“You can get anything and everything that you need in the smallest capacity possible,” says Carly Roncaglio-Marotta, HMCC, team manager for IQVIA. “You can find any type of caterer or venue that you’re looking for. You can find the most eclectic style in entertainment or design.”
New York City is arguably one of the most densely populated areas in the world with a reputation for having something for everyone. Whether you’re looking for glam venues or intimate and unique experiences, NYC has it all.
Manhattan
“You can run the world in Manhattan [with] what this small little island has to offer the events community,” Roncaglio-Marotta (MPI Greater New York Chapter) says. “Everything and anything can be sourced in Manhattan, which is one of the greatest things people in our area love, because you don’t have to go that far to find something new.”
After a US$463 million renovation in 2013, the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center is a veritable palace of glass and is a true embodiment of the hard angles and monolithic form of the famous Manhattan skyline. This world-class facility can take on any size event with a sprawling 2.1 million square feet over four levels.
After a US$463 million renovation in 2013, the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center is a veritable palace of glass and is a true embodiment of the hard angles and monolithic form of the famous Manhattan skyline. This world-class facility can take on any size event with a sprawling 2.1 million square feet over four levels.
The facility features a 58,000-square-foot ballroom, an 840,000-square-foot exhibition space, a 480,000-square-foot truck marshaling facility, 113,000 square feet of pre-function space, 102 meeting rooms, a 45,000-square-foot River Pavilion with a view of the Hudson River and a 30,000-square-foot Special Events Hall. With that kind of immense space, the Javits Center can certainly host any event thrown at it.
The Javits Center is also focusing on sustainability with a seven-acre energy-reducing green roof that is both a horticultural paradise and wildlife oasis. They are also focused on reducing their carbon footprint by reducing both water consumption and waste.
Roncaglio-Marotta says that Manhattan planners are always looking for the latest and greatest. One of the greatest ways to instill a passion for vibrant NYC is The Great Gotham Challenge. This bespoke, large-scale puzzle adventure takes place on the streets of New York City, where participants are challenged to find and decode clues about the city’s culture and history. The course is set up by a Cluemaster who will customize experiences that are intended to encourage cooperation, out-of-the-box thinking and the revelation of hidden talents.
Queens
“The changing landscape in the city provides a lot of options,” says Jennifer Rondinelli (MPI Greater New York Chapter), director of education for MAC Cosmetics. “It’s important, though, to continue to do research, meet with hoteliers so that you don’t get caught up in what’s the hot spot and possibly overlook the important things like cost, space, service and quality.”
Calling all vintage air travel enthusiasts: Step back in time to a venue that has all the aforementioned qualities that you’ll never have to leave the airport to enjoy. The TWA Hotel has returned in its original building at John F. Kennedy International Airport, sporting a vintage, jet-age aesthetic with 512 guest rooms inspired by 1960s flare. All rooms are stocked with mini-bars with period-appropriate snacks and seven panes of glass to block out any runway noise—and select rooms have views of the runway.
Source: www.twahotel.com
The hotel features 50,000 square feet of space with 45 event rooms and five hospitality suites. For larger events, they also have the 7,000-square-foot Constellation Ballroom and the 1962 Room, a 4,200-square-foot ballroom built for red-carpet-style events. Landmark Hall has 7,000 square feet of pre-function space with intimate meeting rooms and skyboxes. The rooftop infinity pool and pool bar are also available for private events. Guests can frequent the Sunken Lounge for relaxing and networking or work out in the 10,000-square-foot gym.
The hotel also boasts experiential activities for any group. For instance, guests can get a Shirley Temple at the vintage cocktail lounge located inside the restored Connie L-1649A plane, one of four left in the world. For guests who want to learn more about the original facility, the hotel also features a museum exhibition displaying original artifacts from the TWA Flight Center.
Ellis Island & Liberty Island
Host an event at one of the most recognizable landmarks in the world with events after-hours on Ellis and Liberty islands.
“We start with a cocktail reception outside overlooking the Manhattan skyline and the Statue of Liberty, and then dinner would be in the Registry Room, which is where the immigrants were processed,” says Patti Golden, director of sales for Evelyn Hill Inc. “All the galleries and exhibits are open during the event, so the guests are free to tour.”
The venue hosts from 50 to 1,200 guests and features a 13,000-square-foot interior space perfect for dinners and cocktail parties. Outdoor events can also be held on the lawn, overlooking the Statue of Liberty. For more intimate meeting space, the third floor of the museum features a 1,630-square-foot conference room and a balcony for dining. Events can also be held in the adjacent Ferry Building that contains a total of 2,600 square feet of space, including the 1,200-square-foot Customs Room.
The 12 acres of open space can accommodate up to 1,200 guests. After touring the statue, guests can also experience the new Statue of Liberty Museum.
Liberty Island itself can also host outdoor events where tents can be erected as close to Lady Liberty as you can get without a tour (which can also be arranged). The 12 acres of open space can accommodate up to 1,200 guests. After touring the statue, guests can also experience the new Statue of Liberty Museum.
Recently opened in May 2019, the relocated Statue of Liberty Museum doesn’t require advanced reservations or tickets. The streamlined, unobtrusive design of the new building is in line with the sustainability trends that are dominating the events scene. The museum contains education on Lady Liberty and features historical relics such as a copper replica of Lady Liberty’s face, part of her foot, the original and unoxidized torch and an immersive theater where visitors can learn more about Lady Liberty’s history.
