Tips for Hosting an Event Inside an Airplane Hangar—Where Not Even the Sky Is the Limit

The event welcomed 300 corporate and nonprofit event profs to see new event venue The Executive Hangar in action. A Tulum-inspired theme included relaxing lounge areas like this one, worthy of any good vacation spot.Photo: MADLOVEMEDIA

If you've thought about hosting an event inside an airplane hangar or plan to sometime soon, don't wing it. (Sorry, we couldn't resist.)

Instead, take tips and inspiration from the grand opening of The Executive Hangar, a new event venue in Fullerton, Calif., which is just north of Anaheim. On April 24, the hangar—operated by Jay's Catering—hosted 300 corporate and nonprofit event profs for a showcase of the new venue. Here, they could see the hangar in action as a customizable space for occasions like large galas, product launch events, corporate gatherings, and nonprofit fundraising.

With summer just around the corner, Jay's Catering opted for a Tulum-inspired theme to "give our guests the feeling of being on vacation for the few hours they were at our event," says Kristine Borunda, marketing manager for Jay's Catering. "To us, Tulum is lively with plenty of activities and unforgettable experiences and has gorgeous backdrops filled with vibrant, lush jungles and relaxing beach landscapes."

Guests were treated to multiple lounge moments; a central bar; food stations; and experiential moments like a cigar-rolling experience, permanent jewelry, fragrance-making, a golf simulator, a photo booth, live foil engraving, live screen printing, and a live event painter. The plethora of experiences was meant to showcase the vendors as potential future partners for those in attendance. 

"My favorite touchpoints were the grand bar and all the fun vendor experiences we were able to include for our guests," Borunda says.

So, what's the best way to activate inside an airplane hangar? Although they tend to provide a blank canvas, Borunda encourages other event planners to not be intimidated by their size. "Think of it as an opportunity to include even more fun, meaningful designs; add exciting activations for guests; or simply show off the grand scale of the venue," she said.

And not even the sky is the limit. Borunda says The Executive Hangar can offer private helicopter flights to event attendees. "If you are hosting at a hangar, see if you can offer short flights for guests in attendance," she says. "If not, you can always resort to including other fun interactive vendors."

Keep scrolling to see key vendors, some truly standout details from inside this lavish grand opening party, plus plenty of noteworthy insights from Borunda...

Vendors