As part of the launch campaign for Atlas Obscura’s Wild Life, we hosted a series of events across the US and Canada to take attendees on a journey to discover the hidden wonders of the natural world with authors Cara Giaimo and Joshua Foer. The first of our events was held in New York City aboard the aboard the historic 1885 tall ship Wavertree at the South Street Seaport Museum. This unique venue provided an immersive backdrop for an evening of discovery and wonder.

As a crucial part of the AO’s Experiential team, I worked closely with our book authors and campaign manager to build an event that not only highlighted and promoted the newly released book, but also encouraged our visitors to engage more deeply with the natural world around them with a panel of speakers who celebrate the amazing wildlife of NYC. Aside from overall management of the event, I was responsible for talent acquisition, ticketing, and vendor relations.

The lineup of speakers and musicians included:

• Cara Giaimo and Josh Foer, authors of Wild Life

• Zak Risinger, Director of Engagement and Public Programs at South Street Seaport Museum

• Kristi Collom, Research Associate at Gotham Whale

• Tod Winston, Urban Biodiversity Specialist at NYC Bird Alliance

• Agata Poniatowski, Public Outreach Program Manager at Billion Oyster Project

• Musician Brendan Principato and his recent project Saapato, which explores the intersection of ecology and music in ecosystems around New York.