We’re back from another all-around epic week with our wonderful Engage community. To end our year on a high note, we celebrated our final summit of 2023 in our home state of Florida. Engage!23 The Boca Raton was one of our largest events ever, with over 500 attendees and speakers at the iconic The Boca Raton Resort & Spa. Engage!23 The Boca Raton: The Official Recap is on!
We’ll be sharing more details from each of the parties, experiences, and educational tracks to come. But first, a recap of some of the highlights we loved so much and are sure to stay with us as we get ready for our 2024 lineup to come!
The Swag, Paper Details, and More
With each event, we lean into our location. In 2026, The Boca Raton will celebrate its centennial anniversary so we decided to take a look back and take inspiration from not just our surroundings, but the past there as well.
The Welcome Party
We love a good welcome party. It’s the way to set the tone for an epic few days to come and this welcome party at The Boca Raton did exactly that. Guests entered the Harborside Lawn and Pool and were immediately greeted by a 40-foot ice sculpture and raw bar (perfectly branded with our Engage! nautical nod). The theme of the fete was yacht rock and as such, all guests arrived in their picture-perfect blue and white stripes, sea captain hats, gold crests, and so much more.
As our attendees grazed on fresh seafood, sushi, and even lobster hot off the grill, they were entertained by the sounds of Rock With U. A twist on a champagne tower could be seen from all vantage points while a retro swimsuit-clad model poured tasty libations over a tower of glasses from high on the perch of her lifeguard chair. Cocktail Academy served up sunset-inspired cocktails and the evening was off to a roaring start.
But the highlight of the night had to be the entertainment overhead. A band of musicians ushered guests toward the pool deck to get a better glimpse of what would be a fantastic drone performance in the sky. Jordan Kahn Orchestra dazzled our group from sea to stars with an Engage! and ocean-inspired show. We knew it was going to be hard to top this night, but we had to try!
The Sessions
Our events aren’t just all fun and games. We have an educational track too (that included a cocktail game this time around!). Our guest speakers come from all over the world to inspire and educate our group. And each attendee leaves with takeaways that improve their business. In Boca Raton, we had four keynote speakers, Cindy Novotny (founder Master Connection Associates), Laura Gassner Otting (author of Wonderhell), Milton Pedraza (founder of Luxury Institute), and Will Guidara (author of Unreasonable Hospitality). Hugs, tears, and feverish note-taking could be seen around the room. And all set on a stage that included our largest LED screen to date. A big thanks to Encore Creative for making magic for us and transforming the Royal Palm Ballroom into something you might see at a rock concert!
On the final day of Engage! we break up our group into smaller, topic-specific sessions where guests get to decide who and what to hear in hopes of learning what matters most to them. From Angela Desveaux at Wedluxe sharing her expertise on AI to Cristina Capone from Wells Fargo offering financial tips, each session was jam-packed with takeaways.
The Lunches
Lunch breaks are anything but just meals when you attend an Engage! It’s one more touch point we can use to weave in a theme, inspire with new décor and ideas, and of course, engage with one another. At The Boca Raton we had a fun play on the movie Caddyshack, which was filmed scenes at the iconic resort. Argyle-clad golfers welcomed guests to our tent top for a wonderful seated meal (with a menu that looked like a golf hole). This event was certainly a hole-in-one, as were the rest of our daytime delights throughout the week.
The Dessert Party
On night two we break our group into smaller groups again for intimate dine around experiences. Attendees get to know each other on a deeper level and have quality time in smaller settings. When the multiple courses are done, additional dessert is awaiting at a party fit for sweet lovers and music lovers alike.
Our Boca Raton dessert party had a funky vibe. Retro attire was called for. Disco balls dressed the bars, as did colorful cocktails by Cocktail Academy were served up in style. Just about everyone hit the dancefloor with a team of dancers to level up the energy in the courtyard. The party went late, the Bango Booth was filled, and everyone had their fill of sweets before sleep.
The In-Between Moments + Fun
So much of what makes Engage! special are those in-between moments. The late-night visits in a lounge, a poolside sip with new friends, and even some quality volunteering time with the Engage! Foundation. In Boca Raton, we offered guests the opportunity to join us at a local Boys and Girls Club. There we gave holiday gifts that had been collected from our pack with a purpose program when our attendees arrived. Friendships made, bonds strengthened, and kindness spread was a fantastic way for us to end the year. But there was one more party still to come.
The Gala
The gala. What can we say about this unbelievable gala!? What can’t we say?! It’s true, one of our founders, Kathryn, had a bucket list checked when Flo Rida took the stage as a surprise headline performer. (Thank you Elan Artists!) Needless to say, the dance floor got a little crazy that night. (Complete with a confetti drop and late-night burgers and fries). But before things got a little loud, our group was welcomed back to the Royal Palm Ballroom. There, they experienced an elegant event inspired by the Gilded Age. Guests dressed in gold and black tie and dressed to impress is an understatement.
From the moment cocktail hour kicked off, there was magic at every turn. From a golden wall of escort cards created by TPD Design House to an abundance of white orchids everywhere when the ballroom doors opened, beauty was all around. And so was the entertainment. Big band sounds, Gatsby-era dancers, and singers from Elan Artists worth their own star of fame brought down the house. And we haven’t even mentioned the food! Caviar-topped martinis, fresh local seafood, and a duo to die for. Those were just some of the highlights from this memorable menu by The Boca Raton.
It was an unforgettable end to a fantastic few days in Florida. But that’s not all. We’re taking a deeper look at each event in full over the next few weeks. Check back regularly to see more surprises from our Engage!23: The Boca Raton. The Engage!23 The Boca Raton: the official recap might be a wrap but there’s lots more to come! (Including our epic photo galleries!) We love reliving every moment with this community that we love so much!
