Listen to this articleBringing ‘epic’ ideas to life, Epic Entertainment Group is a full service, live entertainment, event production, and brand activation resource based in Long Beach, California. The world-renowned company breathes life into creative concepts attracting hundreds of thousands of attendees to internationally and nationally recognized festivals and events.
Co-founded in 2016 by Charity Hill and Steve Sheldon, Epic Entertainment Group made a big splash after a successful first few years of operation as the creative minds behind Taste of Downtown Long Beach, America’s first-ever Ice Adventure Park, Dark Harbor, Dark Horizon: Point of No Return, and many more. In just three years of business, the Epic Entertainment Group team exceeds the industries’ ‘epic’ standards with unique activations and flawless precision.
Below is our recent interview with Steve Sheldon and Charity Hill from Epic Entertainment Group:
Q: Could you provide our readers with a brief introduction to EPIC Entertainment Group and yourselves?
A: Charity Hill and Steve Sheldon founded EPIC Entertainment Group in June, 2016. “We are a collective of innovative producers, experiential marketers and creative designers whose sole mission is to produce unrivaled immersive experiences while having a kick-ass time doing it,” shared Hill.
Q: We know what sets EPIC apart from traditional event producers is that you use immersive and experiential marketing to support your clients events. Can you give us more insight into your events and how you do that?
A: “Creating immersive environments and experiences is really about transporting guests into an alternate reality. We do that by being hyper-focused on detail and story, often through the use of technology, so that guests who want to really dive in can do so,” shared Sheldon. “Not everyone wants to go on that journey, but for those who are seeking more of a unique micro-experience within the larger entertainment activation, EPIC unlocks the ultimate path of disruption and discovery.”
Q: This was one of Dark Harbor’s most successfully attended seasons yet. What have you found audiences are drawn to that keeps them coming to your events?
A: What we have found that really resonates with guests is the opportunity to depart from reality, even if just for a brief period of time. Discovery and the opportunity to be immersed in a story are two key elements that drive interest and attendance. We strive to introduce interactivity and entertainment at every turn.
Q: How does technology play a role in your immersive events? Is it becoming more important or utilized?
A: Event guests are typically looking for entertainment on-demand and technology provides the opportunity to deliver just that. The incorporation of different kinds of technology allows us to augment reality, engage all of the senses and to tailor experiences to different people at different times.
Q: What’s the best thing about EPIC Entertainment Group that people might not know about?
A: EPIC provides a safe and nurturing environment to foster and develop creative minds and progressive thinkers. Creativity does not exist without an element of risk taking and we are known for making bold moves that have delivered impactful results for our clients. We believe that talent should be recognized and rewarded and that creating opportunities for our leaders to focus on what they are passionate about leads to innovation.
Q: It seems EPIC had an incredible 2019 year with events across the nation and even some running at the same time. What can we expect from you in the next 6 months- Can you tell us about some events that you are apart of right now and perhaps any to come in 2020?
A: We are really excited to be a part of the U.S. premiere of Nerf Challenge – a groundbreaking immersive gaming activation hosted at LA Live in Downtown Los Angeles, which runs through early January 2020. We are also honored to return and manage operations for NightGarden at the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Miami.
Believe it or not, we are already in pre-production for Halloween 2020 with The Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor in Long Beach, while also in development for multiple Halloween and Holiday-themed attractions both in the U.S. and abroad.
Having the opportunity to work on such a diverse scope of projects with clients in multiple markets is both challenging and incredibly rewarding.
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