Golden says the new facility was built to allow better accessibility to the public for everyday visitors and has new attractions.
“The original torch is beautiful—[the museum] has a rooftop vista that overlooks Manhattan,” she says. “It gives you a completely different view that was never available before.”
Brooklyn
“Brooklyn is really up and coming over the past couple of years—they have some great hotels, great venues and some of their restaurants are definitely rivaling places in Manhattan,” Roncaglio-Marotta says.
A vision of country elegance and tranquility, the Picnic House in Prospect Park-Litchfield Villa is a picturesque venue perfect for special events. With 585 acres in total, this venue can hold any size outdoor event on its 90-acre Long Meadow lawn. The historical brick house on the property is 4,000 square feet with floor-to-ceiling windows, country-chic French doors, a terrace and a wood-burning fireplace. The space can accommodate 175 dinner guests or 240 for cocktail-style parties.
The Picnic House provides a downhome and country venue following a $95 million restoration, and the exquisite Kings theater is a lavish opportunity to wow guests. Decked out in red and gold finery, the theater looks truly fit for royalty with vintage carpet and seating and ornately plastered walls, but with modern updates. It typically has a full calendar with comedy acts, live music, theater and events, but also has multiple rooms available for private booking.
The Bronx
The New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) is an ever-changing backdrop for all kinds of events ranging from corporate to special. The Botanical Garden contains several unique venues such as the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, which is a Victorian-style glasshouse and home to A World of Plants, a collection of plants curated from all around the world. Planners can also host outdoor events in the 50-acre Thain Family Forest. The ancient forest is the largest expanse of original woodland in the city and was the original site for the NYBG in 1895.
For more traditional event spaces, the NYBG has the Garden Terrace Room, the Stone Mill and the Hudson Garden Grill. The Garden Terrace Room is modernity and nature combined to create a unique room with both indoor and outdoor space that seats from 120 to 330 guests and is framed by perfectly maintained gardens. What’s more, Roncaglio-Marotta mentions that the intimate experience is not marred by the hustle and bustle of the city.
“There’s lots of options and it’s very easy to get to,” she says. “You still feel like you’re in a city, but you also feel that you’re in an intimate experience when you don’t have the hustle and bustle right outside."
For an experience of a lifetime after the event, hit up Yankee Stadium for a fun, sports-filled day for baseball fans. While the stadium does feature premium seating, they also offer luxury individual or multiple game suites where guests can get a one-of-a-kind viewing experience. The suites feature all-inclusive ballpark fare and can accommodate from 12 to 502 guests. The facility also offers stadium tours, meet and greets with former and current players and a tour through the history of the stadium where guests can touch the artifacts.
A Bite Out of the Big Apple
Each New York City borough features its own unique flavor.
“You can get anything and everything that you need in the smallest capacity possible,” Roncaglio-Marotta says. “You can find any type of caterer that you’re looking for.”
The five boroughs of New York City are among the most densely populated areas in the U.S. and boast a reputation for having something for everyone. Whether you’re looking for budget fare or fine-dining restaurants, NYC has it all.
Manhattan. Where the southern end of Rockefeller Park and Battery Park City Ball Fields meet, El Vez restaurant features contemporary Mexican and Mexican-American cuisine with world-class margaritas and a full burrito bar. The restaurant has three inviting spaces to seat about 200 guests and can provide semi-private accommodations and partial or full buyouts of the restaurant. El Vez tacos are also a great option for catering large events, as they are versatile and can accommodate most dietary needs.
Queens. Located in the French Quarter of Bayside, Queens, Bourbon Street Café is a Cajun comfort food restaurant that can dress up or dress down your event with three unique dining spaces. The first-floor party room is decorated in the warm and homey décor of traditional Louisiana cafés, complete with an impressive bar area. This area is great for groups who want to lay low and dive into downhome Cajun food. The catering area on the second floor transitions into an elegant room that features fine-dining, upscale creole fare for up to 150 guests. Additionally, guests from the first or second floor can mosey up to the chic, modern rooftop for a drink or stop by for lunch. Bourbon Street Café also offers offsite catering.
Staten Island. After fun at the brand-new Statue of Liberty Museum, head to Staten Island for a bite at Blue Mediterranean restaurant, a mere 10-minute walk from the tugboats at Snug Harbor. The elegant restaurant has both indoor and outdoor seating options with quality menus of Mediterranean-inspired dishes. The restaurant can be closed to the public for groups of 50 or more and features an exclusive party menu containing options for three- and four-course meals.
Brooklyn. Southern-style Hometown BBQ uses oak wood to cook cut-to-order meat with diverse flavor profiles meant to represent the diverse neighborhood. The physical site is in Red Hook, Brooklyn, in an efficient and industrious building. The service is built to be just as efficient with walk-up service and few frills—the food does all the talking. They can accommodate large impromptu groups (although there can sometimes be wait times), semi-private and private in-house events and full-service, offsite catering.
The Bronx. Yankee’s Stadium has dining options of all varieties from catering to vegan and vegetarian restaurants, not to mention the ballpark fare that is provided in the Game Suites. While there are quite a few options, the Hard Rock Café just outside the stadium provides a casual atmosphere for large groups, paired with delicious classic America food. The café prides itself on being able to handle any size event and will offer custom menus based on group sizes along with a rock ‘n’ roll experience to remember.
