Three Venues. One Seamless Experience.

How Footers Catering kept 1,200 guests focused on the

celebration and not the logistics.

When the National Association of College Educators (NACE) gathered in Denver for its annual conference, the closing reception celebrated the organization's 70th anniversary, bringing together approximately 1,200 attendees for a seamless experience designed around conversation, discovery, and celebration.

Produced by Maritz and executed by Footers Catering, the event took place in not one but three areas--Mile High Station, Ironworks, and the courtyard connecting the two venues. Rather than creating one large reception, the Footers team designed three completely different experiences, each with its own atmosphere, menu, and personality.

The event was months in the planning, overseen on the Footers end by Tabitha Hossfeld, Senior Sales Coordinator. The meticulous logistics entailed eight unique culinary experiences spread across multiple buildings and two floors.

THREE SPACES. THREE MENUS

“Because this event travels,” Hossfeld says, “the client likes to incorporate some local flair into the menus.” For this Denver event, Footers elevated design elements at each venue to complement the culinary experience.

At Mile High Station, part of a historic complex originally built in 1897 as the Midwest Steel and Ironworks, guests stepped into an energetic celebration inspired by NACE's anniversary. Platinum accents reflecting the 70^th milestone, lively gathering spaces, and interactive food stations reflected the milestone celebration.

MILE HIGH STATION MENU

Station One

Parmesan Wheel Cacio e Pepe

Orzo Pasta | Butter Parmesan Sauce | Freshly Cracked Pepper

Chef Attended | Hand Tossed in Parmesan Wheel Until Melted

Topped with Seared Scallop

Station Two

Chicken Sesame Noodles

Roasted Chicken | Glass Noodles | Pickled Cauliflower | White Shoyu Sauce | White Sesame Seeds

Outside, the vibe of the courtyard between Mile High Station and Ironworks embraced Colorado's outdoor culture with relaxed picnic seating, rustic décor, and casual fare that encouraged guests to mingle under bistro lights beneath the open sky.

AL FRESCO MENU

Colorado Campfire Station

Colorado Pork Belly Green Chili

Colorado Veggie Green Chili | Whiskey Flambeed Pork Belly

Queso Fresco | Local Kalera Farms Micro Cilantro

Colorado Picnic Station

Colorado Summer Slider

Local River Bear Smoked Turkey | Smoked Gouda

Kalera Farms Romaine | Cranberry Mustard | Ciabatta

Hot Honey & Peach Burrata Cups

Burrata | Grilled Peaches | Arugula | Hot Honey Vinaigrette

Interactive Dessert Station

Cookie Plinko

Soft Chocolate Chip Cookie in Branded Clear Disc

Slid Down Plinko Board by Cookie “DJ”

Note: Plinko is a game in which contestants take circular chips and slide them down a board through rows of pegs, so that the chip eventually comes to rest in a slot at the bottom of the board. Footers created a large-scale version of the game and the Plinko discs were the cookies.

Plinko “prize options” included:

“Dip It” – Warm Chocolate Ganache Dip

“Dunk It” – Cold Milk and Oak Milk Dunk

“Stack It” – Two Cookies Stacked with Cream Cheese Frosting

“Top It” – Rainbow Sprinkles Over Sun Butter

From the courtyard, guests entered Ironworks, also part of what originally was a steel and iron factory. The space kept much of its original industrial brick structure and gilded architecture, character that was perfect for a speakeasy-inspired lounge complete with moody lighting and spaces designed for quieter conversations.

IRONWORKS MENU

Passed Hors d' Oeuvres

New York Strip Steak Bite

Peppercorn Crust | Parmesan Artichoke Truffle Mousse | Fresh Chive

Crispy Tuna Bite

Spiced Ahi Tuna Tartare | Crispy Sushi Rice | Pickled Mustard Seeds

Sugar Donut Pork Belly Bite

Braised Pork Belly | Green Apple | Cinnamon Sugar Donut | Black Pepper Maple Syrup

Crispy Caesar Bruschetta Bite

Crispy Seasoned Waffle Fry | Caesar Tomato Bruschetta | Herby Plant-Based Ricotta (Vegan)

Pueblo Chile Mac & Cheese Croquette

Local Pueblo Roasted Green Chiles | Smoked Gouda Cheese Sauce | Blackberry Jam

Dessert Display

Tiramisu Mousse Cup

Tiramisu Mousse | Chocolate Cups | Espresso Bean

Mini Lemon Basil and Rose Bite

Lemon Basil Meringue Pie Bite | Graham Crust | Rose Whipped Cream

Chocolate Hazelnut Truffle Pops

Caramelized Sugar | Chocolate | Hazelnuts (Vegan)

Sunshine Bites

Sour Cream Pound Cake | Passion Orange Guava Layer | Bay Italian Meringue

Strawberry Rhubarb Basque Cheesecake Bite

Mini Basque Cheesecake | Lemon Whipped Cream | Strawberry Rhubarb Compote

Chocolate Honey Pots De Creme Soiree

Whipped Cream | Honeycomb Candy Dust

Coconut Passionfruit Soiree

Coconut Budino | Passion Fruit Curd | Mango Chutney | Chili Threads

THE EVENT CHALLENGES

“Working across not only three very large spaces but multiple floors, it is easy to get spread thin during set-up,” Hossfeld says. “Simple tasks like finding the hammer or gaff tape can easily take 30 minutes of your time wandering all the spaces looking.”

To avoid this, the team was hyper organized throughout planning. “Everything from separating the food and the equipment into three different trucks for each area, to assigning set-up teams with clear tasks and timelines, to orchestrating breakdown into sections before loading the trucks at the end of the night helped,” Hossfeld says.

Colorado Weather Doesn't Read Event Schedules

“Colorado is known for its ever-changing weather,” Hossfeld says. “You never know what could happen. Add to that, a large portion of this event took place in the courtyard which was uncovered. We had multiple back up plans for placement of our stations and how to manage a large crowd if everything needed to move inside.”

Thankfully there was no rain but there were strong and unpredictable winds.

“Our food stations outside included many vertical walls which did fall down a few times during setup,” Hossfeld recalls. “We were able to move the placement of the outdoor snack wall [Grab-n-Go vertical walls with popcorn packets and custom logo spicy pickle pretzels] and secure it to iron fencing. The walls of our picnic station fell over and we ended up setting the entire station at an angle so we could strap them to the farm table structure. We also had to dress up sandbags with linens and decor for the cookie plinko station.”

Design Heroes to the Rescue!

In total, Footers created eight different food set-ups throughout the three venue spaces. Footers paired branded and customized disposable products with each station.

To ensure all the stations reflected the original vision, four dedicated "Design Heroes," along with two Design Team Managers, were on site. “Typically, we have about one or two of these specialized people assigned to an event,” Hossfeld says. “But the size of this event, and the weather forecast, called for more.”

The sole responsibility of the design team was to oversee installation, maintenance, and eventual breakdown of every decorative element. On site they were able to mitigate several design issues that sprang up due to the wind. “Quick thinking and flexibility were key,” Hossfeld says.

That, of course, was only possible through careful planning, exceptional teamwork, and countless behind-the-scenes decisions. While guests enjoyed an evening celebrating the organization's 70th anniversary, Footers Catering orchestrated a seamless experience across three connected venues—proof that the most successful large-scale events often make the hardest work look effortless.

Photography: Elevate Photography