All photos courtesy Ivan Piedra unless otherwise noted
Gala Award Recipient for Best Event Produced for a Corporation or Association
Hosting a reception for 2,200 employees on a museum/event venue WW2 aircraft carrier in New York comes with its fair share of challenges, but that didn’t stop Lenny Talarico Events and Cerbelli Creative from planning a spectacular event. The two teams (who met at The Special Event years ago!) collaborated to create the Spanish insurance company MAPFRE’s 50th annual incentive event on the historic INTREPID landmark, using a “100 Years of New York” theme to celebrate the decades.
Atmosphere talent dressed in costume throughout the decades, from flappers and bootleggers of the 20s to “Rosie the Riveter” and WW2 aviators of the 40s to disco stars of the 70s, providing directions and photo ops for attendees.
Entertainment was broadcast on oversized LED screens and satellite monitors all across the vessel, including a strolling band known as the Hudson Horns and a surprise 50-person Flash Mob, which charmed attendees while the New York skyline shined in the distance.
“It's humbling knowing the industry has been incredibly kind by recognizing the past work from our individual companies through various award programs,” Lenny Talarico wrote in the event submission, of his collaboration with Cerbelli. “This project provided an ideal opportunity to combine our strengths and expand both our professional and personal relationship. Thanks TSE!”
Congratulations to Lenny Talarico Events and Cerbelli Creative for taking home the award for Best Event Produced for a Corporation or Association!
To submit an entry to this year's Gala awards, please visit our awards portal.
Important Dates
- Tuesday, April 1, 2023 | Gala Award Submissions Open
- September 1, 2022-September, 30, 2023 | Eligibility Period for Entries
- Sunday, October 15, 2023 | Regular submission deadline ($99 fee)
- Tuesday, October 31, 2023 | Late Bird submission deadline ($160 fee)
If you are interested in entering in the ACE awards instead, you can enter the 2024 Catersource ACE awards in the same online portal as the Gala awards. Catersource + The Special Event will run February 12-15, 2024 in Austin, TX. Both the ACE and Gala awards will be presented during the conference at a to-be-determined location in Austin.
