On November 17, aNd Logistix put on a night to remember for Mortgage Professionals Canada’s annual conference at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. Thanks to the small but nimble team at aNd Logistix (and the help of its vendors) the venue was transformed into a Night Circus for close to 1800 attendees to marvel at.
The inspiration for the night came up when the demographics of the mortgage industry were discussed, said Dana Zita, owner and president of aNd Logistix.
“With the mortgage industry, the demographics are so wide. There’s both men and women, and the age range is from 25-75,” she said. “So you have to please a lot of people.”
According to Zita, from the start the Night Circus theme was meant to be inclusive and have something for everyone.
“We really wanted the night to have a lot of entertainment in a variety of forms,” she said. “And the Night Circus theme really allowed us to do that. So we had aerial performances, hand balancing acts, we had two different bands, tarot card readers, strolling magicians – you name it. There was absolutely something for everyone that night. So if you weren’t much of a dancer, and weren’t interested in the band, you could get a tarot card reading, or sit in the Velvet Lounge.”
Zita also said it was a conscious decision to have the performances right on the dance floor.
“We wanted to make sure everyone could see the performances up close and personal,” she said. “People were taking so many photos, and video and sharing all of that on social media, really creating a buzz around the evening.”
What made the event extra-special, according to Zita, was the darker, edgier twist created by having a circus theme at night.
“Our idea for the Night Circus was to keep those same elements that make a circus a circus, but to make them darker and sexier,” she said. “So instead of just having cotton candy on a stick, we put it in a beverage. And instead of boring balloons, we had a big balloon display and greeted guests with edible balloons upon their arrival. We really wanted to push the envelope with the theme and make it different than anything our guests had seen before.”
All sponsors got their own tent or space, as well, with different branding and seating inside so visitors could take a load off and network accordingly.
A photo booth opportunity was also available for those who wanted to really get into the spirit, said Zita.
“We put this at the entrance,” she said. ” And it really set the mood for the attendees. It got them into the mindset of the Night Circus from the get-go.”
One of the best parts of the night? According to Zita, it was having these memorable intimate moments in an otherwise larger event.
“We may have had close to 1800 people attend, but it didn’t feel like that,” she said. “We still managed to create these really nice intimate moments for people thanks to the tented areas, the one-on-one tarot card reading, and other special features we had.”
The Details
Planning by: aNd Logistix
Submitted by: Dana Zita, owner and president, aNd Logistix
Event: Mortgage Professionals Canada’s Annual Conference
Venue: Metro Toronto Convention Centre
Decor + Furniture
Divine Furniture Rental
Susan Murray Linen and Decor Rentals
Knots and Blooms
Saman Designs
Marquee Letters Toronto
Sistra Furniture
Entertainment
MysterAct Productions
Suzie McNeil & The Chain Reaction
Stacey Kay
Magician Ray Chance
Edible Balloons
Statues Alive
Tara Green Astrology
Linda Gough Strolling Tables
DJ Natalie
Photography (Photo booth and strolling)
Joel Nadel of Event Imaging
Food
Metro Toronto Convention Centre
Audio/Visual
Stage Vision
