Sometimes, you meet someone and you just “know.” That’s how we felt this summer when we flew into Fort McMurray to meet with the team at Keyano College about their 2018 Gala, and now with the lead-up to and the event itself officially completed, we know why. Working with Lauren Thomas, Events Coordinator for the College, and her team was such a pleasure, and it was exciting and inspiring for us to collaborate with Lauren to reimagine this long-running annual Gala and bring her vision for 2018 to life. This was also our first time working in Fort McMurray, and anytime we get to explore more of our beautiful province in the course of our work day, we have to take a moment to appreciate that.

The Keyano College Gala was a big event in a big venue with a lot of complicated pieces to fit into place, and naturally, Jen – no stranger to challenging logistics and or daily problem solving – headed up our team on this event. The Gala took place in the College’s Sport & Wellness Centre, and the Centre was open until 2pm on the day of the event so needless to say, we had our work cut out for us during set-up!

As lovers and not fighters, we chose to find ways to integrate the Wellness Centre’s built-in features into the design with everything from marble-look vinyl wrapping pillars to a staircase turned cascading ribbon wall. Getting guests into one of the two field houses used for the event had been a challenge in the past, so we turned the space into a gorgeous outdoor Asian market with lanterns suspended over a collection of food stations in wooden pagodas. The combination of warm, inviting light, great seating, and food certainly did the trick, and the space saw no shortage of visitors.

We have to say a big thanks to FMAV, who made sure that the lighting and décor maintained a cohesive look throughout all four spaces, and our wonderful local Fort McMurray vendor Personal Florist & Blossoms for the imaginative floral design.

Click through to our full event profile for more photos and information about the Gala… and is it too soon to start planning for next year?