A gala lives or dies on atmosphere. InnovatAV produces galas and award shows across Toronto and the GTA — the lighting that turns a ballroom into a moment, the audio every table hears clearly, and the show cues that land exactly when the envelope opens.
What a gala needs to feel effortless
- Audio for dinner rooms — speeches and live entertainment tuned so the back tables hear as well as the front, without blasting the room.
- Lighting design — color washes, elegant uplighting, and spotlight cues for award moments.
- Video & screens — sponsor loops, tribute videos, and live camera on LED walls or projection.
- Staging — a stage sized to your room with clean sightlines from every table.
- Show calling — a technician on cues all night, so the program runs on time.
Built around your run of show
We work from your program: who speaks, when awards happen, when the band starts. Walkthrough first, quote second, and on the night a crew that has done this room — or one just like it — before.
Planning a gala or award show? Get a Quote →
Gala & award show AV — common questions
Who calls the show on the night?
A show caller on headset runs the cues — video roll, walk-on music, spotlight pickup, microphone hand-off — from your run of show. Your emcee talks to the room; the caller talks to the crew. That is the difference between an award moment landing and a gap while someone finds the right slide.
Can you take the band’s or DJ’s audio, or do they run their own?
Either. Most bands bring an engineer and want a split from the house system; a DJ usually plugs straight in. Send their tech rider with the quote request so inputs, monitors and power are on the plan, and the changeover from dinner audio to the band is rehearsed rather than improvised.
How do you keep speeches audible without deafening the front tables?
By covering the room with more, smaller speaker positions instead of two loud ones at the stage, plus delay fills for the back tables. Levels are set for a room full of people talking over dinner and then ridden live, so the toast is clear at the back and comfortable at the front.
How much uplighting does a ballroom actually need?
It is set by the perimeter, not the guest count — fixtures are spaced around walls and pillars, so a long narrow room needs more than a square one of the same capacity. Send the floor plan and the quote comes back with a fixture count and a color direction, not a round number.
Can our presenters rehearse in the room before doors?
Yes, and it is worth putting in the schedule. The usual ask is a window after the room is set and before doors, for presenter walk-throughs, video checks and lighting looks. How long that window can be depends on your venue’s load-in time, which is confirmed before the quote.
Tell us your event date, venue and audience size — we reply with a clear quote within one business day. Prefer to talk? Call (437) 830-6767.