Antonio
"Life at the Top"
For the grand opening of the high-end Bowie apartment complex, the event team treated 500 guests to a taste of life at the top, experiencing the best city views and local talent in restaurants, breweries, musical artists and aerial performers. When the elevator doors opened to the fourth floor, guests were greeted by sexy, gold-painted "Bowie Girls" with gold guns—a nod to the Jim Bowie spirit of Texas and an irresistible photo opportunity. 

BEST EVENT PRODUCED FOR A CORPORATION OR ASSOCIATION: OVERALL BUDGET $250,000 TO $500,000

Elias Events, Houston
"Cirque du Chevron"
Four hundred guests attended Cirque du Chevron, a corporate event designed to celebrate the successful completion of a large project. The custom-designed buffet train that doubled as a performance stage was an event highlight, as was the elaborate red, black, white and silver decor, sumptuous selection of food and beverage, and unique cirque-style entertainment.

BEST EVENT PRODUCED FOR A CORPORATION OR ASSOCIATION: OVERALL BUDGET $250,000 TO $500,000

Incredible Artists Ltd., Askrigg, North Yorkshire, England
"A Very Venetian Masquerade Ball"
A spectacular ball supporting the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award was held in London’s prestigious Grosvenor House Hotel, raising $450,000 for the charity. Some 1,200 guests were treated to a Venetian carnival with nonstop excitement including marionettes and a singing gondolier on a canal; the carnival atmosphere exploded at the end of dinner when all 120 table centerpieces erupted with fireworks, filling the room with giant carnival puppets, dancers and confetti.

BEST EVENT PRODUCED FOR A CORPORATION OR ASSOCIATION: OVERALL BUDGET $250,000 TO $500,000

MGM Resorts Event Productions, Las Vegas
"Convention Industry Council"
The Convention Industry Council “Hall of Leaders” award ceremony included more than 400 hospitality and tourism industry professionals, who gathered to recognize the new “Hall of Leaders” inductees. To this end, producers of the event created a lavish evening with a gourmet dinner and awards presentations built around a customized theatrical production show created from material obtained during personal interviews with the honorees. The performance celebrated the industry leaders with stunning theatricality and dazzling special effects.

BEST EVENT PRODUCED FOR A CORPORATION OR ASSOCIATION: OVERALL BUDGET ABOVE $500,000

Extraordinary Events, Sherman Oaks, Calif.
"The Grand Opening of Downtown Summerlin"
The launch of the Downtown Summerlin retail complex began with an opening celebration designed to brand developer Howard Hughes Corp. as a major player in the world of commercial real estate by co-branding the venue as a new destination--a new “downtown.” Downtown Summerlin took over the land and skies for a grand opening that included blazing fireworks, a light show, world-class entertainment, and an entire street filled with food trucks and bars. More than 25,000 participants and 2 million social media hits spread the brand message.

BEST EVENT PRODUCED FOR A CORPORATION OR ASSOCIATION: OVERALL BUDGET ABOVE $500,000

Hagen Invent and Co., Dusseldorf, Germany
"International Media Launch 2015 of BMW 2 Series Grand Tourer"
For the presentation of its first family van to the world press, BMW opted for a decentralized media launch that broke with familiar press-event routines. Journalists went on a guided walking tour through historic Zadar, Croatia, with stops in three temporary "living environments" that brought the new BMW Gran Tourer’s core features to life. The press dinner was hosted in a spectacular temporary structure—a transparent cube floating in the harbor.

BEST EVENT PRODUCED FOR A CORPORATION OR ASSOCIATION: OVERALL BUDGET ABOVE $500,000

Showtime Events, New Delhi
"Launch of the New Mini: The New Original"
Guests including key customers, corporate honchos, media and Bollywood stars—some 800 in total—came to Mehboob Studio in Mumbai for the launch of the new generation Mini car. Mixing a 1960s vibe with modern day, the event featured a 30-by-20-foot LED mesh curtain that formed the backdrop of the stage, with two kinetic LED-lined three-dimensional towers with 32 boxes for dancers flanking it on each side. The car descended on a specially rigged platform from a height of more than 50 feet, accompanied by pulsing electronic dance music.