AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

When the American Museum of Natural History in New York City called on EventCo to produce their largest annual fundraising event, we knew we had out work cut out for us! The decisions…what theme, what design, what colors, what entertainment? The list was endless, and the expectations were the highest! So for three consecutive years, EventCo has designed and created the Winter Dance for AMNH in Central Park.

Year 1- The theme? ‘The Four Elements’- FIRE heated up the front Rotunda entry, lit in fiery orange with moving fire patterns around the room, and ‘live’ fire characters built into lava pits; EARTH with our ‘live’ tree characters dazzled the guests along their journey; AIR was created with air tunnel walkways, shimmering white walls with sparkles of moving silver effects, accented with ethereal breezes and characters; WATER became the final destination for dessert and dancing under the famous, suspended, huge blue whale in the Hall of Ocean Life. EventCo transformed the massive space into an amazing underwater experience, complete with bubble and ripple effect special lighting, underwater sea sound-scaping, and stunning, ‘tentacled’ amoeba platforms that housed our signature ‘bubbly’ water entertainers! Scent-scaping was also installed in this space with aromas, of sea mist, lavender and ocean breeze!

Year 2- Goal: Beat Year 1! And we did! We had reached for the stars the previous year but, we knew with the theme of ‘Heavenly Bodies- A Celestial Experience,’ we could out-shine last year’s event. The ideal Rose Center Planetarium housed the event, beginning first with a ‘heavenly’ experience for dinner in the Power House room, which was transformed with sheer draping and floral ‘solar system’ 4’ high centerpieces. The final party was under the massive sun, transformed in special effect lighting to create the yellow/orange burning sun surface for visual effect. The massive room was filled with many galactic surprises…the solar system sound effects, mesmerizing free floating space shapes, custom entertainment installation including stretch-shape shimmering bags with entertainers in them located atop elevated and lit boxes, and also our Heavenly Ice King and Queen characters sat atop their ornate thrones to greet guests upon their arrival.

Year 3- What else could we possibly create?! How about a stunning ‘Sophisticate Safari’! Utilizing new rooms for this year’s event, we wowed guests with a Serengeti Safari experience in the famous Dinosaur Rotunda, complete with dessert cabanas swags, 25’ fabricated palm trees, and chic seating areas with lavish pillows and drapes. Dinner moved guests into the renowned Acock Gallery, which houses a huge herd of African elephants. Utilizing the diorama dip lays of various world regions, we created the elegant Safari setting…with a Versace twist. Stunning glass vessels of sand, cacti and roses were used in dramatic centerpieces, accented differently on each table with exquisite Versace place settings, linens and table treatments. The event was sponsored in-part by Versace, therefore, it was only appropriate to have our Versace cabana models assist with dinner, as well as entertain guests later in the Oasis Dessert Dance Party!