There is something about being in a celebrity’s presence that is utterly transporting—just ask anyone who attended Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour. While you might not be able to hire an A-list star to speak or perform at your meeting or event, there are many venues in the Northeast region that offer a hint of celebrity aura to help take your gathering to the next level, whether it’s mingling in a room that once hosted a president or belting out karaoke next to a life-size likeness of Katy Perry.
The latter is exactly what you will find at Madame Tussauds New York in New York City, where the Glow Gala venue (home to Perry’s dazzling wax figure) is a favorite choice for corporate events. “This area invites guests to dance, mingle, and snap photos in a lively, interactive environment that feels like a celebrity-studded after-party,” says Brittany Williams, national senior communications manager at Merlin Entertainments, the museum’s operator. Right in the heart of Times Square, Madame Tussauds New York stretches more than 85,000 square feet across five floors. It boasts 16 immersive areas filled with lifelike wax figures of many of today’s most well-known celebrities. “Whether it’s a networking reception, gala, fundraiser, or team-building experience, events in the venue’s themed rooms generate instant energy and conversation,” Williams adds.
If a food-driven celebrity-style outing is on the menu, prominent chef and humanitarian José Andrés owns a host of restaurants in New York City and Washington, D.C. (plus other U.S. locations outside the Northeast), all part of his company José Andrés Group. One of the most dazzling options for corporate and nonprofit events is The Bazaar by José Andrés, set within the Waldorf Astoria Washington DC. “Drawing inspiration from its iconic building, which opened in 1899 and served as the city’s post office until 1914, The Bazaar is a multilevel destination reinvented with avant-garde and Americana-inspired decor,” explains Coleen Chavenson, José Andrés Group event sales manager for the Washington, D.C., area. Events at The Bazaar might take advantage of the main dining room or mezzanine level overlooking the hotel’s grand lobby, and the venue accommodates groups of 10 to 250 attendees. Chavenson adds that with The Bazaar’s group and event packages, “attendees are immersed in a theater of shared plates, embarking on a wild sensory adventure inspired by Andrés’ Spanish roots.”
In Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, another grand hotel boasts connections to the famous. At Historic Hotel Bethlehem, high-profile former guests include Winston Churchill, Henry Ford, Amelia Earhart, John F. Kennedy (during his campaign for president), Muhammad Ali, Ray Charles, and the Dalai Lama. Today, the hotel’s white-glove service makes every attendee feel like a celebrity. “The gallery of famous former guests in our Tap Room is a feature our [current] guests love to browse,” says Kelly Ronalds, director of room sales and guest experience at the hotel. “Just think, you might be staying in the same room a president or famous athlete has stayed in. Seeing guests from every era—from Shirley Temple to Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson—takes you on a journey through history and makes you feel like you’re a part of [the story].” Many of the hotel’s historic attributes, like the famous George Gray murals, are original, not reproduced. Ronalds recalls one company gathering that incorporated the hotel’s 1920s legacy with a speakeasy dinner that was “busted” by actors in police garb. But despite the property’s vintage appeal, most modern amenities are available. “We have all the tech you need and a dedicated team that helps with every detail,” Ronalds says.
Moving from a 1920s atmosphere to one of the 1960s, the village of Hyannis Port within Barnstable, Massachusetts, on Cape Cod, provides a peek into the life of John F. Kennedy. Here, boats and yachts dot the harbor, while locally owned shops line walkways just as they did in years past. The village’s charm and seaside beauty made it the primary retreat for Kennedy during his presidency, and it still serves as the Kennedy family’s summer getaway today. In the nearby village of Hyannis, the John F. Kennedy Hyannis Museum brings the area’s Kennedy legacy to life and doubles as one of the area’s go-to event venues.
Kennedy is quoted as saying, “I always go to Hyannis Port to be revived, and to know again the power of the sea, and the master who rules over it and all of us.” At the museum, attendees can enjoy that sentiment through multiple galleries that, in a nonpartisan manner, illustrate how Kennedy inspired the nation. Its event spaces include its three exhibit galleries and lobby on the main floor, an outdoor courtyard for up to 100 attendees, and its Scudder Family Center for Civic Engagement for up to 48 on the second floor. “Planners have shared with us how the backdrop of images and quotes from world leaders has inspired their meetings and set the tone for meaningful events,” says the museum’s Executive Director Wendy K. Northcross. “There is still something of him in the salt air in this place he loved so much.”
thebazaar.com
hotelbethlehem.com
jfkhyannismuseum.org
madametussauds.com/new-york
