From an artist's receptions to a zucchini-themed pop-up shop, there's a lot of work that goes into planning and producing an event in New York City. While many people have the creative ability to dream up their ideal experience, most people require help making that concept into a reality.
It's for that reason that event production companies exist, and to make the process even easier, we've created a list of some of the best ones in NYC to give you the support you need.
What's the difference between event management and event production? While the two sound similar, they offer different services and cater to different needs. Some events may require management but not production, or vice versa.
Event management encompasses an event's planning, coordination, and organization: ensuring you have everyone and everything you need. Management companies will secure venues, vet caterers, and hire lighting designers, but the creation of all elements of the main event will be up to you. An event planner, such as a wedding planner, falls under the umbrella of event management.
Event production, on the other hand, involves implementation and execution. Event production companies can design lighting and stage, hire performers, coordinate, and set up and take down equipment. If you have the big ideas for your event but not the technical know-how to pull them off, an event production company is what you need.
A large event often calls for technical and practical know-how that most people aren't familiar with. An event production agency can help if you have an event to host but need help executing it or if you have ideas of how you want an event to go but not the specific know-how to pull off those ideas. Things as simple as location scouting or as complex as a coordinated pyrotechnic display can be handled by event production partners.
Gotham Immersive Labs is a production company and creative agency that is highly flexible, with work ranging from NASDAQ bell-ringing ceremonies to building hype for a musician's new release. They produce gamified, interactive, and immersive theater-style events, looking to draw attendees in deeper with interaction, a cadre of talented improv actors, or inventive puzzles.
Gotham Immersive is skilled in conceptualizing and collaborating on unique events outside of traditional activations that can be presented for influencers, the media, or the public.
If you're organizing an event that takes place outside of a conference hall or auditorium, Ideko is almost certainly your best bet. They have the experience and know-how to assist with the challenges that special events on the streets of New York City present, be it permitting, site logistics, or security management, and considering that Times Square is their most frequent venue, it's pretty clear they can handle a challenge. If you're taking your audience to the streets, take Ideko with you.
A black and woman owned business, Blackhouse has a full service team that can handle both event production and event management for a wide range of productions. Look to them for hybrid events, where both in-person and virtual guests are catered to seamlessly with the aid of high quality video and audio. They also boast the ability to create virtual reality experiences, a field that few companies have ventured into.
For corporate presentations, black-tie dinners, or any other event that requires more traditional services, Eventions Productions delivers elegant, seamless, and affordable special events at any budget. For all the audio, visual, and technical needs of a keynote speaker address or a bar/bat mitzvah, the Eventions team can easily and skillfully provide the services needed for the perfect event in New York City or elsewhere.
NY Event Productions is a production company specializing in wedding entertainment, organization, and management. In addition to the typical wedding production demands, like audio, video, media, and lighting, the NY Event Productions team also boasts a great deal of experience in special effects and pyrotechnics, if you're hoping to create an experience that will go beyond expectations for a great event.
With a plethora of well-established catering connections, NYC Event Pro is the way to go if you want food to be the star of your event. They work with clients to highlight local, seasonal, and small-batch food, beer, wine, and spirits; and are committed to sustainability and environmentally friendly productions wherever possible.
Great Gotham Challenge Recommends: Our Top 25 Favorite Team Building Activities- NYC
Team Building Activities
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"[The challenge] shattered any expectations I had. For a fully remote event, I expected a bit of cheesy fun, but the production quality is unbelievable. I absolutely recommend everyone to try it."
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Great Gotham Challenge is a once-in-a-lifetime event that starts at $2000 for our most basic, 2-hour in-person experience. However, most of our events are several times that scale - If you're dreaming big for a custom event, so are we!
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