5 Bright Lighting Ideas for Your Next Toronto Event

Luminato - Stage Lighting on Entertainers_Quest AV photo

Quest AV lighting at Luminato

First impressions matter. And lighting techniques are here to help, as colour and illumination are often used to wow guests when they arrive at an event. Anthony Moreino, Account Executive and Connie Cay-Santos, Senior Director, Growth and Engagement at Quest Audio Visual, a Toronto-based audio-visual equipment rental service, offer lighting tips for setting the perfect mood.

1. When it comes to lighting, always plan ahead

It’s important to understand the vision for your event early in the planning process, as well as the opportunities and limitations of the chosen event venue—think: low ceilings or wide-open spaces—when it comes to lighting, says Cay-Santos. “The sooner we can plan together, the better.”

Budget also plays a factor. “[It] plays a big role as to how much lighting and the types of fixtures used,” says Moreino. “We look at the floor plan, what we’re able to do within the space and if there are any other set-ups [such as booths or catering] that we have to work around.”

“There are lots of wireless light options these days. It’s a good alternative for situations where we need to minimize our footprint.”

– Anthony Moreino, Account Executive, Quest Audio Visual

Mood Room Lighting at a Twitch Event

2. Create grand entrances and immersive experiences

When the walk-up to a venue feels too spacious or overwhelming, Cay-Santos suggests installing a tented dome to create a cozy experience. When it’s lit in rich colours, the environment feels very exclusive, she explains.

You can also create an immersive experience. For the premiere of The Little Mermaid last year, the Quest team got creative with the movie theatre foyer’s low ceilings and limited space by using wireless lights, colour and movement to create an underwater feeling, Moreino adds.

And immersive experiences don’t always have to be about dazzling guests. Event planners can create soothing spaces where attendees can take a break from the action, using neutral and light tones to set a calming mood.

3. Light up the night with outdoor projections

Projecting patterns, images or video can tell a story unique to a venue or a special event. During the final week of December, the Aga Khan Museum’s Light Up the Dark event had its exterior walls adorned with animations inspired by the collections inside.

“We mapped out the walls; it can be complex, depending on the structure itself,” says Moreino. “You want to make sure that the projections don’t bleed outside the edges of the building because that will reduce the wow factor and [it’ll project] onto somebody else's building and windows.”

4. Consider lighting placement and wireless options

It’s important to ensure that special lighting doesn’t create a negative experience for guests and keeps the event accessible. “We use uplight fixtures when we’re concerned about light shining in guests’ eyes or disorienting them. It's just a matter of light placement,” Moreino notes.

It’s also important that cables do not present a tripping hazard. “There are lots of wireless light options these days. It’s a good alternative for situations where we need to minimize our footprint,” Moreino explains. Wireless light tubes, for example, can be mounted in any direction on stands or clamped and hung from a ceiling. “The capabilities of these fixtures are really endless.”

5. Remember to use colour and layering

This past winter, roller-rink enthusiasts headed to Toronto’s Union Station for a 1970s experience complete with a giant disco ball. “It's the colour palette and tones that give that retro vibe, for example lighter pinks and yellows,” Moreino says.

The experience also had a concrete tunnel that was intended to create a wintery, Northern Lights vibe. The Quest Audio Visual team accomplished this with layering different types of lighting. “We incorporated a few different types of lights, including a rotating gobo light fixture [which projects a design],” Moreino explains. “We complemented that with another, more static light fixture and added colour, and then we had a moving headlight… getting creative with texture and colour created an immersive space with a Northern Lights, wintery vibe.”