For the 2026 Make-A-Wish Mid-Atlantic Wish Ball at the Washington Hilton, Make-A-Wish and its event team produced the night, and Baltimore Sound Entertainment was one of the partners on the floor. Our part: the DJ, a Glambot, photo booths and custom trading cards. More than 750 guests came out for a night that helped grant over 300 local wishes. Here is what we brought to it.
At a glance
- Host: Make-A-Wish Mid-Atlantic
- Event: The Wish Ball
- Venue: Washington Hilton, Washington, DC
- Date: Friday, February 20, 2026
- Guests: 750+
- What BSE provided: DJ, Glambot, photo booths and custom trading cards
In this post
The brief
The Wish Ball is Make-A-Wish Mid-Atlantic’s big annual gala. It runs from dinner into a late dance floor, and every part of the night points back to one goal: granting wishes for local kids with critical illnesses.
That shapes the entertainment brief. A gala like this has a program to protect, sponsors to thank, and a crowd of 750 that needs to stay in the room and stay engaged between the speaking moments. The entertainment had to support the cause, not compete with it.
What we brought
Our pieces were built to give guests somewhere to go between the program moments.
The DJ. Our DJ kept the ballroom moving around the program, from arrivals to the dance floor.
The Glambot. The Glambot is a robotic camera arm that shoots fast, cinematic slow-motion clips. Guests step onto the mark, the arm sweeps past, and they walk away with a short video ready to share. At a black-tie gala, it turns the red-carpet moment into something people line up for.
Photo booths. Alongside the Glambot, our photo booths gave groups a quicker, easy option so the lines kept moving.
Custom trading cards. Guests could become a card: their photo printed on site on a custom “I Am a Wish Maker” trading card designed for the night. It is a physical keepsake people take home, and it fits a cause built around kids.
Our recap video from the night shows the crew behind the scenes, the Glambot, and BSE crew member Alan Tucker at work.
Why it worked
Here is our takeaway for gala planners: give guests something to take home that is tied to the cause. A plain photo strip is fine. A trading card from a Make-A-Wish night tells a story when it sits on someone’s desk a month later.
The second lesson is about flow. With 750 guests, one activation becomes a bottleneck. Pairing a showpiece like the Glambot with faster photo booths keeps the lines short and the energy in the ballroom, which matters most when the program needs people back in their seats.
Finally, fit the plan. On a night produced by someone else, our job is to slot into their run of show: music eases around the program, and the booths pause for speeches when the event team calls it.
FAQ
How many photo activations does a 750-guest gala need?
Plan on more than one. A Glambot draws a crowd but moves one guest or small group at a time, so pair it with at least one faster booth. That spreads people out and keeps lines from forming in front of the bar or the stage.
What is a Glambot, and does it work at a charity gala?
A Glambot is a robotic arm with a high-speed camera that captures slow-motion video clips. It works well at formal galas because guests are already dressed up and want a way to show it, and sponsors can brand the finished clips.
Can entertainment work around a gala’s speaking program?
Yes, if it is planned that way. We build the run of show with the event team so music lowers for the program, booths pause during key speeches, and the dance floor opens when the formal part ends.
What are custom trading-card activations?
Guests take a photo, and we print it on a trading card designed around your event, cause or brand. It is a take-home keepsake that keeps your event’s name in front of people long after the night ends.
Planning a gala or fundraiser in Maryland, DC or Virginia? BSE brings the DJs, live music, photo activations and production under one team, backed by more than 200 five-star Google reviews. Call us at 443-405-2378 or reach out online.
