Destinations International recently brought their annual conference to St. Louis. Through a partnership with Explore St. Louis, the TalentPlus team was brought in as an entertainment partner. Our mission was to WOW out-of-town guests with local entertainers, to introduce St. Louis culture to an international audience, and to spotlight talent as an extension of our city’s extraordinary features. Behind the scenes, our agents worked hard and crafted a stellar entertainment package.


Local Musicians

• Tommy Halloran and Arvell Keithley knocked it out of the park! They performed St. Louis blues music at the airport terminal as convention guests flew into the city.
• DJ Nune (Lamar Harris) and his full ensemble did a masterful job entertaining guests upon their arrival to the opening night party before the conference.
• Dr. Zhivegas was specially requested - more than once - for live music to close out the conference.

St. Louis Sports Mascots

• Louie the Bear - who was in high demand after our Stanley Cup win - circulated the 2nd floor for TapSnap photo opps and more. 
• Fred the Bird rallied guests on the 1st level. Fred Bird never disappoints, and he hammed it up big!

Environmental Entertainment
We brought in Belle of the Ball Productions to arrange this amazing line-up of greeters.

• Greeters dressed as Hall of Fame trophies were the perfect way to emphasize the Hall of Fame Museum tours that were open to guests during the event.
• Greeters dressed in nostalgic stadium vendors costumes distributed snacks to the guests. The costuming and the final look are superb!
• Stilt-walkers fashioned in contemporary Cardinals attire greeted all guests as they were shuttled to Ballpark Village. The stilt performers quickly dove into playful heckling guests - just the way ball players do with their fans!

Dancer Ensemble

• PBR dancers gave a featured performance to Blanco Brown’s “The Git Up”. This allowed a great transition into a Blues victory celebration, and the PBR Dancers, Fred Bird, Louie the Bear, Living Statues, Stilt Walkers, and Stadium Vendors got the room of conference guests up and dancing.

With the variety of entertainment elements for the conference attendees, TalentPlus agent Jodie Gilbert kept her eye on equipment requirements and timing lineups to ensure a stellar entertainment experience. All of the teams involved - Explore St. Louis, Destinations International, Bell of the Ball, venue staff, and our entertainers - did a beautiful job displaying the arts and culture of St. Louis. We were honored to be included as an entertainment partner, and we’re humbled by the All Star Award that we received from Explore St. Louis.

     When booking entertainment, our agents field requests the day before an event or over a year before an event. In between these timelines, 66 days is our agency's average booking period.

     Events that feature live entertainment - an amazing band, themed performers, or engaging speaker - create excitement among the guests and generate a lasting buzz. At TalentPlus, we’ve been in the talent business since 1977, and we have streamlined the process for booking entertainment in the St. Louis region. Take an inside look at the booking process, which averages 66 days for local or regional acts.

Contact Day 1
     The process begins when you contact the agency with your event details. An experienced agent will ask for event details, goals, timeline, and budget. In your conversation, they will want to understand the vision that you have for the event and the specifics needed to bring your event to life.

Proposal Day 3
     Within 48-72 hours, you will receive an initial proposal from the entertainment agency. 

Contracting Days 4-15
     Once you give feedback, your agent will revise the proposal, negotiate rates, and finalize the contract. After we have established the details, we will send you a contract. A signed contract and deposit secure the talent.

Advancing Days 16-65
     Leading up to the event, your agent will be available for any questions. 2-4 weeks before the event, your agent will confirm onsite details and arrange final payment.

The Event Day 66
     Relax and enjoy! With planning, negotiations, and payment complete, you are free to enjoy your event. 

     If you are interested in booking a national act or have specific requests - such as a specific performer, artist, group, or customized entertainment - initiate this process 6 to 12 months ahead of your event. When you have a specific act in mind, the process will occur in the same order, but you want to book far enough in advance to ensure you can lock in the date.