In Orbit Mashbash 2019
By Mashable Experiential
A staggering lineup of the world’s most innovative minds, a slew of events optimized for maximum showoff potential on the ‘gram, and a bounty of amazing tacos—it can only be SXSW. In 2019, the masses converged on Austin, hopping on motorized scooters to zoom to the next celebrity panel or legendary BBQ spot.
And when they had their fill of absorbing knowledge and brisket, one party beckoned above all others. Where was the only place to take a selfie with an alien while enjoying a cocktail, piloting an AR-powered spaceship, and dancing your heart out? This year’s MashBash, of course, where we blasted off into the unknown in our space-themed celebration.
BLAST OFF
This year, we wanted to send our partygoers on an intergalactic journey into outer space. We partnered with Hisense to help us create this interstellar atmosphere, and they hooked us up with a 4K Ultra HD Smart Dual Color Laser TV out front—perfect for showing a jaw-droppingly hi-def feed from the International Space Station to our guests lined up around the block.
Inside, our guests were greeted by Hisense Mission Control--a hub for all things MashBash happening both in the event space, as well as cyberspace! One screen displayed a rolling social feed of all of our guests' #MashBash content. Another screen featured highlights from Mashable's original series, "Space is Weird."
STARSHIP V.I.P.
Meanwhile, VIPs mingled in our second bar area, sipping on Beam Me Up Scottys! and cooling off on the back patio.
But the real draw in VIP was ARWall’s massive, interactive AR experience. Guests put their phones into ARWall’s controller, allowing them to pilot a spaceship or walk through a futuristic cityscape—watching (and filming, of course) as their environment mirrored their movements on the floor-to-ceiling screen.
INTERGALACTIC DANCE PARTY
DJ Drew V made the dance floor a non-stop party, spinning and mixing as fast as a planet spinning around the sun (sounds right, but we’ll check with our science team about that later).
It was a bummer to have to return to Earth after such a (inter)stellar MashBash, but don’t worry—we’ll be back again!
