Milano. The collaboration between AIM Group International and H2O Racing started off the inaugural Aquabike Music Festival (AMF), which took place at the Idroscalo in Milan, 5th – 8th June. The festival combined sports and entertainment as it was organized jointly with Aquabike World Championship creating a complete sensory experience for those who are excited for the sport, or the newcomers attracted by the music. The four days of intense action and entertainment pushed all limits and it is hoped that these events will become permanent on Milan’s events calendar.
The Idroscalo, an artificial lake built in the 1920s and now one of Milan’s busy parks provided a great stage to host the events. It took a staff of 80 and three days in order to transform the city park into a race filed and concert arena that accommodated well over 15,000 people for the duration of the two events. The Music Festival was organized in collaboration with Nicholas Cavalchini – one of the most sought-after local musicians. The days were filled by the Aqubike World Championship, where 94 riders from 20 countries thrilled the audience with their brilliance in the water, only to be further energized at night with the many local and internationally renowned music artists and DJs.
At the location, a Hospitality Village was set with exhibition space for the teams, as well as for the 11 principal sponsors and partners of the event. All guests of honour were provided with a special pass that allowed them a front row seat in the VIP Water Lounge – reserved for them for the daily championship, as well as for the Music Festival in the evenings.
The promotion of the events was focused mainly on the use of social media channels, such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. The primary reason was the target audience – being young active people – who welcomed the idea and provided constant positive feedback directly to the organizers. Radio and printed promotional materials were also used, however to a lesser extent.
It was a great challenge for AIM Group International, as the Group works on diversifying its services from medical and scientific conferences to more and more corporate events, sport competitions and music festivals. Event marketing and personalized services combined with an effective and flexible team is what the Group offers towards the successful organization of events and conferences.