THE CREATIVE ENERGY was flowing on the floor of The Special Event show, held January 5 to 8 in Miami Beach. What better place to find the trendiest touches for your events? Here's what we discovered as we strolled the show floor:
YOU WON'T BELIEVE IT'S A CAKE — That's Mike's Amazing Cakes' slogan — and they're right! This Redmond, Wash.-based company's creations span your imagination and can be shipped anywhere in the country. Prices vary from around $300 for a sculptural cake serving 30 to $16,000 for a scaled reproduction of the Taj Mahal for 1,000 guests. www.mikesamazingcakes.com
ARTISTIC AWARDS — Oakland, Calif., artist MK Shannon designs stunning pewter and bronze awards for corporate events, with clients ranging from Cisco Systems to NBC. For the past two decades she has produced more than 5,500 sculptures for the Shaklee Corp., awards that have been presented to recipients in the United States, Great Britain, Mexico, and Japan. She also does commissioned pieces and is represented in galleries throughout Northern California. Prices vary. www.mkshannon.com
EVERYONE'S A ROCK STAR — Dance Heads bills itself as the “newest, hottest event entertainment sensation.” The technology places your employees and customers in fully animated backgrounds, where they become singing, dancing stars. Monitors let viewers watch the fun in real time, and then you can send guests home with their own videos. Contact Dance Heads directly for pricing. www.danceheads.com
A NEW TWIST ON THE OLD H2O — We all know that scents can alter our moods, so why not add fragrance to your event? Airheads Oxygen and Aromatherapy Bars feature scents such as vanilla bean, summer shower, and piña colada, and are sure to be an icebreaker at a corporate event. Pricing starts at $1,000, depending on the number of people, location, and length of the event. www.oxygenbarrentals.com
EVEN PAVAROTTI APPROVES — The brochure for The Three Waiters, an entertainment act a la The Three Tenors, includes praise from Pavarotti himself: “They were terrific … Absolutely!” The performers masquerade as members of the serving staff — then break into their highly polished act. Contact directly for pricing. www.thethreewaiters.com
HIGH-STYLE TENTS — There are tents and then there are … tents. At Prime Event Group, the latest and greatest is essentially a large building that happens to be made of tent material, complete with power, carpeting, climate control, even interior design options. There's even a new style with a European flair. www.primeeventgroup.com
GOOD, CLEAN FUN — It might seem silly — until you do it. Party Hats provides everything your guests need to create their own colorful, wacky hats, which they often choose to wear for the entire evening. It's an ideal icebreaker — and great fun! www.partyhats.org
ART EXPLOSION — Master painter Michael Ostaski leaves guests in awe as he creates life-size portraits 7 feet high in 6.5 minutes. www.artexplosion.us