When Back to the Future: The Musical wrapped up its national tour in Portland, the cast celebrated with a private after party at Hey Love on East Burnside, and we got to be part of it. It was the final show of the tour, which made the whole night feel like a genuine celebration rather than just another stop, complete with a real DeLorean parked right out front.
If you happened to walk by that night, you may have caught a glimpse of it. Here's a look inside.
The DeLorean Was Real, and It Stole the Show
We rolled out a red carpet on the sidewalk leading straight up to a real DeLorean parked on the street outside Hey Love. It turned SE Burnside into a bit of a time travel photo op for the night. While the party itself was a private celebration for the cast, anyone walking by was welcome to stop, snap a photo with the car, and get a small taste of the movie magic before continuing on their way.
Meeting Bob Gale
The real highlight of the evening for the cast and crew was getting to meet Bob Gale, the original writer and co-creator of the Back to the Future films. Having the person who helped dream up Doc Brown, Marty McFly, and the entire time-traveling universe in the room added a level of authenticity you can't manufacture, especially on closing night of the tour. It's one thing to wrap a long run with a party. It's another to have the actual storyteller behind the story there to celebrate it with you.
Why Hey Love Was the Perfect Portland Venue for This
Hey Love has quickly become one of our favorite spaces to work in for Portland events that need to feel a little unexpected. The venue's layout gave the cast room to celebrate privately inside, while the sidewalk out front on SE Burnside doubled as its own stage for the DeLorean and red carpet. It's a great example of a venue that can flex between an intimate private party and a public street moment in the same night.
For anyone planning a themed corporate event, a cast or closing night party, or a milestone celebration in Portland, Hey Love is worth a look.
Capturing the Night
Our team was on-site with a Magic Mirror Me photo booth setup designed to match the retro sci-fi theme, giving the cast and crew a fun keepsake from a night that already felt larger than life. Between the DeLorean on the red carpet, the passersby stopping for photos, and the excitement of meeting Bob Gale in person, there was no shortage of great moments to capture.
This is exactly the kind of event we love being part of: a private celebration with a real story behind it, hosted at a Portland venue with the character to back it up, for a cast that had every reason to celebrate.
Planning a Themed Event or After Party in Portland?
Whether it's a closing night cast party, a corporate milestone, or a private celebration with a theme as bold as time travel, PDX Photo Lounge brings the photo booth experience that makes nights like this one memorable. We've been part of the Portland event scene since 2008, and we'd love to help you plan the next one.
Get in touch with PDX Photo Lounge to talk about your next Portland event, or check out our other work at venues around the city.