25 Cool Event Ideas You May Have Missed From Mastercard, SKIMS, Match, and More

The Luskin Orthopaedic Institute for Children Gala was held on June 10 at Universal Studios Hollywood. The main event took place inside and outside Stage 15, while the after-party was held inside The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. “I was asked by the client to create a design complementing The Wizarding World of Harry Potter while paying homage to old-school Hollywood movie set design, so we came up with the concept of a magical forest,” explained Billy Butchkavitz of Billy Butchkavitz Design, who—along with his brother, Brian—designed the event.

Acknowledging that many attendees would be arriving in wheelchairs, the team faced the challenge of a lack of square footage along with a narrow sloping entrance. To accommodate, the exterior press, lounge, and silent auction areas were built on elevated subfloors with ADA ramps from Special Event Contractors. To save space inside, Butchkavitz opted for custom 22-foot-high theatrical scrim trees instead of three-dimensional “built trees,” which he says would have taken up too much space. The soundstage perimeter was first lined with star drop curtains and then overlaid with the cutout scrim trees to create bold visual depth.

“The client was keen on having as much lounge seating as possible—which really eats up space—so we came up with a tiered seating plan, which started in front of the stage with 14-person lounges, followed by eight-seater banquettes, and then 10-seater bar-height tables,” added Butchkavitz. “My visual design was unified by using a custom leaf pattern fabric on everything from furniture to tablecloths, and then incorporating this leaf pattern into the numerous decor elements.” Lighting from Images by Lighting completed the look.

Additional vendors included large-scale decor elements from Agile Eye Solutions, rentals from Town & Country Event Rentals, perimeter and decorative curtains from Dazian, and show production from Amy Shomer & Associates. Caroline Rhea served as emcee, and Pia Toscano performed.

For Dallas Pride, Match worked with Louder Experiences on a float that celebrated the brand's LGBTQ employees and customers. "Our slogan this year was 'In the Fight for Love' to highlight the ways Match is fighting for the queer community," explained Louder Experiences CEO Kendyl Wright. "Whether it’s banning drag shows or restricting the freedom of trans individuals to be themselves, it seems every day in Texas brings a new attempt to harm the LGBTQIA community. Since 1995, Match has been in the fight for love. Now, more than ever, we wanted to show that they are committed to helping fight for the lives and freedom of LGBTQIA employees, subscribers, and fellow humans."

To bring the slogan to life, the team created a boxing-themed campaign. Employees suited up in custom-branded boxing shorts and rainbow gloves, and joined drag queen Kennedy Davenport in the ring. Signs declaring the fight for trans rights, drag, human rights, equality, and more were displayed while employees threw jawbreakers into the crowd. "It was a real knockout!" said Wright.

It's FYC event season, when networks host "for your consideration" gatherings for Emmys voters—and this year, Starz hosted a prom-themed party for the new season of its popular comedy series Party Down. Designed and produced by Westhaus, the June 3 event at The Hollywood Athletic Club included episode screenings, a talent panel, and the prom-like soiree. "Inspired by one of the episodes screened at the event, 'Once Upon a Time Proms Award Prom-otional Event,' our journey began with the creation of a distinct brand identity for the occasion: Party Down Prom—FYClass of 2023," said Westhaus owner Weston Garret Gonzalez.

"While drawing inspiration from the nostalgic prom elements featured in the episode, we aimed to transcend the traditional components by infusing them with a touch of sophistication," said Gonzalez. "In embracing these nostalgic yet somewhat kitschy prom elements—including balloons, flowers, prom photos, and the color pink, a nod to the series' iconic pink bow tie—we masterfully transformed the event into an elegant spectacle."

"Our Party Down Prom—FYClass of 2023 featured a photo booth draped with elegant pinks, a gorgeous corsage and boutonniere station, ridiculously glamorous balloon arrangements waterfalling the walls, and catered finger food turned classy," added Gonzalez. "By embracing the customary elements and injecting an extraordinary flair, we crafted an opulent, pink prom experience that surpassed the boundaries of tackiness."

Kim Kardashian’s shapewear brand, SKIMS, hosted its first-ever retail activation in New York City (and its fourth-ever pop-up shop) in late May at Rockefeller Center. The eye-catching blue structure featured a large diving board water display, inspired by the SKIMS Swim collection and nodding to the kickoff of summer.

Inside, the summery pop-up allowed visitors to shop for SKIMS essentials; there were also custom SKIMS-branded treats from Morgenstern’s Finest Ice Cream. The brand worked with Willo Perron of Perron-Roettinger on the design of the activation.

Summerfest music festival kicked off June 22 in Milwaukee. Among the on-site activations is the Fritos Legacy Diner, a colorful pop-up on festival grounds where fans can sample never-before-tasted dishes that incorporate the beloved corn chips. The diner is open all three weekends of the festival, including June 29-July 1 and July 6-8.

The diner aims to bring attendees on a journey into Fritos’ past, present, and future, with dishes like Fritos chili pie and Fritos sticky vanilla rice pudding.

