Did you hear about this chic Soiree in the Big Apple?
The Co-Chairs for Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children’s first gala fundraiser were very clear about the direction they did not want the event concept to go in. From venue to design, from format to composition, everything had to be different. We hung on words like playful & artsy, less ‘country’ and more ‘city,’ and when renowned artist Kelly Sueda joined in the conversation, the vision solidified to transform three Kakaako warehouses into Big Apple vibes that would be current and at the core: urban.
Watch Current Affairs transform the venues to New York chic in a flash!The Arrival Experience
Guests surrendered their cars to valets only to find themselves in a graffiti riddled alley, brimming with the energy of artists, Parkour athletes bouncing off the walls, and even a beat boxer punching out some tunes.
If it were not for the plush red carpet and now the locally crafted cocktail in hand, Guests might have felt quite out of place – even the tables seemed makeshift with wood disks on top of oil drums. And, a guitarist had somehow found his way 20 feet in the air, performing from the limb of some heavy machinery.
Strangely enough, the crowds became quite attuned to this alleyway by the time several warehouse doors rolled open to lead some Guests to uptown New York whilst others ventured further downtown.
Uptown: The Sleek, Elegant and Sophisticated
Inspired by New York’s renowned Tavern on the Green, our uptown experience featured elegant chandeliers draped in crystals and a clean, classic white and silver color palette with accents of purples and yellows.
Downtown: The Edgy, Raw, Rugged and Uncut
Downtown Guests encountered lost tourists, acrobats and street performers who popped up strategically throughout the space. Even a slam poet took center stage to deliver Kapiolani’s ‘message,’ synced with a heartfelt video played overhead on a Times Square-style jumbo-tron. Authentic New York City subway signs left no doubt that Guests were in a bustling neighborhood, with scaffolding set for construction, a chandelier of aluminum ladders strung from the ceiling, fully laden clotheslines spanning the room and even stage lights used as table centerpieces.
The After Party: The Illuminated, Fiery and Elevated
As the evening festivities seemingly began to wrap up, the warehouse doors slid open to reveal a nightclub scene. Guests, stopped in their tracks, were invited to join in the “after party,” which included entertainment from above, as aerialists performed routines on silks to fire dancers drawing rings of fire into the night. Food trucks provided comfort food to Guests getting their second wind before hitting the dance floor to groove to the music. All the while, others lounged on the neon blue and pink furniture pieces placed throughout the nightclub environment.
Wanting to remind everyone, in a lighthearted way, that they could make an indelible mark on a child’s life, a brick wall was transformed into Kapiolani’s wishing wall where Guests could help fulfill a child’s wish by leaving their writing, or in this case, graffiti, on the wall.
From the Big Apple and the Windy City to the Land Down Under and the Gathering Isle, no “destination” is out of reach with our events. Contact us to see how we can make your next event vision a reality.