Soho House West Hollywood’s Halloween Party, Los Angeles, October, 2021

Soho House West Hollywood celebrates the 50th anniversary of Willy Wonka on Halloween 2021, with Rupaul’s Drag Race S13 winner Symone & the House of Avalon.

As the regional Head of Events - West Coast for Soho House (2021–2022), I led the concept creation, theme ideation, talent booking, creative direction, production, on-site event and staff management, artist relations, content management, and more for this immersive Halloween celebration.

 
 
 

from concept to creation,

come with me

& you’ll be

in a world of pure imagination…

 
 

🍭🍭🍭🍭🍭🍭🍭🍭

Event Overview

Halloween 2021: Symone and the Chocolate Fec’try

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, Soho House West Hollywood transformed into a fantastical chocolate factory where everything was edible… if you dared. Iconic RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 13 winner, Symone, led guests through this deliciously whimsical world, starting with a lucky golden ticket.

Guests rode The Great Glass Elevator, sipped Bacardí cocktails (careful not to turn into Violet the Blueberry!), and grabbed treats in a pop-up candy cafeteria at Maya. The Sitting Room became Wonka’s wonderland, while the garden featured a chocolate river—accessible only through a tricky Tunnel of Terror. On the other side awaited a special performance from the extraordinary chocolate maker herself: Miss Symone.

 
 
 
 
 

Entertainment

Headline Talent: Symone — fresh off her RuPaul’s Drag Race victory — hosted Halloween as a reimagined Willy Wonka. Her House of Avalon joined as Care Bears, completing a playful and unforgettable night. Symone performed in the garden:

  • 11:30 PM: Take Me Higher – Symone x Diana Ross

  • 12:00 AM: Candy Shop – Symone x 50 Cent

Elevators and hallways were looped with themed voiceovers, while the Sitting Room-to-Garden corridor became the Tunnel of Terrors, featuring a recreated version of the film’s iconic song.

Supporting Talent: DJ Lineup —

  • 9PM-11PM: DJ Noah Passovoy in Garden & DJ K in Sitting Room

  • 11PM-2AM: DJ HappyDevilBoys in Garden & Zomanno in Sitting Room

 
 
 

Context:

Halloween 2021 called for a theme that was both nostalgic and new. As Head of Member Events, my team and I would focus on curating experiences that are thoughtful, immersive, and memorable. Post-COVID, Soho House West Hollywood wanted a colorful, fun, and whimsical Halloween. Willy Wonka was a natural fit — but the idea of Charlie and the Chocolate Fect’ry came to me in a laugh-out-loud moment, inspired by a challenge Symone won on the show, where she turned a simple flag factory task into a hilarious viral meme — all because of the way she pronounced “factory.” I emailed the idea that she host her own rendition of Willy Wonka, taking over the House as her very own Chocolate “Fect’ry” (Symone voice), and thankfully, her team loved it. We threw an unforgettable party complete with a recreation of the film’s bubble room, a chocolate fountain, and a midnight performance of “Candy Shop” (naturally).