I love it when an event producer gets the essentials right. For a welcome event, that includes time to network at the beginning of the event, easy access to food and beverages, an entertainment highlight and the opportunity to escape that entertainment if one wishes to.

On arrival at the AIME 2024 Welcome Event guests had a great choice of options from over 40 of the Grazeland food vans which they could enjoy standing up or there was plenty of seating available.

The walk around entertainers were interactive and the stilt walkers provided a visual highlight over a crowded event. The DJ provided background music that didn’t drown conversation.

I’ve never seen so many photo booth activations at an event – Event Director Fernando Barraza mentioned them in the interview below – he believes every event these days should be Instagrammable.

After around 90 mins of networking the main stage entertainment kicked in with Mitch Tambo and dancers. When his set finished the DJ brought it down so guests could catch their breath (and hopefully get a drink).

Then a Daft Punk tribute kicked off and the crowd danced for another hour. Fernando kept layering the entertainment during this set with a couple of different singers, a guitarist, aerialist and more dancers who kept returning in different costumes.

Of course “Murder on the Dancefloor” featured.

The only markdown on this event was in regards to drink service. To me it is a common mistake to have a line-up of drink waiters just inside the entrance, guests grab and drink and then just stop, causing a bottleneck. Some clients love the look of the waiters lined up but logistically it doesn’t work. Still on drinks, there are two main bars (and a smaller cocktail bar) in the venue and there were long queues all night.  Three bars is ample when you have a rotating weekend crowd. But this style of event would have benefited with another bar in the centre of the entertainment sector.

Scroll down for the production credits

ASE spoke to John Foreman – Director, Grazeland

The Event Producer, Fernando Barraza – Creative Director Cirkus Bizurkus

And here is a highlights reel of the entertainment

PRODUCTION CREDITS

Concept and Creative Direction: Fernando Barraza creative

Production: Cirkus Bizurkus

Venue: Grazeland.Melbourne

Lighting & Sound: Technical Events

LED Screen: NextGenAV

Inflatable Mushrooms: AmigoAndAmigo

AIME Light up letters: The Big Letter Co

Neon DJ Booth, Light tunnel & boombox /speakers on stage: @Silentsoundsau

360 Video Booth & Photo Booth: @phototainment

GlamCam, GIF Booth, 360 Camera: @socialexposureau

Sweet Street & Neon Garden styling: @sydneypropspecialist

Printing: Billboard Media

Deck styled by: @DannEventHire

ENTERTAINMENT

Entertainment Curation: @cirkusbizurkus

Mitch Tambo Show: (concept & development @cirkusbizurkus) starring @MitchTambo with @voiceof_lele @purplemuseofficial

Dancers: @MinistryOfEntertainment

Choreography: Leilani Bezzina Cork @theartofDisco

Cirkus Act: @duoaaura

Hair & Makeup: @themakeupwardrobe @gina_nomachi

Main Act: @daftpunk_discovery

DJ: Emerald Jones @emeraldjonesmusic

Welcome to country: Bunurong Land Council