Michael Bloemeke x Hilton Garden Inn: Corporate Event Case Study

An hour and a half of strolling magic for about 100 guests at the hotel's renovation celebration in Cary, North Carolina

When the Hilton Garden Inn at Raleigh/Cary Crossroads wrapped a major renovation, the team threw an evening reception to show it off: a live band in the freshly finished lobby, drinks going around, and the hotel's partners, vendors, and longtime guests filling the space. Michael spent the evening doing what works best in a room like that: strolling close-up magic, group to group.

This page is about one specific event. For what Michael does at corporate events in general, see the Corporate events page.

How the booking happened

This one came the way the best bookings do: a referral from a past client, someone who had seen Michael work a hotel event of their own and passed his name along. Kayla Smith, the hotel's catering sales manager, reached out, and they were on the phone that same afternoon. The plan came together from there. Renovation done, party planned, entertainment sorted.

A milestone worth celebrating

A renovation is a long haul. Months of construction, workarounds, and patience from everyone who works in and with the building. When it finally wrapped, the hotel celebrated the right way: a band in the new lobby, food and drinks, and the crowd drifting in and out of one of the ballrooms all evening. No seating chart. No formal program. Just a good room in a good mood, which is exactly the setup where mingling magic shines.

Why mingling magic fits a room like this

No stage and no interruption to the party. Michael moves through the room, joining one small group at a time, performing close-up magic that happens right in people's hands. It is a natural icebreaker that keeps the energy up and gives everyone something to talk about, without ever stopping the band to make an announcement.

This crowd was an industry crowd: the vendors, partners, and managers who keep a hotel running, plus longtime guests. People circled between the lobby and the ballroom all evening, so Michael kept the material rotating. Nobody saw the same trick twice, and any group he circled back to got something brand new.

How the night landed

By the end of the evening a handful of guests had asked for a card on their way out, and a few of the vendors were already talking with Michael about events of their own. That is what this format does at an industry party: it entertains the room and hands everyone an easy conversation starter that has nothing to do with work.

Planning a corporate celebration?

Grand openings, renovation reveals, client appreciation nights, holiday parties. If your event has people standing and mingling, close-up magic is one of the easiest ways to make it memorable. Michael performs across Raleigh, Charlotte, and the rest of North Carolina.

Photos from the renovation celebration at the Hilton Garden Inn Raleigh/Cary Crossroads.