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Creating an Engaging and Motivational Experience for a Charity Midnight Walk

WalkTheWalk

Large crowd of participants gathered at a vibrant nighttime event, dressed in pink and colourful outfits, symbolising unity for a cause. The scene is illuminated by bright lighting, with performers on stilts in the background and signage promoting a breast cancer awareness campaign.

MoonWalk is a walking challenge offering a variety of distances from 10km to 100km. Each year, thousands of women and men don colourfully decorated bras and follow routes around the streets of London and Edinburgh to support WalkTheWalk; the charity behind the MoonWalk.

The Brief

WalkTheWalk strives year after year to make the whole event positive, impactful and motivational. We were approached to make the event as engaging and motivational as possible. We were briefed to create an enjoyable environment for those at that starting and finish line as we welcomed them back at different stages during the night.

The Beginning

Since 2022, SLX has been the provider of event infrastructure for the MoonWalk, beginning months in advance with detailed site visits, design work, and the creation of CAD plans and visualisations. Working closely with the charity to meet their specifications, we manage all aspects of lighting, theming, AV, and more to create an unforgettable and seamless experience for participants.

Our Approach

Our contributions include illuminated start and finish lines, key elements like purple pea lights and egg arches in Battersea Park, along with two star arches adorned with warm white pea lights all battery-powered for quick setup and efficiency. These installations not only enhanced the experience but created perfect photo moments for participants walking.

The main stage featured an extensive lighting package; a full PA system and an LED video wall, all of which contributed to a warm, inviting atmosphere that sustained the positive energy throughout the night. Alongside production, we also provided robust logistical planning, overseeing the maintenance and coordination of all event infrastructure.

Continued Partnership

In Edinburgh, we’ve also been supporting the MoonWalk since 2022, delivering lighting and AV services to enhance the overall atmosphere. Similar to our work in Battersea, we provided pea lights, egg arches, and star arches along the banks of the River Forth at Silverknowes and Portobello, ensuring each location was as impactful and vibrant as possible.

Two vibrant performers dressed in glittering, colorful costumes with feathered accents stand smiling under a glowing pink 'MoonWalk Start' arch. The nighttime event is illuminated by bright lights, with spectators visible in the background, creating an atmosphere of celebration and energy.
Two joyful participants wearing vibrant bras adorned with pink designs and medals around their necks pose proudly under the illuminated 'MoonWalk Start' arch. The bright and colorful backdrop highlights the celebratory spirit of the event.

Driving Sustainability

Our commitment to creating sustainable productions has been pivotal in advancing the MoonWalk’s sustainable event goals. Our sustainability team, through our Impact Service, developed a Seed Level Event Impact report outlining both the initiatives implemented and future opportunities to enhance the event’s sustainability and social impact.

45%
Reduction in Carbon Footprint compared to 2023
25%
less fuel in the generators onsite

The most significant savings came from our approach to power – using a hybrid system and HVO (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil) in the generator. Reductions were also seen in the transport elements of the event as we utilised electric site buggies and HVO in all SLX delivery vehicles.

There are still a lot of improvements to be made to align this event with sustainable event best practices. We can see a particular opportunity to work with the other event partners to reduce impact in the areas of food and beverage, materials, and merchandise. However, with just changing a few elements this year, we have seen good progress in the overall environmental performance of the event. We are committed to addressing this challenge in future events by helping them explore more sustainable alternatives and working collaboratively with the other event partners.

The Result

Our partnership with WalkTheWalk for the MoonWalk event exemplifies our ability to deliver large-scale, complex event infrastructure while also considering sustainability. Through planning, innovative production techniques, and a focus on reducing our environmental impact, we helped create an engaging and memorable experience for participants and supporters alike. Although challenges remain, our work in 2024 demonstrates our commitment to continuous improvement and sustainable event practices. We look forward to building on these successes and exploring new opportunities to enhance the MoonWalk experience in the years to come.