David Rees partnered with Josh Antenucci and Rival Entertainment to help bring the Delta Centennial Gala to life, celebrating a major milestone for one of America’s most iconic brands.

Held at the Delta Flight Museum in Atlanta, the event featured a dynamic reception, presentations from Delta leadership and Atlanta luminaries, the reveal of the Delta 100 livery with media by Lightborne, and a high-energy concert from Jon Batiste and his band.

The overall design approach treated the museum itself as a stage, with the reveal of the new Delta livery as the evening’s centerpiece. “There were four distinct spaces, each with their own visual aesthetic,” explained David Rees. UVLD worked closely with Rival Entertainment to create cohesive looks across the entire property:

• The Entry Tunnel welcomed guests with a dramatic, immersive portal into 100 years of Delta history. Custom activations depicted key milestones while the tunnel also served a critical logistical role — masking the aircraft until the moment of reveal. “It gave guests a meaningful experience of Delta’s legacy while keeping the plane hidden until the perfect time,” said Rees.

• The Reception Tent acted as a relaxing lounge environment, offering hors d’oeuvres and cocktails. UVLD designed the lighting here to be warm and inviting, encouraging guests to settle in and socialize before the main events began.

• The Museum Hangars highlighted Delta’s history with displays, vintage aircraft, and key presentations by Delta executives and Atlanta leaders. “These hangars needed to feel both reverent and high-energy,” said Rees. “We balanced the beauty of the aircraft on display with strong, clean looks for the presentations.”

• The Outdoor Venue served as the main stage for the livery reveal and the concert that followed. The new Delta 100 livery was dramatically unveiled under a bold lighting scheme designed to maximize visual impact, with Lightborne’s media content seamlessly integrating with UVLD’s design to create an unforgettable reveal moment.

Programming was led by UVLD’s Sieun Ye, supported by veteran programmer Melissa Lionetti, ensuring each transition — from cocktail lounge to formal presentations to live concert — felt effortless. 4Wall Lighting Atlanta provided the gear and onsite support, with a fantastic crew including Rob Nelson, Christa Chandler, Bryce Zelazoski, Jamie Gastley, Brian Howard, Joe McCarthy, and Ricky Myllymacki.

Reflecting on the experience, Rees said, “Working with Josh, the team at Rival, and our partners at 4Wall made this one of the best projects I’ve ever been part of. Everyone brought a real spirit of collaboration, and that made it possible to deliver something truly special for a brand that’s part of our everyday lives.”

Setting up a major event inside an active airport museum came with its own set of challenges, but Rees said the location exceeded all expectations: “You think working at the Delta Museum right next to Atlanta’s airport would be a logistical nightmare, but it turned out to be an absolute delight. The enthusiasm of the environment was contagious — you could feel the pride Delta’s people had for the company everywhere you turned.”

After the plane reveal, the evening transitioned into an electrifying performance by Jon Batiste and his band, with the lighting shifting to match the energy of the concert and close out the night on a high note.

Special thanks to Todd Finch and Kerrie Robinson at 4Wall for their partnership and support throughout the production.

UVLD was honored to help celebrate Delta’s centennial and proud to work alongside such an incredible team of collaborators.

 

Photo Credit: www.BenRosePhotography.com