PHOTOS: KEITH SIRCHIO FOR BIZBASH
Circus Act
come and see the armory,” explained Rebecca Robertson, president of the Park Avenue Armory. To design the exhibition and The Park Avenue Armory’s first gala the opening night gala, Robertbrought a 50-foot Ferris wheel indoors. son tapped event design company Hickey Shields, which had the task of not only creating a cohesive look For years, the Park Avenue Armory NEW YORK has been the site of large art exhi- for the 55,000-square-foot hall, but bitions and fairs, galas and launch events, and even also arranging the components to Fashion Week shows, but this December the Upper allow for a 532-guest dinner at the preview event the night before. East Side landmark will be home to the first full “Just working on that scale in season of artistic programming from the nonprofit For the dinner, tables replaced that took over the venue from the state in 2006. As general is challenging, and we grew rides at the foot of the to call it the ‘drill hall effect.’ The a prelude to this, the cultural organization (which 50-foot-tall Ferris wheel. [Wade Thompson is also called the Park Avenue Armory) Drill Hall] has a very, very strange, held its first gala on October 7, and Park Avenue Armory’s almost illogical effect on scale, collected $1.2 million to support the re“Carnival” Exhibition where certain things look fine vitalization of the 130-year-old building Opening Night Gala and other things look very, very as a space for the arts. Art Direction, Design, small,” said Josh Hickey, co-owner A four-day exhibition followed the Fabrication Hickey Shields Carnival Games Ace Tent & of Hickey Shields. The gala gave gala, paying homage to the original Amusements guests a chance to partake in 1879 fair held at the armory’s Wade Catering Great the rides and games before the Thompson Drill Hall (held to raise Performances dinner, while stiltwalkers, confunds for the interior design of the Draping Drape Kings Event Management tortionists, magicians, and other venue). Dubbed “Carnival,” the event MF Productions circus acts from the Bindlestiff included a 50-foot-tall Ferris wheel, PR Resnicow Schroeder Family Cirkus roamed the floor. vintage midway rides and games, and Associates —Anna Sekula performers from the Bindlestiff Family Rentals Party Rental Ltd. The gala’s guests Technical Direction Cirkus. “We’re all about doing fantastic had no qualms Raise Plow things in this space, so doing a carnival Tenting Starr Tents about winning ON BIZBASH.COM in here seemed like a really great idea Venue Park Avenue Armory toys at the water A video report from the gala and a way to invite New Yorkers to pistol range.