When the venue is the message—and the décor. For a 25th anniversary celebration, the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, an annex of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, is designed for maximum awe. With soaring ceilings and aircraft spanning generations, the space houses some of the most iconic artifacts in aviation history—from the Space Shuttle Discovery to the Enola Gay, alongside the SR-71 Blackbird and Concorde.
This extraordinary setting was the backdrop for the 25th Anniversary Celebration of Service hosted by the PenFed Foundation for Military Heroes headed by President Andrea McCarren. The event raises funds to support health service and financial needs for veterans.
“Our forte is event design, but this was one of those moments when less is more,” says Ken Rosen, CEO of Encore Décor. “Especially when the venue is as spectacular as this.”
In fact, when Rosen and Encore Decor’s Creative Director and President Sara Rose Harmon walked the museum with the client, they asked the PenFed team what they would like to propose for the event’s décor. In unison they replied “nothing!”
Nothing except patriotic service flags and lots of uplighting in a museum that is also a massive airplane hangar. It was a dramatic setting for a 25th anniversary celebration that began with a keynote speech from PenFed Foundation’s CEO and President, James Schenck, a former Air Force Academy graduate and fighter pilot.
Designing a 25th Anniversary Celebration
We began the event design by embracing the scale and architecture of the venue. The dramatic ceiling height and clear sightlines allowed us to install two six-by-ten-foot LED walls, ensuring every guest could experience the full program. We designed a clean, patriotic stage backdrop with U.S. and military flags framing the podium, adding impact without competing with the aircraft overhead.
Our event production team created a seamless guest experience through strategic lighting and audio. We used warm, balanced lighting to highlight the stage and maintain an inviting atmosphere. Professional sound design ensured clarity across the space. A modern acrylic podium with an integrated teleprompter supported confident, polished presentations throughout the program.
For this 25th anniversary celebration, we designed elevated tabletop décor that reflected the significance of the occasion. We layered navy linens with textured overlays to add depth, then introduced silver accents for a refined, cohesive look.
Each table featured floral arrangements of white hydrangea, Dutch tulips, and ranunculus in mirrored vessels. These centerpieces reflected candlelight from chrome votives.. This enhanced ambiance while preserving clear sightlines—an essential element of effective event design.
We concluded the evening with a performance by Air Force veteran and America’s Got Talent contestant Benjamin Hightower. As he performed America the Beautiful, guests stood and raised the hand-held flags placed at their seats, creating a powerful, unified moment that reflected the purpose of the event.
