PIER 22, the landmark restaurant and party venue located in historic downtown Bradenton, celebrated its grand ballroom re-opening with a VIP cocktail hour celebration on Friday, Sept. 29. The event took place in the newly renovated event space, located on the second floor of PIER 22. Designed with a sense of sophisticated, old-Florida elegance, and with rich decoration executed in wainscoting, a suspended ceiling painted off-white, newly installed downlighting and sound-absorption drapery, the PIER 22 grand ballroom brings an exciting new entertainment option to the Bradenton area. Members of the public looking to schedule a venue tour of the renovated ballroom or any of the five private event spaces should call PIER 22 Special Events at 941-748-8087.
The renovation also included increased kitchen storage and improvements to back-of-house service areas. Floating bars, a removable dance floor, a 6-foot projector screen with VGA/HDMI hookups, and room partitions are also in play. All nine of the Spanish-style windows were also restored. However, the gem of the updated space remains the sweeping views of the Manatee River and its gorgeous sunsets. General manager Greg Campbell said, “While in the planning stages, we knew that we wanted to create a room that had character while also offering guests a fresh space for creating one-of-a-kind functions.” The choice to maintain much of the 1920s design works to provide the ballroom with a unique personality. The use of a neutral color palette, room partitions, and a removable dance floor are key features that give the room universal appeal. With award-winning event planning and onsite culinary teams, the PIER 22 Grand Ballroom is an all-inclusive party venue and meeting space.
Jillian Price, the events manager for PIER 22, said, “We’re beginning to see a lot of interest in the ballroom for corporate holiday parties, and of course, weddings.” The PIER 22 Grand Ballroom has not seen a renovation since 2008, and with its new look and modern conveniences PIER 22 is hoping to become the go-to venue for local partygoers. Campbell also called his venue’s downtown address a “prime location” and recognized Bradenton’s ever-rising notoriety as a preferred spot for destination weddings and annual conferences. “This area is an ideal location for bringing large groups together; we’re in the middle of the Bradenton entertainment district with hotels popping up everywhere and with two incredible airports right nearby. When event coordinators look around for a space that matches our incredible surroundings, they’ll find that PIER 22 is it,” Campbell said.