Monday Mashups: Welcome to Hawkins

We owe a lot to the top streaming media company, Netflix. They have made staying in on a Friday or Saturday night and binge watching TV socially acceptable. Countless hours spent immersed in some of the top hit series ever produced, including their very own original series like Stranger Things. When we heard about the season 2 release date, we knew to keep our eyes peeled for an epic premiere party--and Netflix provided just that!

To celebrate, Netflix worked with MKG to produce a screening and after-party that submerged guests in the show’s spooky, '80s-theme world. Held on October 26 in Los Angeles, the evening began with a screening at the historic Regency Village Theatre in Westwood, where a 100-foot-long black carpet welcomed talent including Winona Ryder and Millie Bobby Brown. In a nod to the show’s fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana, the theater was renamed the Hawk Cinema, and featured branded popcorn bags and lobby signage.

After the screening, guests moved to UCLA’s Dickson Court North for an after-party that was designed to immerse guests in a town fair in autumn of 1984. In keeping with the fair theme, guests could win carnival prizes and snack on treats such as pretzels, funnel cake, and cotton candy. Drinks were themed around the show, with names such as UpCider Down and Maple Bourbon Bone Chiller. And you bet they served some Eggo waffles!

The evening featured several other nods to the series, both in the decor and the activities. There were several elements that guests had just seen in the episode screening, such as a “Welcome to Hawkins” town sign, a rotten pumpkin patch, and a tree with a “portal” to the Upside Down, the show's spooky alternate dimension. Just your average day in Hawkins!

Fictional town bulletins and flyers, as well as a Hawkins Police Department car, further immersed guests in the show’s world, while branded giveaways such as “Hawkins Middle School A/V Club” pins provided fun touches. And no Stranger Things party would be complete without a reference to Barb: In the “Don’t Cry Over Spilled Milk” carnival game, guests knocked over milk bottles with missing ads for the fan-favorite character. Poor Barb (but we love this personal touch)!

What a way to celebrate and devour the details of the season 2 premiere! For more pictures and event ideas, check out the full article on BizBash. And if you haven't binged Stranger Things yet, you better get on it before the Shadow Monster comes for you!