One thing I love more than events is dressing up for them. Like honestly, is your event really an event if it doesn’t have a theme? Hehe.
Last Sunday afternoon, I attended the launch of Boy on the Shore by Mark Wambui. The event, dubbed “An Evening at the Fourth Eye Gallery,” came with the theme Investigator Chic. Think trench coats, hats, and little details that made you feel like a detective straight out of a movie. I love when an event gives you a chance to play a character for a day. It was such a fun and creative idea, and one of the main reasons I made sure to attend.
But beyond the chance to dress up, I was already invested in the story before the book even came out. Mark had been building anticipation for months. Instead of the usual “coming soon” posts, he created a WhatsApp channel months before the launch. Every Tuesday, he’d drop a small clue from the book, and we’d all try to piece things together. You could feel how much thought and creativity went into it. It became something I looked forward to.
So by the time the event arrived, I already felt like I was part of the story.
When I got to the venue, we were welcomed with ribbons tied around our wrists, each color representing a different team for an investigative activity. Suddenly, we weren’t just guests at a book launch, we were detectives in a live mystery game. We ran around the space decoding messages and trying to reach the final answer before the other teams. My team didn’t win (lol, we were close), but we all got the final answer right. The winning team got bragging rights and cocktails, and the rest of us had to dance, which honestly was just as fun.
The event itself flowed smoothly, thanks in large part to the most hilarious full of energy MCs -Julio Supercharge and Sammy Brayo. They kept the energy high and played off each other so effortlessly. Then came the Q&A session, and I have to say, I have never seen anyone asked so many questions during a book event. But Mark handled it well, answering everything from his creative process to the historical inspiration behind the story with patience and humor. People wanted to know how he built his characters, how he blended fact with fiction, and what kept him going through the eight years it took to finish the novel.
Between the reading, the games, and the conversations, there were cocktails and a live band and you could tell everyone was genuinely having a good time. No one was in a rush to leave, even after the event officially ended. People stayed behind, mingling, buying signed copies, and taking photos with the author.
I have to admit, I didn’t take enough photos of myself. I was so caught up in the experience that I barely touched my phone. Maybe that’s how you know it was a good day, when you’re fully present. Still, I wish I had one proper photo because I really went all in on the investigator chic theme.
It made me think about what really makes an event stand out. It’s not just a good venue or a clever theme, it’s how well everything connects to the purpose of the day. The Fourth Eye launch worked because every element, from the WhatsApp clues to the group challenge, tied back to the story being told. It wasn’t a random activity or performance, it all served the narrative.
That’s what made it memorable. It showed that when an event is built around a clear idea and executed with intention, people don’t just attend, they engage. You could tell the audience felt included, not just entertained. Sometimes all it takes is a clear idea, executed with care, to turn an event into an experience worth remembering.
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