Thanks in part to smooth operations and plenty of press coverage, several exhibitors have promised to increase their booth allocation for next year.

Booths with peaked tents.

Lighting up the night.

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. 

The invitation came complete with pie filling.

The rolling pin reveals the invitation when used to roll out the pie crust.

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.

In accepting the award, the team thanked the "collective effort" of its Singapore theme "and we hope we have done our country proud."

A gleaming place setting.

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.

An elegant dish.

A Goth dessert.

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.

The remarkable dinner table.

The busy kitchen staff.

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.

Here, a tall entertainer.

A beautiful overview.

Chinese performers.

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.

Complete with elephants!

A safari-theme tabletop.

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.

A rustic centerpiece.

The "nearly naked" wedding cake.

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.

A dramatic entrance.

A food truck visits the after-party.

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.

Having fun at the CSR event.

A fire dancer.

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.

Torches line the dock.

An event at one of the area's historic mansions.

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.

Fancy footwork from an excavator.

The massive event dealt with weather and terrain challenges.

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.

The pretty color palette.

An overview.

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.

Guests enjoy the night sky ... 

... and fireworks!

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.

The dramatic rotunda.

Light accents the architecture.

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.

A happy crowd.

The DJ keeps things rocking.

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: a reception on the flight deck, a dinner in the hangar bay, and a 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.

A fireworks finale.

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.

An inside view.

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. 

The troupe takes the stage.

A dramatic branding experience.

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. 

The production made staffers feel like stars.

Vamping it up.

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.

Gymnasts take the runway.

Rocking the audience.

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 immersed guests 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.

Hip-hop dancers entertain.

A fancy fire-eater.

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, ending with a concert by OneRepublic and Katy Perry complete with fireworks.

Dramatic display.

Fireworks light the sky.

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. 

The beautiful dining room.

Lighting accentuates a centerpiece.

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.

The "circus wasteland."

A spooky bar.

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.

Kelly Rowland entertains.

Cutting the century cake.

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.

A salute to the '60s.

A look into the future circa 2071.

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.

And what better prop than a great big tractor?

Another view; a kayak served as menu signage.

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-foot) garden featuring a giant sculpture of a high-heel shoe surrounded by flowers and butterflies, creating a fairy-tale setting for the launch.

Tiers of floral.

A rich array.

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.

An exciting environment.

Chandeliers dress up this space.

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," 

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.

The sleek interior.

Another view.

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.

Ready to eat!

Moving through the maze.

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. 

Fun with food.

A view from the rooftop.

The band rocks the house.

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.

A pretty server.

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.

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.

A long view.

The 2017 Gala Awards competition opens June 1--check specialevents.com/gala-awards for all the information then. Thank you and we can't wait to see your entries!