To celebrate Pride Month at North Texas’ luxury mixed-use property Legacy West, Louder Experiences created a 20-foot rainbow art and floral installation. "Using mixed materials and vibrant flowers, we matched the shades of the rainbow to create a showstopping backdrop," said CEO Kendyl Wright. "We worked with the stores on the property to host an LGBTQ photo shoot for employees and displayed signage sharing how different stores were supporting Pride Month."

Earlier this month, Mastercard and Eater teamed up to bring the "A Taste for Good Market" pop-up to New York. The activation drew more than 700 shoppers, who helped support the nonprofit Stand Up To Cancer by shopping for food and wares curated by small businesses. Mastercard customers were also able to participate in chef-curated "Priceless Experiences," where 100% of the purchase price of each ticket was donated to Stand Up To Cancer.

Mary Giuliani Catering & Events handled design and production for the pop-up. In addition to celebrating Mastercard’s long-standing support of Stand Up To Cancer, the space highlighted the brand's new dining campaign featuring Jennifer Hudson, which encourages consumers to give back by coming together over shared dining experiences.

On June 10, The Hollywood Reporter celebrated its first-ever Kids Power issue—a special edition recognizing the top 50 power players in kids and family entertainment—at Westfield Century City mall in Los Angeles. The celebration, presented by DreamWorks Animation’s Gabby’s Dollhouse and sponsored by Nickelodeon and Paramount+, featured a number of family-friendly activities, including Gabby's Dollhouse character meet-and-greets, outdoor screenings of popular shows, a packing party for comfort and personal care items for youth entering the foster care system, an Art of Elysium coloring wall, and more.

Guests could pose inside a hot air balloon photo op inspired by Gabby’s Dollhouse.

On June 22, 818 Tequila celebrated Pride Month with a VIP party at FREEHOLD Brooklyn. Held in partnership with OUT for Sustainability—a nonprofit organization that provides a platform for co-creating climate resilience and environmental justice by and for LGBTQIA+ communities—the event featured Pride-themed 818 cocktails, a sustainable glitter bar, and music from headlining DJ James Patterson. There was also a raffle hosted by Brooklyn-based drag queen Ginger Von Snap, plus decor that incorporated eye-catching florals and 818 packaging.

On June 14, AMC Networks’ The Walking Dead took over iconic New York City establishments ahead of the premiere of The Walking Dead: Dead City, set in a post-apocalyptic Manhattan. Series stars Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Lauren Cohan, Gaius Charles, Željko Ivanek, and Mahina Napoleon stopped by Katz’s Deli, where the first 200 customers were treated to a complimentary half pastrami sandwich and 4-ounce coleslaw. AMC also partnered with other popular NYC establishments including H&H Bagels, Joe’s Pizza, the New York Hot Dog King cart, and more. Each location featured merchandise giveaways and the show’s legendary Walkers, along with treats from the NYC staples.

Fox opened “The Mars Bar,” an exclusive wine bar pop-up celebrating Fox’s new unscripted series Stars on Mars. The wine-centric pop-up took over the popular Scum & Villainy Cantina in Hollywood from June 2-3. Upon entering, guests could sample a curated selection of space-themed wines, specially chosen to reflect the allure and unexpected moments of the new series. The wine was brought to each guest by a “Mission Specialist” sommelier dressed in custom orange and red tracksuits.

Guests were also served artisanal charcuterie plates consisting of astronaut-inspired food: warm bread, fresh mozzarella, prosciutto, dried fruit, and truffle potato chips. “The Mars Bar” experience was created by Fox in collaboration with NVE Experience Agency.

Gymshark’s Leana Deeb Summer Tour recently traveled to three cities: Dallas from May 27-28, New York from June 3-4, and Los Angeles from June 10-11. Stoelt Productions had just two weeks to design and build branded photo moments, including a co-branded "sharker" wall and a branded backdrop that was toured between each market. “We also carried over 300 dumbbells and 150 yoga mats, and designed and fabricated custom plinths with LED to display the upcoming collection,” explained owner Matt Stoelt.

Each event started off with a workout led by Deeb, followed by a recharge with refreshments and then a journaling session. Guests were also able to purchase the Leana Deeb Summer tour shirt and enjoy a meet and greet with the fitness influencer.

Ashley (formerly Ashley HomeStore) hosted a beachy event at the Santa Monica Pier June 17 and 18, intended to showcase its outdoor furniture collection. The free, open-to-the-public event included vignettes highlighting the latest Ashley outdoor furniture, along with giveaways, live music from DJ Bella Fox, a DIY sunglasses station, and more. Following the event, Ashley donated all furniture from the event back to the Santa Monica Pier to be used in future activations, offering a sustainable solution that ensured less waste.

A who’s who of New York’s art world insiders, supporters, and philanthropists came together on June 14 at NYC’s Bowery Hotel for ART HOUSE, an intimate new event honoring visionary leaders in the fight to end homelessness and AIDS. Hosted by Bailey House—the housing development and services wing of Housing Works—the inaugural ART HOUSE honored artist and activist Nan Goldin and was hosted by Sharon Stone. Bailey House worked with JWP on talent curation and strategy for the event, which served as a reinvention of the Bailey House Gala & Auction.