2023 Wrapped: DCi’s Top Event Highlights From This Year
T
he most memorable events are the ones that fully submerge guests into an experience, from the moment they arrive to the moment they leave. These kinds of immersive experiences offer sensory playgrounds of light, sound, decor, and even scents and textures. When attendees step inside, they’re swept away to another world — a world of pure imagination, in the words of Willy Wonka (and yes, DCi has staged an event inspired by Wonka’s chocolate factory, complete with candy-colored lighting, lollipop forests, giant mushrooms, and whimsical scenes).
As one of the country’s premier destination management companies, DCi specializes in delivering unforgettable, high-impact events that achieve everything from boosting employee satisfaction to building brand awareness. With a unique creative approach, our team can transform any setting into a multidimensional happening — thanks to custom structures, bespoke lighting solutions, and video mapping techniques that bring the vision to life. Case in point: these incredible larger-than-life productions that DCi created for a range of clients. Ahead, take a look at some of the most exciting multisensory events we’ve staged over the years.
Broadway Bonanza
This event highlighting hit songs from beloved musicals took place about as far away from the actual Broadway as it’s possible to get within the 50 states: Phoenix, Arizona. The unexpected match of theme and location made it all the more delightful.
Focal point: A series of showstopping musical performances from The Lion King, Wicked, and Hamilton, set on a two-tiered stage-in-the-round at the heart of the action. The world-class performers were lit by a trio of glittering chandeliers, and the stage rotated so everyone could get a front-row view.
The vibe: Elegant and subtle decor, with light woods, crisp whites, and neutral shades to keep the focus on the entertainment. Each ring-like table featured a tree emerging from the open center, and a dozen or more white pillar candles of different sizes, further illuminating the dramatic scene.
Museum Magic
Getting lost in a museum is a naturally immersive experience, so our expert planners and designers tapped into that by building our own little Museum of Modern Art, complete with large-scale art and thematic decor.
The focal point: Oversized custom-made artwork created specifically for the event — including a sculptural installation featuring a massive paint palette, larger-than-life paint tubes and paintbrush, and a floating paint can.
The vibe: The multicolored, artsy feel of a museum interior. The bars featured acrylic tops showcasing color-coordinated floral arrangements, and the painted backdrops used a brushstroke motif.
Truly Texas
We distilled the essence of the Lone Star State — music, nightlife, diversity, and great food — into an unforgettable event featuring performance, shimmering visuals, and flavors from around the world.
The focal point: A neon forest, with suspended guitars within a striking multicolored display. The installation celebrated the music-inspired theme while creating a visually arresting atmosphere that lit up the environment all through the night.
The vibe: Modern-day festival meets Texas state fair. The immersive multisensory event featured 20 carnival attractions, dance routines, a beer garden, and a bevy of food-and-beverage stations.
South of the Border
Cenotes are natural freshwater pools, mostly found in the Yucatán Peninsula, that are formed by the collapse of limestone bedrock. The incredible DCi design team generated a digitized cenote to serve as the centerpiece of a beachy Tulum event.
The focal point: A video-mapped tunnel that brought the beauty of the natural world into the multisensory environment by recreating a splash into a refreshing Mexican cenote. The imagery evolved throughout the event, gradually shifting from bright blue skies and birds flying overhead to an evening vista with the glow of moon and stars lighting up the tunnel.
The vibe: Beach paradise. The event space was filled with the sound of wildlife and lapping waves, as well as the scent of fresh water and blooming flowers. Graceful acrobats dressed in deep blue flowed through slow-motion routines, and the lighting design on the ceiling and dance floor evoked the look of sun shining through water.
Under the Sea
For this immersive event, our team merged Victorian-era aesthetics with nautical technology to create what you might call “underwater steampunk.” Guests were spirited away to an entrancing kingdom beneath the sea.
The focal point: LED visuals that carried guests into the ocean’s depths. An LED floor, with imagery of the ocean and crashing waves, flanked each side of the walkway leading up to the entrance of a shipwrecked vessel. Another room was designed as a luminescent lagoon, with LED visuals on the walls of jellyfish, octopus, and other sea creatures.
The vibe: 10,000 leagues under the sea. Portholes behind the focal bars showcased aquatic life — from schools of fish to sailing ships. Other rooms featured gears and clocks to accent the inner workings of the clocks and ships.
Inspired to stage your own multisensory event? Contact our design team, and we’ll start building your immersive environment from the ground up.
