Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Creative Design, Event Management, Immersive Experience
2 Birthdays
5 Immersive Actors
1 1957 Chevrolet
The Brief
An Immersive Birthday Party Like No Other
A father celebrating his 50th birthday, his daughter celebrating her 21st, a joint love of the film Back to the Future – we knew we could have lots of fun creating an amazing theme and unforgettable immersive birthday party for our clients and their guests.
The client’s home in Tonbridge, Kent, negated any need for a venue search. A large and beautiful garden provided the ideal space for a marquee, the perfect blank canvas on which our design team would set to work on bringing the crazy world of Marty McFly to life for a totally immersive experience.
The Solution
Our creative team set to work to ensure this immersive birthday experience began from the moment guests first arrived. Having parked in a nearby field, guests were then transferred to the marquee in a mint condition 1957 Chevrolet. Outdoor wash lighting and festoon lights transformed the garden and flashing strobe pods at the marquee entrance created a sense of excitement and anticipation. Entering the marquee guests were in no doubt as to the era in which they found themselves.
We had partitioned the marquee into several areas. Food was served in our American diner, which couldn’t have looked any more authentic. We installed a huge counter from which the bar and catering staff, all dressed to match the theme, served drinks, bowl food, ice-cream sundaes and milkshakes. We sourced banquette seating and tables, designed large wall menus and other graphics that evoked the era, and made sure we had all the details covered – from brewing coffee pots to a fully functioning juke box. A chequerboard dance floor made a perfect diner floor.
In keeping with the film, the dance area recreated Marty’s high school dance. We used netting and props to give our school hall the ‘under the sea’ look and built a stage on which The Bluejays, one of the UK’s very best 50s rock’n’roll bands performed. In between sets, a DJ continued with the rocking sounds of the 50s. With guests dressed for the occasion, the result was stunning – and if anyone wanted to add a little extra to their outfits, there was a secret room in which guests found clothing and wigs to use.
We also used five roaming actors for whom we created characters for each actor to play. They interacted with guests throughout the evening and gave the whole event an extra special dimension that drew everyone more deeply into the experience and added plenty of fun.
The Result
The finished immersive birthday party was everything the clients had hoped for and more. By combining strong storytelling, detailed set design and live interaction, the experience felt playful, surprising and completely absorbing for guests of all ages.
From the moment they arrived to the final song on the dancefloor, guests were fully immersed in the world of Back to the Future, with many commenting on how real and transportive the experience felt.
For both father and daughter, it was a rare opportunity to celebrate two milestone birthdays in a way that reflected their shared love of the film while giving their friends and family something genuinely memorable. It was an immersive birthday party that brought generations together, sparked conversation and created shared memories that will be talked about long after the DeLorean had disappeared.
Fancy planning your own immersive birthday party experience?
