OneWest Events Gets Freaky For Winsport

Calgary’s OneWest Events produced their version of a ‘Cirque’ show for Winsport’s Annual Legacy Gala. To give guests a one of a kind experience, the OneWest team took them back in time and recreated a vintage ‘freakshow’ circus enviroscape.

On arrival, guests entered the Winsport’s International Arena into ‘Clown Alley’, where costumed Grinders led them through a cloud of dry ice smoke, past empty shipping crates, broken marquee signs an everything else you’d find when sneaking backstage into the Big Top.

The big top tent that was the arena itself, featured eclectic bazaar style market food stations which were each themed to a different oddity complete with costumed chefs.

Custom made circular stages were transformed into massive draped circus tents built onto a motorized truss which would rise and fall as each new act throughout the night was revealed.

Game booths along the perimeter were also themed to the strong man competition, bottle toss, and other old fashion circus games and displays.

Stacy Harwood, Lead Designer, OneWest Events shared about the event experience;
“We were contracted by Winsport to bring to life their idea of a vintage circus theme for the 2016 Legacy Gala. The most important aspect for us as designers was to make sure that we stayed true to their concept and manifested it into a circus inspired show that wasn’t just your typical ‘Cirque’ show. With the clever creation of a backstage entrance dubbed “Clown Alley”, use of bazaar style market food stations each themed to a different freakshow oddity, motorized ‘circus tent’ stages and as many authentic vintage pieces as we could get our hands on, I think we accomplished that.”