The Independence Seaport Museum Gala

The City of Philadelphia has a new venue… or perhaps I should say and old venue with a brand new look. Culinary Concepts and The Independence Seaport Museum have renovated, refreshed, and re-vitalized what is perhaps one of the most unique and scenic facilities in Center City. The partnership of the two entities, called ‘Events at ISM,’ held their official opening gala on the last day of September 2009.

Of all the events that I’ve attended in all the years I’ve been in this industry, this one was truly remarkable.

When the elevator doors opened to take us up to the event, I smiled. There on the elevator was a cocktail bar to get us started. We already had drinks in hand when we walked into the party. I honestly couldn’t think of a better way to get started, but the ‘wow’ factor didn’t stop there. As you can see from the photos (taken by Maxine from Bresner Studios), the space is open, airy, and filled with daylight.  And as it became darker, one could clearly see the city lights to one side, and the Delaware River to the other. From the deck just beyond the glass doors of I.S.M. you can see virtually all of Philadelphia’s visual splendor, while sipping drinks as the cool breeze blows by. Truly a magnificent view.

In addition to the flowing drink, and the tasty fare, C.T.O. provided the live music inside, while Cutting Edge Entertainment’s own DJ Richie played the tunes out on the deck. Later that evening, Events at I.S.M. put on a spectacular fireworks show for all the gala-goers to celebrate the grand re-opening, and it was a most impressive conclusion to a truly impressive event.

What is most remarkable about Events at I.S.M. is the people behind it, or ‘Team I.S.M.’ as I call them. Jim, Kelly, Christina and Elizabeth are playing to win, and they’re doing something that I’ve seldom seen in the event industry… they’re listening to their partner vendors. Cutting Edge Entertainment is proud to have been chosen to be part of such a talented team of event professionals, and we intend to help I.S.M. deliver above and beyond their commitment of excellence.

Lastly, but certainly not least, I would like to thank Cutting Edge Entertainment’s own Maura Duggan (pictured above with myself and C.E.E. Creative Director Pedro Coelho), for helping to forge the relationship between our company and Culinary Concepts. They are a company we have worked with for years at a handful of other facilities, so we have the utmost confidence that they are a good fit for the Independence Seaport Museum.

-Craig Sumsky
Director, Cutting Edge Entertainment

Events at I.S.M. – http://eventsatism.com/

Culinary Concepts – http://www.culinary-concepts.com/

Photos by Bresner Studios – http://www.bresnerstudios.com/

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